Frequently Asked Questions

  • MaaS or Mobility as a Service centres around digital platforms enabling people to buy and pay for a range of public and shared transport. At inception it was thought that it could help reduce the need for people to personally own cars. As transport business models have developed it’s become broader and more diverse. The term has become so diluted that more often people talk about integrated transport apps or platforms (for instance, many public transport bodies in Europe include shared transport in their apps as a matter of course but don’t call them MaaS apps).

  • Car clubs (also known as car sharing in Europe) enable people to use cars when they need them but not own their own. Sharing means that fewer cars need to be produced (reducing the carbon emissions from manufacturing) and on average users drive fewer km per year than car-owning peers so reducing direct emissions.

    First and last mile mobility - bike and e-bike share, e-scooters etc - enable people to connect with public transport and make short journeys without driving. They also reduce the need for car ownership.

  • Most autonomous vehicle pilots in Europe provide shared shuttles to provide specific trips where fixed line services do not work. These are part of the public transport system, are designed using electric vehicles. They can potentially reduce the need to own and use private vehicles and reduce direct emissions through providing shared trips on electric vehicles.

    Robotaxis are more carbon intensive as they offer trips to individuals and (depending on regulations and their programming) can spend time cruising between pickups (as private hire vehicles might).

    Privately owned self-driving cars are currently an edge case as they are prohibitively expensive. However, if they were widely affordable they could potentially have a huge carbon footprint - as well as impact on transport systems.

  • That depends a little on who is setting it up and who has access to it. If a local authority is setting up DRT that is accessible to all (with a public transport operator’s licence, registered with the traffic commissioner etc) then it’s public transport.

    If it’s a shuttle that serves a limited group - just the employees of a certain enterprise for example - then it’s not.

  • Boutique transport consultancy for projects where shared transport modes, digital solutions and co-creation combine with public transport.

    Practical policy development support for new technologies and use cases.

    Small transport pilots that engage people in actively thinking about how to travel differently.

    Working with stakeholders and community groups on solutions to transport challenges.

    Data analysis, mapping and site surveying.

    Research, analysis and writing on new mobility, digital solutions and decarbonisation.

  • I was in at the early days of understanding of the potential impact of digitalisation and shared transport - have seen it grow and become established (and even wrote the book). As a small consultancy with a big network I can be creative and nimble in how I approach projects, bringing in associates from different areas where needed.

  • Getting started is simple. You can use the contact form to get in touch and schedule a call so I can understand your project. We can talk through the outline and a step by step approach. I’ll provide you with a summary of the project and a proposal to consider - what happens next is up to you.

  • We offer flexible pricing based on project type, duration and complexity. After an initial conversation, we’ll provide a transparent quote with a work schedule, deliverables and milestones with no hidden costs.

  • I work collaboratively to understand the context and challenges of organisations I work with and to come up with creative and novel solutions.

    You can expect a structured approach with regular meetings, milestone reports and set deliverables.

    This applies whether I’m helping organisations explore issues and incorporate new practices, providing analysis and evaluation or writing a report.