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08 May 2025

Mobility-as-a-Service vs. TMCs: Redefining the Landscape of Corporate Travel

Mobility-as-a-Service vs. TMCs: Redefining the Landscape of Corporate Travel

 


 

Quick Summary

This blog explores the growing shift from traditional Travel Management Companies (TMCs) to Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms in corporate travel. It highlights technological advancements, sustainability goals, and the increasing importance of traveller experience. Key decision-makers, such as corporate travel managers and finance leaders, will find insight into choosing the right solution for modern business mobility.

 

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Introduction: Rethinking Business Travel for a Flexible Workforce

For decades, corporate travel was dominated by traditional travel management companies (TMCs). These service providers offered structured, centralised solutions for booking, policy management, and expense tracking. But over the past decade - and particularly post-pandemic - we’ve witnessed a major shift.

The rise of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms, technological disruption, sustainability priorities, and employee preferences have all contributed to a transformation in how organisations approach corporate travel.

This comprehensive guide compares TMCs with MaaS solutions to help organisations navigate this changing landscape.

 


 

Understanding Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS)

Mobility-as-a-Service integrates various forms of transport services - from public transport and e-scooters to car clubs and trains - into a single accessible platform. Think of it as an all-in-one app for travel booking, cost management, and real-time itinerary updates.

H3: MaaS and the Connected Employee
MaaS offers agility and responsiveness ideal for today’s fast-moving teams. Employees can book or modify travel plans on-the-go using apps like Mobilleo. These tools support real-time ticketing, journey planning, and access to thousands of transport options across global and local providers.

H3: Legal and Financial Structures: Mobility Budgets
An emerging trend with MaaS is the adoption of mobility budgets. Organisations allocate monthly allowances covering public transport, shared mobility, taxis, or EV hire. These budgets reduce administrative overhead and enable better financial planning for both employer and employee.

 


 

The Role of Travel Management Companies (TMCs)

TMCs remain relevant in managing complex or international travel requirements. They provide personalised consultancy, access to negotiated supplier rates, support with risk management and legal compliance.

 


 

Strengths of TMCs

  • Strategic oversight across regions
  • Support for high-volume and policy-heavy industries
  • Services like visa assistance, emergency support, and manual itinerary handling

Where TMCs Fall Short

Despite their capabilities, TMCs often operate legacy systems, are slow to adapt to change, and charge higher booking fees. They’re not designed for decentralised travel needs or younger, tech-driven teams demanding autonomy and flexible journeys.

 


 

Infrastructure and Technology Comparison

Mobilleo and other MaaS apps use APIs to connect with transport providers and GDSs, giving users access to real-time travel options without needing multiple apps or agents. They’re built on microservice architecture - ensuring speed, resilience, and scalability.

TMCs traditionally rely on closed systems and fixed integrations. These are harder to maintain and offer limited visibility across transport types or sustainability indicators.

Real-Time Booking vs Static Inventory

  • MaaS: Real-time availability, dynamic pricing, integrated payment and ticketing
  • TMC: Reliant on GDS + OBT combinations, static pricing, manual intervention in many cases

 


 

Travel Expense Management and Financial Control

One of the strongest arguments for adopting MaaS platforms is the integration of expense management into booking flows. Employers gain transparency on travel costs, can track average vs actual spend, and offer flexibility through virtual cards.

Benefits for SMEs

Small businesses benefit from lower fees, self-serve tools, and no need for binding agency contracts. MaaS empowers employees to manage their own bookings while staying within company policy.

Reporting and Policy Compliance

With advanced analytics dashboards, MaaS platforms help finance and operations teams automate reports and stay within budget. This enhances forecasting accuracy and internal compliance.

 


 

Employee Satisfaction and the Rise of Bleisure

The blending of business and leisure travel - or bleisure - has become a key differentiator for employee experience.

Mobilleo and similar MaaS platforms enable organisations to assign caps to mobility budgets, allowing users to exceed them with personal payment. This supports freedom while maintaining financial control.

Generational Preferences

Millennials and Gen Z professionals increasingly expect self-managed travel, digital tools, and flexible policies. TMCs often struggle to deliver these experiences within their traditional frameworks.

 


 

Environmental Sustainability in Corporate Travel

MaaS platforms align closely with corporate sustainability policies. By prioritising rail over air, electric vehicle hire, or micromobility, they help companies reduce carbon emissions.

