The Impact of Total Cost of Ownership on MaaS System Appeal Using an Agent-Based Approach

Despite the interest in the MaaS system is growing fast within the scientific community, it remains uncertain if MaaS could be a potential tool able to reduce car ownership. This study aims to capture the impact of the total cost of ownership (TCO) on MaaS demand by endogenizing the MaaS choice and the TCO within the users’ travel choice in an agent-based model. We simulate different TCO price range starting from a benchmark cost in the literature and embed a specific type of MaaS plan which gives unlimited access to the services. Results show a significant growth of MaaS demand when TCO rises, in particular MaaS members are car users who shift their mode choice to public transport by travelling within more trips but in a shorter time slot. In contrast, MaaS users employ public transport for short trips while they still employ cars reducing their travel time but employing the same number of trips when TCO decreases. Results suggest that MaaS might become a more sustainable service by developing specific subsidies to discourage car ownership and by increasing mobility accessibility.