Introducing TrønderMaaS: investigating business models, sustainability and users' acceptance of a MaaS system in Stjørdal and Trondheim region, Norway

Abstract

This paper describes the aim, methodology, objectives and expected impacts of a project proposal submitted to the Research Council of Norway in April 2019. TrønderMaaS assesses the implementation of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) solutions in Norway using multiple perspectives, focusing on business models, users' acceptance and environmental impact. The assessment will be performed through a full-scale Pilot Test in the Trondheim-Stjørdal region, testing several business models, pricing strategies and operational conditions. Researchers will work with the technology development partner and local transport providers to develop a MaaS app/platform prototype that will offer a multimodal travel solution for a limited period. Users involved in the test will actively participate to the assessment through interviews, surveys and direct feedback. Public Authorities will help in the assessment by giving support and feedbacks during the project development. Future results of the project will foster the development of integrated mobility throughout Norway, and beyond.

Full text

Proceedings of 8th Transport Research Arena TRA 2020, April 27-30, 2020, Helsinki, Finland
Introducing TrønderMaaS: investigating business models,
sustainability and users’ acceptance of a MaaS system in Stjørdal
and Trondheim region, Norway
Giuseppe Marinellia
*
, Özlem Simsekoglu Nordfjærna,
Wenche Kristin Aarsetha, Kelly Piterab
aNord University, Wessels veg 75, 7502 Stjørdal, Norway
bNTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 7A, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Abstract
This paper describes the aim, methodology, objectives and expected impacts of a project proposal submitted to the
Research Council of Norway in April 2019.
TrønderMaaS assesses the implementation of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) solutions in Norway using multiple
perspectives, focusing on business models, users’ acceptance and environmental impact.
The assessment will be performed through a full-scale Pilot Test in the Trondheim-Stjørdal region, testing several
business models, pricing strategies and operational conditions. Researchers will work with the technology
development partner and local transport providers to develop a MaaS app/platform prototype that will offer a
multimodal travel solution for a limited period. Users involved in the test will actively participate to the assessment
through interviews, surveys and direct feedback. Public Authorities will help in the assessment by giving support
and feedbacks during the project development.
Future results of the project will foster the development of integrated mobility throughout Norway, and beyond.
Keywords: Mobility as a Service; Business Model; Users’ Perspective; Sustainability.
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +47 46823584;
E-mail address: giuseppe.marinelli@nord.no

Marinelli et al. / TRA2020, Helsinki, Finland, April 27-30, 2020
2
1. Introduction
Demand for road transport in Norway is increasing. From 2010 to 2017, the number of passengers and the
kilometers travelled on Norwegian roads has increased by 13.7% and 12.9% respectively. This increasing trend is
also consistent for private passenger cars (+11.9%) (Statistics Norway, 2019). Mobility as a Service (Fig. 1) is
rising as a new mobility model which has the potential to tackle this problem, aiming to make travelling on a
backbone of public transportation much more convenient and easier by integrating door-to-door trip planning,
booking, ticketing and payment services for all transport modes in a single mobile phone or web-based app
(Goodall et al., 2017).
The TrønderMaaS projects aims to increase the knowledge on MaaS by testing it in the Trondheim-Stjørdal region,
focusing on three aspects of particular interest: users’ perspective, business models and environmental impact.
Whether or not a technology innovation will be widely and successfully applied depends heavily on the user
acceptance, but there are only a few previous studies focusing on the user perspective related to MaaS use (Sochor
et al., 2016). Therefore, there is a need for further research, especially considering large and representative samples
of potential users.
MaaS involves several stakeholders, each one providing a component into the jointly offered mobility solution
(Jittrapirom et al., 2017), therefore a lack of understanding regarding the business model perspective could prevent
localities from successfully implementing MaaS systems. Despite the importance of this understanding, most
literature on MaaS has focused on the technological and planning aspects of implementing MaaS, while scant
attention is put on business model aspects (Jittrapirom et al., 2017).
Lastly, MaaS can contribute to environmental sustainability by potentially reducing the number of personal
vehicles on the road network. Nevertheless, environmental sustainability is not a guarantee, since a MaaS system
which acts in competition with public transport systems and/or attracts users from already sustainable modes such
as cycling and walking, may in fact result in adverse environmental sustainability consequences (Pitera and
Marinelli, 2018). Therefore, TrønderMaaS aims to fill this lack by aiming to make more focused and quantified
research in that topic.
2. Research questions & methodology
The main hypotheses of the project are that (1) it is possible to individuate and select a proper business model,
among all those available, that can satisfy all the stakeholders involved in MaaS in a specific application or
location, (2) a user-tailored solution can ignite the user adoption of MaaS and (3) MaaS is a viable solution for
reducing car usage, climate-gas emissions and pollution.
Fig. 1 Mobility as a Service concept (source: http://www.transportknowledgehub.org.uk)

