Unlocking the benefits of new urban transport models and technologies

New mobility services could improve the lives of all urban inhabitants, according to research conducted by the Coalition for Urban Transitions.

The researchers applied three types of new mobility services – electric, on-demand minibuses; subsidised shared rides; and trip-planning and ticketing apps – to London, Mexico City and San Francisco.

It was found that, if integrated properly into mass-transit systems, these services can make public transport more affordable, accessible and sustainable.

“The way people live and move in cities is changing. The fact that companies in every region of the world are developing new mobility apps and services reflects the fact that urban dwellers everywhere want and need more convenient, flexible and budget-friendly transportation options,” says Shannon Bouton, COO at McKinsey Centre for Business and Environment, and one of the lead researchers.

The research paper, entitled Connected Urban Growth, also finds that globally:
• More than 70 cities are already partnering with new private mobility services and addressing challenges faced by public transit systems, but only a handful of these are in the southern hemisphere.
• More than half of new mobility start-ups fall into the shared mobility category (for example, mass transit and bicycle sharing). Of those, 63 percent are based in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
• Local companies in every region of the world are developing shared-mobility apps.

“New mobility is certainly exciting, but where it can be more effectively combined and leveraged with existing public transport options, its potential can be truly transformative,” adds Diego Canales, lead researcher and an associate with WRI Ross Centre for Sustainable Cities.

“There is a real opportunity here for cities across the world to collaborate with new mobility systems to create more affordable, convenient and environmentally friendly transport for all.”

You can find the full report here.