Mobility as a Service (MaaS) bundle uptake: a case study in Milan, Italy

Recent applications of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms have highlighted certain limitations in accurately identifying integrated mobility packages (MaaS bundles) that align with users’ needs and preferences while also supporting the financial viability of businesses. This study explores the interest of university community members in adopting and paying for MaaS bundles, aiming to determine whether their preferences differ from those of the general population commonly analyzed in existing research. The research method involved the design and administration of a survey instrument, resulting in 1949 completed computer-assisted web interviews collected between May and June 2023. The willingness to pay (WTP) for different MaaS bundles was estimated based on users’ responses to stated preference choice tree experiments. Results reveal that 45.2% of respondents showed no interest in any proposed MaaS bundle, 29.5% towards only one specific MaaS bundle. Conversely, 25.3% of respondents expressed interest in two or more MaaS bundles. Public transport (PT) pass holders showed a higher WTP for MaaS bundles compared to PT pass non-holders, with a WTP an additional 17.5–28.3% over what they currently pay for their PT pass. The findings reveal a positive attitude among university community members toward MaaS bundles, especially among PT pass holders. This underscores an opportunity for MaaS providers to target this group with tailored bundles that complement existing transport choices, thereby increasing user satisfaction and financial viability.