Mobility as a Service in Malmö

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Traditional public transport like buses or trains, together with free-floating sharing alternatives give travellers many travel options. A "Mobility as a Service" or MaaS platform, in the form of a mobile app, can simplify the use of these different travel options. The project aims to define how a MaaS platform should function from a user experience perspective in the Malmö region. Users in this research are defined as (potential) public transport users in the area of Malmö, that could benefit from an improved digital environment for looking up, comparing and booking public transport trips.

To test the first impression of a MaaS product in Malmö, an online survey was carried out, targeted at the early adapters. Because the participants in the survey, we cannot conclude the entire population of Malmö. However, in the context of this research, we will focus on the part of the population that is mainly students. For a more detailed analysis, families or older people must also be taken into account. For example, a family subscription might be necessary. This analysis could be carried out in a further research project.

A summary of the findings, together with an overview of the most significant MaaS pilots are shown on this page. A summary of the findings, together with an overview of the most significant MaaS pilots are shown on this page.

Socio-demographic information

The majority of the 54 respondents are female (63%). A large group of respondents have lived in Malmö for less than two years and are between 18 and 24 years. While the survey participants are not representative of the entire population of Malmö, the group represents the part of the population that could benefit most from a MaaS platform.

The test group consists mainly of people who regularly use several means of transport in Malmö, and all respondents own a smartphone. The diagram shows the listed means of transportation that were used by the respondents in Malmö, in the last 12 months. Many different means of transport have been used, that all require an app on the mobile phone except which are in personal possession.
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Modes of transportation - ownership and usage

Almost all respondents have more than one transport app on their smartphone. Besides, a large part of respondents showed interest in a subscription function, mostly depending on the exact conditions.
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It is important to emphasize that the app should not be a replacement for existing systems. More than half of the respondents also voted for an offline version. One of our interviewed experts, Thomas Geier from EMTA (see more on the first page of the website) also made it clear during the interview that a MaaS platform should be as inclusive as possible by not excluding any groups without a smartphone or credit card. Consequently, ticket machines should continue to exist. The respondents were also asked what functionalities and information they would find useful. The results have flown into our recommendations on the first page.

Arguing that the integration of information and ticketing of multiple mobility options have proven to increase users satisfaction in other pilot projects, it can be concluded that a MaaS platform could be of benefit for the users in Malmö as well. Reasons for this are the diverse landscape of mobility options. Also, the respondents have answered a high degree of willingness in regards to having a mobile app and stating their interest in the possible future features of a MaaS platform.

UbiGo in Stockholm, Sweden

The UbiGo service was developed in a commercial pilot with partners such as Volvo, City of Gothenburg, the region PTA, Viktoria institute and Lindholmen Science Park. The UbiGo service started its first pilot in 2013 in Gothenburg, Sweden. The pilot in Gothenburg included a mobile application with different transport providers included, one invoice and 24/7 helpdesk. A total of 70 households joined the pilot. The pilot increased public transport usage, but more importantly, the satisfaction of public transport tripled from 15 per cent to 50 per cent. This success has led to 97 per cent stating they would keep on using UbiGo if it were available. UbiGo currently operates different pilots in the Stockholm region and continues to expand their services.

Whim in Helsinki, Finland

Maas Global is the company behind Whim, the commercial MaaS service in Helsinki. The service started in 2017 and has seen some remarkable results. The vast majority of trips have been public transport trips, succeeding the cities goal of increasing public transport ridership. Users are also seen to use extensive use of bike- and car-sharing schemes. The Whim service in Helsinki furthermore offers users the possibility to buy a subscription plan with all mobility needs to be included. The biggest plan offering unlimited public transport, bike sharing, car rental and up to 80 taxi rides, making sure that all your mobility needs are being provided for.

Jelbi in Berlin, Germany

In June 2019 the Berlin Transport Authority (BVG) launched their MaaS service Jelbi.  Other than in Helsinki, Jelbi is initiated directly by the public transport authority and operated by Trafi. The service combines as much as 12 types of transport, including public transport, e-kick scooters, e-scooters, on-demand services and car-sharing. The Jelbi application allows users to see their mobility options in real-time. The “deep-integration” of all mobility services included making it almost effortless for the users to compare and pay the different services.

Mobility as a Service - Malmö. All Rights Reserved.
Malmö University - Master Urban Studies
Jelle Mertens & Coline Scharfenberg
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