Transportation services have expanded remarkably in the past few decades, and thanks to advances in technology, travelers now have multiple options to suit their needs.

Emerging options include ride-hailing services, city bike-share programs and dockless e-scooters, while smartphone apps have made it easier to use buses and light rail. The technology in passenger vehicles has also developed considerably to make travel safer and more efficient, from simple GPS navigation to collision and lane-departure warnings, adaptive cruise control and other, now commonplace driver-assistance systems.

State highway agencies have transitioned to electronic tolling, which allows for congestion pricing and other road-usage charges that will eventually succeed antiquated motor fuel taxes, and also help improve traffic flow, idling and pollution.

But these technology advancements also present new challenges for travelers as each transportation mode requires separate payment methods, making it difficult for users to travel seamlessly, understand their total transportation cost and how to better manage these costs.

“Some of those challenges we face include rallying the political will to support and finance this evolution, concerns about revenue impacts to individual agencies, objections from private companies such as parking and EV charging operators, and the technical risks inherent in such a significant upgrade from legacy booking and payment systems,” said Paula Hammond, WSP USA senior vice president and national multimodal market leader.

One way WSP USA is addressing these modern mobility challenges is through its Mobility Marketplace, a seamless payment platform that allows travelers to more efficiently manage transportation costs by maximizing the benefits of Future Ready® technology.

The goal of the Mobility Marketplace is to put travelers first by using advanced technology to make it easier for them to budget, plan and pay for their transportation needs.

The Mobility Marketplace consolidates different mobility services into an efficient platform and allows customers to plan, reserve and pay for multiples modes of travel with just one payment account.

This not only helps simplify trip scheduling for travelers who may require more than one mode to reach their destination, but it helps transportation agencies reduce their administrative costs, streamline their systems, achieve economies of scale and improve overall customer service.

“We can see the beginnings of Mobility Marketplace in integrated electronic payment system (IEPS) apps such as Transit, which handles mobile fare payment for more than 100 transit agencies, and regional IEPS collaborations such as the multimodal Orca Card in Puget Sound,” Hammond said. “As WSP sees it, a Mobility Marketplace will expand this model to all transportation services — from scooters to commuter rail, from ride-hailing services to EV charging, and from tolling to parking — offering convenience for busy travelers on the go and cost savings for transportation agencies.”

Mobility Marketplace will use big data and artificial intelligence to recommend the best combination of modes and routes for each user.

“Right now, major metropolitan areas can be confusing for transit riders who need to make connections between different transit agencies, such as a ferry operator and a light rail system,” said Patrick McGowan, WSP director of mobility operations. “A Mobility Marketplace will not only allow one app for payment, but it lets the traveler see all of their options and provide guidance to make the best choices.”

Travel recommendations made by the Mobility Marketplace factor in each user’s budget and time constraints, which can be a useful tool for commuters.

“Now, most people don’t have an accurate sense of how much they spend on transportation,” McGowan said. “This marketplace concept will make paying for transportation more like paying for electricity, water and other utilities. Customers will get one bill that provides a snapshot of total costs and empowers them to reduce expenses or make other changes based on complete information.”

It’s important to recognize that Mobility Marketplace configurations are not a one-size-fits-all approach. For each platform, WSP first discusses the agencies’ goals and objectives in order to create a strategic plan that’s tailored to them, and then provides comprehensive expertise for delivery and operations.

WSP also is positioned to help mitigate other concerns with its Mobility Marketplace approach, such as understanding technical risks that come with such a significant upgrade from legacy booking and payment systems, and equity concerns for transit riders who can’t afford or don’t use smartphones.

These risks and equity issues can be solved through industry collaboration and with support from transit and transportation agencies.

“We’re confident such risks and equity issues can be worked out with collaboration and a desire to succeed together as an industry,” Hammond said. “What’s needed are transit and transportation agencies willing to invest in building the necessary platform architecture to integrate regional transportation services into one system.

“This does not mean agency back-office functions must be integrated,” she added. “Just that they communicate in real-time to present travelers with a single marketplace of choices.”

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