The Environmental Case for Mobility as a Service

Each Earth day, most take the opportunity to consider how to minimize our impact on the environment by reducing our carbon footprint. Recycling, turning off screens, and eating meat-free are all ways to ease our effect, though one habit should particularly be in our sights: Transportation emissions account for the largest portion of greenhouse gas emissions, over 27%. With about half of these emissions originating the petroleum-powered vehicles dominating roadways, cutting down trips in a car may be the best option for protecting our planet.

Using a car to get around appears to be the norm for most Pittsburghers, though this was not always the case. In the early 20th century much of Pittsburgh’s transportation system was transformed from a city dependent on rail cars and walking, to a city laden with divisive highways serving the private automobile. Despite funding for public transit dwindling at this time, the Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAAC) continues to provide an efficient service by effectively connecting Pittsburghers to opportunity and enjoyment while reducing the environmental impact of every customer who would have driven instead.

Despite PAAC’s ability to shuttle riders long distances at a low cost of $2.75, a recent survey shows that over 50% of Pittsburghers commute alone in their car - a number that has likely increased due to COVID-19. Why is that? Car-owners cite reliable control over their schedule as a prime reason for staying in the driver's seat.

Increased federal and state funding could replicate some of these benefits in transit systems. With expanded service and better working conditions for drivers, we’d see improved accessibility and reliability that could entice drivers to ride the bus or train. However, with the consistent uncertainty for large-scale public transit funding, city governments have begun partnering with emerging mobility technologies to help supplement the transit system.

Enter Mobility as a Service, or “MaaS”, pronounced like the green fuzz that grows on trees. The concept describes a centralized platform that shows all available transportation options (think Uber/Lyft, bikeshare, even scooter-share) alongside public transit in one phone-based app. This allows its users to plan, book, and pay for trips conveniently while choosing their own preferences. A reasonable comparison to MaaS is today’s entertainment paradigm where most pay for handpicked streaming services instead of cable; you get to choose what works for you without paying for the whole kit and kaboodle. Perhaps you’d like to prioritize getting from A to B cheaply, MaaS will calculate the quickest transit route for you. Maybe you’re in a crunch and hailing a ride is your best bet. Better yet, maybe you’d like a balance between affordability and expedience, a trip-planning MaaS may suggest you take a quick bike or scooter trip and transfer at a nearby rapid transit station.

Mobility as a Service can unlock all the mobility you’d need in your day. From riding the bus to work, to taking a quick scooter trip to lunch. Transit App functions as a one-stop shop for transportation.

For MaaS to work as an alternative to car ownership, a city must have robust and dense networks of alternative mobility options that complement your transit pass. Consider this: PAAC does a stellar job at serving communities in Pittsburgh, but the system cannot meet every need of everyone all the time. Residents in the most tucked-away corners of the city have to walk over 10-15 minutes just to reach their closest bus stop. Most communities are well served at peak commute times, but many are left in the lurch during off-peak hours and weekends. Taking groceries on transit can be a pain, and what if you need to make a trip out of town? 

Many would feel stumped by these service gaps, enough to justify purchasing a car. Instead of weighing down household expenses by thousands of dollars annually, MaaS presents “gap-fillers” which can sway potential drivers towards affordable, simple, as-needed options which work in concert with transit by suiting an alternative niche in the transit ecosystem. For example, e-bikes and e-scooters are most commonly harnessed for short trips as a “first and last mile” tool, allowing for easier connections to transit lines. Ride-hailing companies experience their peaks during late nights and on weekends when public transit is unavailable. And car-sharing companies, such as Zipcar, allow customers to easily rent cars for necessary trips and are most popular for grocery runs and trips outside of the ‘burgh. 

The intent of MaaS and its many forms of shared-mobility is not to compete with public transit. It’s to compete with cars.

Used as one cohesive service with public transit at its core, MaaS can deliver a more affordable, reliable, and enjoyable experience, all while dramatically reducing carbon emissions. In fact, a MaaS has the potential to increase transit ridership over time. Studies show that rates of car ownership decrease as a household’s utilization of alternative transportation increases, with transit being the most prominent mode of choice.

Move PGH helps you get from A to B using the Transit app and Mobility Hubs.

With Steel City’s own Mobility as a Service pilot Move PGH well underway, Pittsburghers can discover for themselves the benefits of leaving the car at home in exchange for the Transit app, which will help you traverse our many rivers and hills with ease. Taking the green option has never been easier! As you glide past traffic on your electric POGOH bike or Spin scooter, Mother Nature will thank you for choosing to move in an Earth-friendly way.