Netflix emerged in 1997 as a mail-order DVD business. Shipping DVDs by mail came with some growing pains, but ultimately did get traction by 2001, when DVDs became more popular than VHS.
In the first two articles of this series, I discussed what can be done to make public transit Americans’ first choice for getting around. I also shared how transit agencies can be effective with the windfall from the CARES Act and the bipartisan infrastructure deal. A common thread between these two ideas is the assistance provided by private industry — particularly transit operators like Keolis.
MaaS is a concept that has been around for some time now, however, there is one burning question that remains: What is the value, and for whom?
Electric scooters, bikes, and mopeds seem to be on every street corner, waiting for commuters, travelers, and those just looking to sightsee to take advantage of their convenience, affordability, and accessibility.
The past 16 months have left our heads spinning. From complete lockdown and isolation, to phased reopenings, to two summers now that have encouraged (and promoted) holiday travel to destinations throughout Europe, the mobility landscape we have learned to navigate in and around has been ever changing.
Gothenburg is Sweden’s second largest city and sits near the coast on the west side of the country south of Norway and north of Denmark. It is a, relatively, recent city and has a 400th anniversary in 2021.
Between the recently approved U.S. Infrastructure Bill and post-lockdown ridership remaining in a state of flux, now is both a critical and an ideal time for transit agencies to re-imagine the service they provide.
In part two of our series, Keolis’ David Scorey highlights the impact of the largest-ever single investment in public transportation in the U.S.
I remember in my first few weeks of working for METRO, my former editor gave me a heads up that Frank Di Giacomo, our publisher at the time, was coming to the home office for a visit. I must admit after hearing stories about him, I was nervous about our meeting, so on that Monday morning sitting across from Frank as he twisted his pinkie ring, I didn’t quite know what to expect.
With everything going on today, public transport has been hit hardest. In fact, many of the major transport authorities around the world have reported up to a 95% reduction in users, which not only shows the magnitude of the problem we face today but puts the future of these businesses and services in uncertainty.
Given that a high proportion of the start-ups in this sector have a high cash burn rate and are constantly in a VC fund raising mode, it just goes to show that growth (take as an independent KPI success factor) appears to trump all other variables when assessing the health and functionality of a business enterprise.
Following a pandemic-driven lull, interest in pursuing MaaS among transit agencies is taking off, and for good reason. The case for providing users access to a vivid spectrum of transportation options in a single app is compelling on grounds that range from cost and convenience to urban livability and environmental sustainability. But how do we get there?
Opportunities can feel few and far between these days, which is exactly why the U.S. must seize the one it was recently handed: a rare chance to give public transportation the makeover that current passengers have long demanded and that which there is a latent demand for by potential passengers.
The state of public transportation in the U.S. is painfully subpar when compared to the rest of the developed world. This begs the question: Why can’t we have that here in the U.S.?
We are starting to see a shift within the mobility domain away from the desire for single car ownership. The explanations are many, but in a digitalized, shared, and on-demand society, the requirement of owning your own automobile has diminished in the priorities of one’s lifestyle.
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