The Governance of Demand-Responsive Transit Systems: A Multi-Level Perspective

In the new-generation smart mobility paradigm, mobility-as-a-service (MaaS)
systems have shown the most potential to offer integrated mobility platforms. MaaS is essentially an amalgamation of services tailored to match individuals’ diverse travel demands, many of which are demand-responsive transit (DRT) or DRT-like, addressing the much-needed last-mile problem of transit systems. Managing a DRT system could be a simple first step in understanding the governance of MaaS, as the two types of system share the common features of flexibility and individualistic, online platform-based service provision. With that view, we deliberate this exploration here, reflecting on the governance of a DRT case study. We borrow from the schools of transition management and industrial economics to elaborate our understanding. Using the framework of the multi-level perspective, we investigate the drivers and barriers for the diffusion of DRT through the (public transit) regime. The main drivers of DRTs are found to be the willingness of local governments and transit operators to implement DRT, whereas the main barriers stem from infrastructure, technology, and market practices. Alignment among the regime elements remain largely partial, which is consistent with our conceptualization of MaaS governance challenges. This research adds to the literature by offering a comprehensive foundation exercise to reflect on the covernance of innovative mobility services.