Day 1 - The largest platform economy based logistics operation in the world about to start!

We are facing new challenges in the platform businesses and especially transport sector as one of the first ones getting to go live with specially designed legislation. We have seen examples in the US, but even here in the North things are happening.

Platform economy is a way to enable other businesses or individuals to thrive to a joint platform service. Like Air BnB. This thinking is also creating new service models for traditional sectors. In Finland we are implementing even new legislation in order to create new possibilities for this type of service models. The first changes related to the Transport Service Act (formerly known as Transport Code 'liikennekaari') should be applied from 1st of January. And in the summer for example the taxi sector faces the challenges of free market which is expected to create new business models.We have discussed these ideas before . But something even bigger is happening already before that - operation Santa Clause is about to start!!

Santa's business could be seen as being based on a sharing economy and platform thinking - parents as the service providers... if you don't believe in the magic of Santa, of course .We all do around this time of the year, but that doesn’t mean that he would not be seen as one of the transport operators out there.

Preparations have been done, but now the real game is on. Like in all transport business Santa must have a licence, both for transport of elves and all the little and big wrapped gifts. Or does he? What type of a vehicle Rudolph, his friends and the sleigh really is? And what about those places where there is not enough snow? Maybe Santa uses MaaS (Mobility as a Service) services. - Has Santa got an app for it? He could perhaps benefit from the new one- stop shop solution. Or would he rent a car or sit on the commuter train or use a helicopter…the snow situation is not that suitable for the sleigh at the moment, or we’ll see. Today it starts to look a bit more like Christmas at least at the Fondia HQ!

We at Fondia have a history of helping Santa, the transport sector as well as other platform economy players with their various legal needs. Naturally we too have been preparing for the upcoming season. We have gathered our expertise related to future transport businesses – by reinforcing our team with lawyers who have deep understanding of legislation and business regarding especially passanger transport. Our LDaaS “superlawyer” knows the many issues related to consumers, equipment and vehicles, interfaces and employees as well as the new technologies, mobile apps and financing the growing and changing business among others. Not to forget the bigger responsibility regarding privacy that follows the GDPR which is also lurking around the corner. And during the coming days we and our colleagues will give you a peek into the legal side of Santa's operations and preparations for Project Santa 2017. Stay tuned!

Law, Anne and Elina