Driving change: A comprehensive meta-analysis of community benefits in MaaS deployments across urban and rural landscapes

In the current study, a meta-analysis is performed to synthesize the results of 61 original articles from 2000 to 2022 to quantitatively evaluate the community’s benefits in terms of users and the public sector of a general Mobility as a Service (MaaS) deployment both in rural and urban areas. Results show that such a deployment would be effective in terms of improving accessibility, safety, energy efficiency, employment opportunities, and reducing traffic congestion, but that spatial and temporal contexts play an important role. Moreover, higher community benefits could be reached, and these are the key recommendations, if (i) there is a focus on developing MaaS applications, particularly catering to the booking and shared system needs of disabled individuals, (ii) an expansion of novel mobility services is advanced to areas currently underserved by MaaS, and (iii) MaaS approaches are implemented to further reduce energy consumption, boost employment, and alleviate traffic congestion. The findings have implications for transport users, calling for the introduction of subsidy policies, tax regulations, and redefining public transport to propel MaaS progress. Regional authorities are encouraged to create favorable conditions for MaaS deployment, including improving transport infrastructure to support the mobility system. As MaaS gains traction as a viable alternative to personal vehicles, involving all stakeholders becomes crucial for the success of the emerging MaaS ecosystem.