Suatmadi, A., Creutzig, F., Otto, I.

On-demand motorcycle taxis improve mobility, not sustainability

in Case Studies on Transport Policy, 03.05.2019

Peer Review , Land Use, Infrastructure and Transport

On-demand mobility services gain traction worldwide, but studies so far have focussed on the technologically competitive US market and other advanced economies. Mobility as a service (MaaS) in Asian megacities might bring significant urban benefits, as city inhabitants spend a large fraction of their day in commute and congestion and improvements in mobility could translate in relevant improvements in mobility quality boosting urban economies. Efficiency gains by Maas also hold the promise of reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and sustainability gains. Here, we solicited travel surveys to investigate the introduction of online ojek in Jakarta Metropolitan Area (JMA), and to specifically analyse resulting modal shifts and carbon footprints across different segments of the population. We find that commuters in our sample choose online ojek substituting for a diverse set of other modes, especially minibuses. The results of our survey show that reduction in GHG emissions from mode shift towards online ojek are negligible once pick-up distance of motorcycles is included. Both an electrification of the motorcycle fleet and pricing car travel (parking management or congestion charges) could help to establish a more sustainable transport system.