Marinelli et al. / TRA2020, Helsinki, Finland, April 27-30, 2020
3
To accept or reject these hypotheses, the following research questions shall be investigated:
• R1: What are the current needs of the travelers to make daily traveling more convenient, economic and
environmentally friendly?
• R2: What psychological factors (attitudes, norms, perceived benefits and barriers etc.) predict intention to
use a MaaS platform both among the car-users and non-MaaS users?
• R3: What is the role of demographic factors and knowledge about MaaS for predicting the intention to use
a MaaS app?
• R4: What are the user experiences and satisfaction levels after using the MaaS app/system for a trial
period?
• R5: What are organizations’ key issues for participating in MaaS in the future?
• R6: How to promote good interaction and management between the organizations in the project?
• R7: How can the environmental impact of a MaaS system be quantified?
• R8: How does operational aspects of MaaS impact mode-shift (car/kms) and GHG emissions
(person/kms), comparing before and after travel behavior?
• R9: What operational components of a MaaS are important to ensure environmental sustainability?
The TrønderMaaS project strongly relies on the implementation of a Pilot Test, which will be designed based on
relevant theoretical methodologies for each aspect of the project: user perspectives, business models & cooperation
strategies, and environmental impact.
User perspectives will be investigated through surveys and interviews, both before, during, and after the Pilot Test.
Statistics will be also collected through the app/platform and analysed to understand preferences and behaviours.
Regarding the business models, a deductive research approach, from state-of-the-art theory to empirical research
will be implemented. Additionally, qualitative research according to Bryman (2016) will be performed through
semi-structured interviews with different stakeholders in the sector. It will be possible, through a theoretical
approach, to develop a model for partnering involvement that could help the different stakeholders involved in the
MaaS system to develop a shared and agreed upon business model, compatible with the specific situation and
location, and that fits all the different business needs.
The environmental impact will be analysed through before and after travel behaviour surveys, in conjunction with
user perspective surveys and travel data collected through the MaaS app. Different system configurations tested
within the pilot will be modelled using a metrics of emissions production (CO2 and NOx) per person-kilometre
and mode shift, including vehicle-kilometres travelled.
3. Objectives and expected impacts
The main objectives of TrønderMaas project are strongly aligned with the three main focus of the project.
• OB1: To increase the use of future MaaS systems by examining the psychological antecedents (e.g.
attitudes, perceived risks) of MaaS use and user experiences and satisfaction within the trial period.
Focusing on the factors related to user perspective both before and after the trial period is expected to
provide useful insights on how to increase MaaS use.
• OB2: To highlight the needs of potential new users and investigate how the public and private companies
can jointly develop a mobility service to benefit the end user while selecting and jointly employing the
sound business model that the companies agree on for that specific MaaS system.
• OB3: To understand how the components of a MaaS system (such as offerings, pricing structure,
information, and incentives) can encourage environmentally sustainable MaaS operations. This
understanding includes investigating how a MaaS system should be developed and operated in order to
attract drivers to the system (as opposed to pedestrians and cyclists) and promote heavy use of public
transport components of the system.
The impact of the project has been examined within the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
(SDG).
TrønderMaaS’s main objectives have been compared with the targets of all the SDGs and the partner group
has agreed on 5 different targets from 4 different SDGs (Fig. 2).
The targets that the TrønderMaaS project will address include the following:

Marinelli et al. / TRA2020, Helsinki, Finland, April 27-30, 2020
4
Fig. 2 The four SDGs that TrønderMaaS project addresses
• SDG 3.6: “[…] halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents”
TrønderMaaS addresses this SDG by contributing to the implementation of MaaS, which directly
encourage a mode shift away from private vehicle usage and may have an impact on reducing accidents.
• SDG 9.1: “Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure […]””
TrønderMaaS addresses this SDG by promoting the development of new mobility solutions that allow for
better efficiency and quality in the transport systems, assures reliability and increased resilience through
live data technology, and enhances sustainability through reduced private car usage.
• SDG 11.2: “[…] provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all,
improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport […]”
TrønderMaaS addresses this SDG by encouraging the use of Public Transport within MaaS: it improves
mobility by increasing flexibility, reliability, safety and multimodality.
• SDG 17.16: “Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-
stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial
resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular
developing countries”
• SDG 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships,
building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships”
TrønderMaaS directly addresses SDGs 17.16 and 17.17 by investigating proper business models and
shared strategies among private and public actors and that implement technology and expertise towards
sustainable development. While these models and strategies are investigated within a Norwegian context,
it is expected the results will be geographically transferable.
4. Expected results
The expected results for this project will be mainly included in the final reports and they can be identified as the
following:
• Evaluation of different business models and pricing strategies in terms of financial sustainability for the
Transport Providers joining the MaaS system
• Draft for possible cooperation agreements between TPS and MaaS coordinator
• Evaluation of users’ perspective, interest, in order to design a user’s tailored solution
• Quantitative environmental analysis of before/after MaaS trial
• Suggested strategy-plan to guarantee sustainability in MaaS implementation
Furthermore, a MaaS platform prototype will be developed and tested in real case scenario and leading to useful
results to eventually being implemented in a following business development phase.
References
Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th ed. ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Goodall, W., Dovey, T., Bornstein, J., & Bonthron, B. (2017). The rise of mobility as a service. Deloitte Rev, 20, 112-129.
Jittrapirom, P. et al. (2017). Mobility as a Service: A Critical Review of Definitions, Assessments of Schemes, and Key Challenges, Urban
Planning, 2(2), pp. 13–25.
Jittrapirom, P., Caiati, V., Feneri, A., Ebrahimigharehbaghi, S., González, M., & Narayan, J. (2017). Mobility as a Service: A Critical
Review of Definitions, Assessments of Schemes, and Key Challenges. Urban Planning, 2(2), 13-25.
Sochor, J., Karlsson, I. M., & Strömberg, H. (2016). Trying out mobility as a service: Experiences from a field trial and implications for
understanding demand. Transportation Research Record, 2542(1), 57-64.
Statistics Norway. Retrieved from https://www.ssb.no/en