The Department for Transport (DfT) has published a code of practice for mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) providers to help them to navigate the technical and commercial challenges when designing a MaaS solution.
The guidance encourages app platform providers to consider accessibility and inclusion needs, such as wheelchair accessibility and step-free options, when suggesting routes. It also recommends that app providers consider the personal safety of users.
Further recommendations include ensuring that apps consider users in rural areas where internet connectivity could make it difficult to access online journey planning. As part of this, platforms are encouraged to offer offline options such as a phone number for ordering taxis.
The guidance says that although MaaS is still in its infancy worldwide, trials and small-scale deployments are building an understanding of the digital infrastructure needed, and a code of practice can help to mitigate unintended consequences in the emergence of MaaS platforms. This can help them to grow without regulations holding back innovation.
The document says a further transport data strategy will set out a vision for how the DfT will improve the discoverability, accessibility, and quality of transport data, and that MaaS schemes will be tested as part of its rural transport strategy.
Mobility as a Service (MaaS): code of practice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
