Melinda Matyas

Melinda Matyas is a PhD candidate in the Urban Transport and Energy Group at the UCL Energy Institute. Her research focuses on analysing the demand for innovative integrated transport solutions, such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS) systems. 

Melinda Matyas, native Hungarian, earned her BA from Boston University majoring in Economics and double minoring in Environmental Analysis and Policy and International Relations. After her undergraduate she moved across the pond for her graduate studies at University College London. She received her MSc in Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment at the UCL Energy Institute with Distinction in 2014. Her MSc thesis titled “Calculating Substitution Elasticities Using Discrete Choice Models: An Application to London Commute Mode Choice” sparked her interest in transportation research and persuaded her to continue on with a PhD. She commenced her PhD studies in the fall of 2014 under the guidance of Prof. Andreas Schafer and Dr. Maria Kamargianni.

Her thesis focuses on analysing the demand for Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in London. MaaS is a new concept, which focuses on integrating the various transport services to provide seamless door-to-door mobility for consumers. It allows consumers to choose and buy mobility services on the go or as monthly mobility plans that include all transport modes that satisfy their needs. Her research aims to contribute to the understanding of consumer demand for buying as using MaaS. Preferences and willingness to pay of various user groups for different transport mode bundles will especially be of focus, in order to provide insights to operators about plan options and pricing.