Ticketing in MaaS

Mobility as a Service is an approach to replace mobility and transport with own vehicles with a range of different mobility services tailored to demand. This can include, for example, public transport, car sharing, carpooling, bike sharing and scooter sharing.

Today, customers can choose several mobility options when they travel to their destinations. The choice of alternatives has put ticketing back at the center of attention. All the business partners involved need a trusted ticketing scheme in order to be assured to get revenue out of the services provided.

For this, the STA stands for the adoption of standard-based and open contactless ticketing technologies in order to allow for a faster adoption of the MaaS schemes and make it easier to access to possibly sustainable mobility services. From our neutral position, we advocate for trust in the ticketing eco-system and we see that the business partners involved need at first to start developing this agreed trusted framework approach allowing for a successful and non-discriminatory operation of their services.

Therefore one of our partners is the MaaS Alliance. Our liaison brings travellers a step closer to seamless mobility services.

Together with experts from International Association of Public Transport (UITP), we published a white paper on ticketing in Maas in the summer of 2022. The purpose of this document is to deliver an integrated view on high-level implementation and to guide authorities and operators on how they can integrate the new technologies with existing transport systems or infrastructures and services.

The STA plays a significant role in the ecosystem of Mobility as a Service (MaaS). MaaS is a transport facility that combines various transportation services into a unified service, enabling customers to plan, book and pay for their travel using a single ticket or set of tickets. The STA aligns itself with the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) in defining and elaborating MaaS. As one example, in July 2022, the STA and UITP jointly published a common handbook on Ticketing in Mobility as a Service, demonstrating their collaborative efforts in this field. In addition, currently, the joint Working Group Ticketing in MaaS is working on another position paper targeting transport operators, the industry, and policymakers.

The STA addresses an aspect of door-to-door mobility other cooperative organisations do not extensively cover: Public Transport. Public Transport is considered the backbone of Integrated Mobility. Furthermore the STA advocates for the adoption of standard-based and open contactless ticketing technologies to facilitate the smooth implementation of MaaS schemes, enhance access to common nation-wide and trans-border sustainable mobility alternatives.