Autonomous Vehicle Engineering - September 2021 - 19

MaaS
Share and Share Alike
by Bill Visnic
The concepts of rideshare and urban mobility continue to
evolve as new projects test what's possible.
Transportation-sector entities and cities and
towns around the globe are continuing to define the
role of ridesharing - while vehicle automation (the
endgame for many rideshare concepts) is advancing
in increasingly aspiring efforts. Several new rideshare
pilot programs initiated or announced in summer
2021 differ in their details, but all aimed at acquiring
a better understanding of what users want and what
fast-moving technology is capable of achieving.
This past summer, the city of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, started an ambitious effort designed
not only to expand rideshare and ride-hailing
options, but to make those services available on a
more equitable basis. The city runs the initiative,
Move PGH, through its Department of Mobility
and Infrastructure (DOMI), and partnered with a
variety of entities for what it said is " a first-of-itskind
Mobility as a Service (MaaS) system. Move PGH
integrates transit and shared mobility in both physical
and digital 'mobility hubs,' making multimodal travel
in the city easy and convenient. "
Pittsburgh announced that Move PGH is " the
first integrated MaaS project in the U.S. to connect
traditional and emerging low-cost, shared transportation
options into a single, easy-to-use system. " Via
a smartphone app, users are able to schedule and pay
for rides on a city bus, a share-service bicycle, a scooter
from Move PGH partner Spin, a Scoobi moped, a car
from program partner Zipcar or a carpool shared ride
facilitated by Waze Carpool. Users also can engage this
variety of mobility options at one of the 50 Move PGH
mobility hubs throughout the city.
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto summarized Move
PGH's intent by saying, " Transportation mobility is
key to economic mobility and a major determinant in
household health, education and welfare. In Pittsburgh,
too many residents are one missed bus or one flat
tire away from losing their job or missing a critical
appointment. " Move PGH is being piloted in the city's
Manchester neighborhood. To help overcome mobility
insecurity, a co-joined program called Universal Basic
Mobility leverages Move PGH's services. The program
provides up to 100 residents with monthly transit
subscriptions and access to the Move PGH's " last-mile "
transportation and shared-mobility services.
" Universal Basic Mobility, using the services of
Move PGH, will demonstrate that when people have
a readily available transportation back-up plan, they
MOVE PGH in Pittsburgh meshes last-mile and other transportation options
in what it calls the first-of-its-kind Mobility as a Service (MasS) system. This
is one of 50 mobility hubs central to the program.
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE ENGINEERING
September 2021 19
David Kelly/Spin
Autonomous Vehicle Engineering - September 2021

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