EXCLUSIVE: MaaS developers reveal implementation secrets, as app is launched at ITS World Congress

A new Mobility as a Service (MaaS) app for Copenhagen has been launched to coincide with the ITS World Congress, which is taking place in the Danish capital (September 17-21). At the Congress, Piia Karjalainen of the MaaS Aliance and ERITCO, shared MaaS implementation secrets with an audience.

MinRejseplan, created by Transport Authority for Northern Denmark, is a new generation of the Rejseplanen journey planner app. MinRejseplan is now available for delegates at the ITS World Congress to test and use when traveling in the Danish city. 

Today (September 19), at the MinRejseplan stand, a presentation was given about how MaaS is set to improve transportation in Denmark, and reduce the country’s carbon footprint while also improving residents’ quality of life. 

Piia Karjalainen of the MaaS Aliance and ERITCO ITS and Europe said, “The new MinRejesplan app is a complete MaaS package. We’ve managed to integrate the planning, booking and ticketing phase of journeys into it.” 

Before developing the app, Karjalainen said certain critical elements had to be considered: access to transportation data in order improve mobility; interoperability of transportation service platforms; a connected, automated, service-based and electric (CASE) ecosystem; and public-private partnerships. 

“I often get asked [by industry professionals] about who is responsible for setting up MaaS within a city. The answer is: the organization is in the best position to do it, in terms of being in the best position to invite different stakeholders. 

“Local factors – such as supply and demand – impact how MaaS can be implemented. And there is no right or wrong way to go about it. MaaS is different from city to city, country to country.” 

Speaking about Copenhagen’s MinRejseplan, Karjalainen said, “From the public transport side, we needed access to route and schedule information, fares, roadworks, weather-related information – and anything else that was related and relevant. 

“Yet once we had this information, we still had to consider its reliability, as well as the reliability of agencies that had provided it.” 

“Following this, we needed access to service provision, which means that we had to consider how to present ourselves to new mobility players. We had to consider whether we were welcoming them into the market, so that they could complement existing services.” Technical input aspect also had to be sourced and implemented. 

Crucial to getting MinRejseplan off the ground though, was “the will to collaborate and integrate the different services involved”. 

Karjalainen believes that cities can benefit from datasets collected by MaaS services. “I hope that the surplus of data from entire MaaS ecosystem will contribute to the development of smarter cities across the globe,” she said.