Signal 4: The Mobility Marketplace
Nowadays, an urban commuter often faces a multitude of commuting options ranging from public mass transit to TNCs, and more often than not, that urban commuter may have to use more than one of those options in their commute. In a society where commuting options away from personal vehicles are seemingly only growing, this may prove to be a significant inhibiting factor in the push for a more sustainable commuting future.
Enter, the Mobility Marketplace, a one stop do-it-all commuter tool. Most recently implemented in London, and in the works in Austin, Texas, the marketplace will provide commuters with detailed commuting options and a place to pay for all of it in one fell swoop. The idea being thrown around in Austin will take in customers preferences such as cost, reliability, speed, and comfort, and provide the best commuting option for each individual commuter. Additionally, the commuter can pay for it all through the marketplace and not have to worry about different passes and cards.
One of the biggest hurdles to the Marketplace is universal data methods and collaboration. In order for the Marketplace to be able to provide correct and reliable options, all the sources of real time data (from trains to buses to taxis to bicycles) will need the same formatting. A marketplace as such could help bridge the economic inequalities in Austin by providing greater access to jobs for all Austinite and an open data collaboration might be the best option for a reliable urban commuting service.
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