Transport services in the digital era

Subtitle:consumer protection and the concept of Mobilty-as-a-Service

The emergence of online platforms has radically changed the services sector. In the platform economy for transport services, the 'Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS)' model plays an important role. MaaS strives to offer mobility via an online platform that connects the demand side (passengers) with the supply side (available means of transport). Consumers can choose the quickest, cheapest or least polluting way to get from a to b. MaaS is thus expected to contribute to reducing congestion and pollution. Over the past two decades, the EU has developed a comprehensive legal system that focuses, among other things, on protecting consumers from commercial manipulation and ensuring a safe and timely journey. Specific rules, pertaining to inter alia small claims and alternative dispute resolution, strive to enable consumers to enforce their rights. However, the system is often not designed with the interference of platforms in mind. The central question in this thesis is therefore whether the current legal framework offers a high level of consumer protection when using transport services in the digital era. The thesis concludes that the level of consumer protection can indeed be improved. It is proposed, among other things, to enshrine the position of the (online) transport intermediary as well as the rights of passengers in case of multimodal journeys in the EU passenger rights acquis. It also highlights the great importance of both public and private enforcement mechanisms for consumers. After all, effective protection stands or falls with the enforceability of consumer rights in practice.

Publication year:2022

Keywords:Doctoral thesis

Accessibility:Open