Meeting the SDGs

Mobilleo helps businesses meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:

  • Goal 3: Good health and wellbeing (active travel)
  • Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
  • Goal 13: Climate action (CO2 reduction)

TMCs are evolving, but many still lack tools for carbon footprint calculation or behavioural nudges toward greener travel.

 


 

Futureproofing Your Travel Strategy

Whether you’re a procurement lead, finance manager, or operations director, futureproofing your travel strategy means investing in flexibility, technology, and sustainability.

Why MaaS Makes Strategic Sense

  • Real-time responsiveness
  • Improved traveller satisfaction
  • Integrated expense tracking
  • Scalable pricing models
  • Environmental accountability

TMCs are better suited for specialist travel scenarios but may require internal digital transformation to remain competitive.

 


 

Conclusion: The Path Ahead

The choice between MaaS and TMCs isn’t black-and-white. Some organisations may benefit from a hybrid model. But as workforce expectations shift, and technology evolves, MaaS provides a future-ready alternative that blends cost control, sustainability, and user autonomy.

As discussed at the Business Travel Show Europe, innovation in mobility is not only about saving money, but also about creating better travel experiences for everyone involved.

 


 

Key Takeaways:

  • MaaS is agile, scalable, and increasingly aligned with corporate values
  • TMCs provide legacy stability but may lack innovation
  • Mobility budgets are reshaping how companies manage travel finances
  • MaaS enhances sustainability, employee satisfaction, and digital resilience

 


 

FAQs

A legal mobility budget typically includes a monthly allowance covering a wide range of transport services for business travel. This can include public transport, car hire, ride-hailing, micromobility, mass transit, active travel choices, and even accommodation if required. It may also cover parking fees, tolls, fuel costs, or subscriptions to specific mobility services. The aim is to provide flexible access to multimodal journeys while encouraging sustainable modes of transportation.
Mobility budgets simplify the delivery of mobility services by replacing fragmented claims processes with consolidated digital technologies. Employees can book and pay for different journey options via one system, while finance teams receive automated reports. This real-time information and integrated expense tracking reduce manual effort, promote effective governance, and support commercial agreements with transport operators.
Organisations use anonymised journey data and historical travel behaviour to determine average costs. Digital platforms provide real-time analytics and journey planning algorithms that track actual spend, identify trends, and flag overspend. This ensures accountability while enabling better forecasting and policy adjustments.
Yes. Public transport and active travel choices like walking and cycling are core elements in the future of transportation strategies. Many mobility budgets default to sustainable modes, not only for environmental benefits, but also for health benefits, reduced congestion, and alignment with SDG goals. Platforms often prioritise mass transit options first and encourage alternatives to single-occupancy car use.
Absolutely. Providing choice and flexibility enhances the travel experience, reduces stress, and supports equality of opportunity. Accessibility features like digital ticketing, app-based route planning, and support for personal accessibility requirements help ensure inclusivity. This is especially important for employers aiming to advance equality and meet content accessibility guidelines.
Modern MaaS platforms consider a range of users, including those with special category needs. Accessibility is a key consideration in system design, with platforms offering voice navigation, step-free route planning, and integration with mobility aids. They must comply with content accessibility guidelines and support transport on demand for those requiring adapted services.
Current examples include city-led MaaS pilots that integrate bus, train, scooter, and bike-share options into a single app. These solutions are often supported by bodies responsible for regional transportation and are exploring future integrations with autonomous vehicles and demand-responsive transport.
Multimodal journeys allow business travellers to combine several modes of transportation—like rail, e-scooter, and walking—in one seamless route. This flexibility improves journey efficiency, reduces emissions, and aligns with company mobility policies. The integration of transportation services into one platform also enables smarter decision-making and dynamic re-routing.
Digital technologies are fundamental to the success of MaaS. They power real-time booking, dynamic pricing, digital ticketing, and provide users with the best journey options. Journey planning algorithms adapt to changing conditions, offering alternatives instantly. These future technologies ensure scalability, resilience, and a smooth user experience.
MaaS platforms promote the use of low-emission vehicles, shared mobility, and sustainable modes like cycling and public transport. By reducing reliance on private cars, they help meet environmental goals and support social inclusion through improved access to transportation. These outcomes align with the delivery of environmental and social governance (ESG) metrics and the broader aims of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

 

 

Further Reading

 


 

 

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