The transportation sector is currently undergoing major developments. A key focus area is the increased use of shared transportation services, which is part of the sharing economy. By sharing vehicles such as cars, bikes and electric scooters, the available vehicles and space are used more effectively.
Shared transport is a complement to the more traditional public transport system andis a way to move away from the individual car ownership to a more sustainable and effective system of transport. In Sweden, there are several companies and research projects related to shared transportation, like bike-sharing or electric scooters.
New technical and digital developments in shared mobility are at risk of being slowed down by old regulations and policies. Actors, such as Drive Sweden, aims to be a platform for stakeholder discussion and collaboration for these issues to discover and mediate any regulatory challenges.
Mobility as a Service (Maas)
Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a key part of new developments for shared transportation, where a unified system is implemented to allow the user to shift between public and private transportation systems with a unified ticket system. Such a system can gather travel data, which allows the transport system to be more efficiently developed. In Sweden, several governmental authorities are involved in a project to explore and develop measures for MaaS, and specifically how it can be used to increase transport efficiency and safety. In addition, funding is given to several pilot projects and research projects which focus on the development of MaaS programs and the upscaling of the system.
A changing sector
Shared transportation is a trend that is not only seen in Sweden but is becoming common worldwide. There are currently major developments in the transport sector and shared transportation systems are growing exponentially. By using the existing vehicles more efficiently, private car ownership can decrease, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Besides, shared transport can reduce the physical space needed for parking, since vehicles are more efficiently utilised. Sweden’s work on shared transport could inspire other countries and cities, and in turn, contribute to a more sustainable and efficient society.
