A Collaborative and User-Centered Approach to Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Transport and Mobility: Towards Rural Mobility As a Service (Rmaas)

The focus of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) has, to date, predominantly been urban and city areas. Consequently, there is a lack of relevant historical evidence and data relating to rural mobility and Rural MaaS (RMaaS). However, as the subject of rural mobility climbs political agendas, there has been an increased focus in the area, and in turn RMaaS, in both developed and developing countries. In Scotland, one six-month mixed (rural and urban) MaaS pilot has been completed and a further four pilots (two regional with rural components commenced in 2021). The development of these pilot projects highlighted both the general knowledge gap in dedicated RMaaS programmes, and the paucity of available evidence on RMaaS from the Scottish context. The research reported in this paper was set in a real-world context to understand RMaaS, by adopting the empirical method of case studies to develop a user-centered or 'consumer' co-design approach. The research, undertaken in Scotland prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, revealed eight common barriers to both non-car and car users in rural areas when engaging with different transport modes, and useful insights for the development of user-focused RMaaS. Identified barriers included a lack of information and an inability to put bicycles on buses and unsafe roads for active travel. The findings also highlight that understanding these lived experiences is crucial in the development of sustainable rural mobility and that this should be appreciated by key stakeholders responsible for the development of RMaaS.