Mobility as a Service Association (MaaS-A) Addresses Needs
of Contemporary Travelers
MaaS-A is a new, not-for-profit organization launched to champion integrated mobility services across all modes of transportation that more effectively address the needs of the contemporary traveler
The Mobility as a Service Association (MaaS-A) will focus on seamless, multimodal mobility – electronic payment, ticketing, and personal navigation services that help a traveler plan and move from point A to point B.
MaaS-A defines MaaS as: “The seamless, infinitely adaptable delivery of mobility.” This happens with the associated real-time information and payment services, and across all modes of transportation. MaaS is opaque to the traveler but simple to access and use.
MaaS-A’s co-founders are Jack Opiola and Tim McGuckin. Opiola, an expert among American and international ITS sectors, will serve as Executive Director; and McGuckin, a 25-year transportation industry veteran and U.S. CEO of MaaS provider A-to-Be, will serve as the organization’s first president.
“We are witnessing changes in the mobility sector that are truly seismic,” observes Opiola. “Handheld and wearable smart devices are revolutionizing our ability to plan, navigate, and make journey decisions on the move. Traditional notions of mobility are being challenged.”
Numerous developments already place traditional mobility concepts under severe pressure, and urbanization is outpacing cities’ ability to cope with the demand for mobility. The information and communication technologies exist to support MaaS, but the transportation community need to better integrate these technologies in order to simplify travel for people, improve efficiency for government, and create new private-sector opportunities.
To learn more about Mobility as a Service and MaaS-A, visit https://www.maas-a.org/.
