Toyota's Kinto launches new MaaS project in UK

Toyota’s mobility brand, Kinto, has launched a new Mobility as a Service trial in the English city of Derby.

The app-based 'DerbyGo by Kinto' allows users to plan, book and pay for journeys via their smartphone. One of its key objectives is to reduce the number of car journeys in the city, easing congestion, improving air quality and reducing the city’s carbon emissions.

Initially, DerbyGo includes bus and train services, and will target Derby’s 10,000-strong student population, many of whom will be familiar with travel apps from their home cities.

Additional travel options

As DerbyGo develops, however, it plans to add further transport options, such as taxis, while micro-mobility services like bike sharing could be added from next spring.

The app will also evolve to include parking availability with the goal of offering the opportunity to pre-book parking spaces for cars with more than one person on board, in a bid to encourage car sharing. Drivers will also be able to pay for parking with the app.

DerbyGo has been set up as an 18-month ‘living lab’ trial with the flexibility to change and evolve as Kinto gathers data on how travellers are using the app.

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Richard Balshaw, Kinto UK Group Vice President, said: “Constant monitoring of performance will help plan better transport and parking provisions, bringing associated benefits of better traffic flow and less vehicle pollution.”

The project is part funded by about £500,000 of central Government money, and is a partnership between Derby City Council, University of Derby, Derby College, FOD Mobility Group and Kinto.

Combating carbon emissions

Professor Chris Bussell, Chair of the Derby Climate Change Commission, said: “This is an exciting and evolving technological aid to achieve the goals we hold in common with our partners to move towards cleaner, greener mobility around our city, reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality and wellbeing for the local population.

“It will support our aspirations and commitments we have made as a city to tackle the climate emergency and is a hugely positive step to take as we approach the COP26 Conference later this year.”

Image: Kinto