Industry Experts Discuss The Future of Mobility & Travel
For part two of our ongoing thought leadership series, we asked the industry’s leading figures to share their thoughts on where the mobility world is heading as we step out of the pandemic, and towards spring.
Contributing Thought Leaders
- Doug Newcomb, Founder, and President, Newcomm LLC
- David Pickeral, Head Of Strategy, Sheeva.AI
- Scott Gillespie, Industry Advisor, tClara
- Augustin Friedel, Mobility Expert and Advisor
- Dave Kilduff, Senior VP of Sales, HQ
Doug Newcomb, Newcomm LLC
“The pandemic showed gaps in public transit and magnified issues with ‘transit deserts’ which made the issue of transportation equity more pronounced. Conversely, it showed how a new form of transportation (micro-mobility) could fill gaps”
“As cities start to rethink public transit they’ll also consider making multimodal travel more feasible, linking public transit, micro-mobility, ride-share…”
What gaps in transportation did the pandemic highlight that we need to address?
“The pandemic showed gaps in public transit and magnified issues with ‘transit deserts’ which made the issue of transportation equity more pronounced. For example, Rob Spillar, Head of the Austin (TX) Department of Transportation, told me that people were riding scooters as far as five miles during the height of the pandemic since public transit wasn’t available. Conversely, it showed how a new form of transportation (micro-mobility) could fill gaps. Rob also mentioned how curb space could be reallocated for food delivery and, of course, also for outdoor dining.”
Is travel a right or a privilege post-pandemic? Do you feel travel will move away from being attainable to the masses and become something for the more affluent?
“Both during and somewhat post-pandemic, travel became more of a privilege than a right. But, again, it did highlight transportation inequity and made cities rethink their transportation priorities, especially for low-income essential workers.”
Do you believe corporate travel, especially international travel, should be considered a perk or will there be a growing preference for video conferencing and virtual meetings?
“Post-pandemic corporate travel, especially international travel, should be considered a perk and only undertaken when absolutely necessary. Even before the pandemic, more people and companies were considering the carbon footprint of international travel, and hopefully, that has intensified. That said, there are some big benefits to face-to-face meetings, such as at industry conferences. I’m moderating a panel at SXSW this month and one panelist (Hawaii Governor David Ige) will join us remotely, but I also look forward to the serendipitous meetings that always occur there.”
The rise of “bleisure” travel proves to be one of the most significant outcomes of the shift in corporate travel over the past few years; how do you see this trend evolving, especially amongst the younger workforce?
“This will only become more prominent, I think. I was at an event this week for a travel startup and most of the people involved with the startup don’t have permanent homes/domiciles. This, of course, also coincides with more remote working.”
In what ways will the effective management of space for mobility, public enjoyment, public health & safety as well as economic prosperity, become ever more critical to cities in the post-Covid-19 world?
“We’re already seeing this with the advent of car-free zones that took root during the pandemic. Also, see the comment above about using curb space for dining. I believe that as cities start to rethink public transit they’ll also consider making multimodal travel more feasible, linking public transit, micro-mobility, ride-share, etc.”
Do you believe the preference for solo riders and the private car will remain, or will it revert to pre-pandemic behavior?
“I think it will be a mixture. People tend to have short memories and primarily think about the cost. So as pandemic fears (hopefully) recede, some will want to have a private experience – and are willing to pay for it – whereas others will choose a less expensive shared experience. This will, of course, have major implications for transport planners and city authorities and likely delay their efforts to reduce congestion and pollution. As a side note, while the “death of the car” was predicted pre-pandemic, car sales soared even in places like New York City as people sought a solo experience.”
With employees returning to the office this spring, what role do you believe hybrid-model and office environment plays in our professional lives, and what does this mean for the traditional commute?
“The world has irrevocably changed, in my opinion. As someone who has worked remotely for 25 years, the old model of driving to an office to work – at least for many professions that don’t absolutely require onsite employees – is largely obsolete and a waste of time and resources. Hopefully, this will make commuting less important/mandatory for employees and reduce congestion and pollution.”
Do you think the dramatic declines in carbon emissions and urban smog witnessed during COVID-19 will lead to more meaningful changes in politicians’ and consumers’ attitudes towards the climate crisis? Or will all habits return to normal in 2022 and in the years to come?
“I think the dramatic declines in carbon emissions and urban smog witnessed during COVID-19 will lead to more meaningful changes in politicians’ and consumers’ attitudes towards the climate crisis.”
Do you believe travel will have its “fast fashion” moment as witnessed across the retail industry whereby people start to focus on the quality, not quantity, of their trips and become increasingly more mindful of their carbon footprint?
“I do, especially among a younger generation. We’ll also likely see more shared experiences (AirBnB) and staycations as well as car travel over air. Trends such as overlanding and van life have exploded and this will likely continue.”
David Pickeral, Sheeva.AI
“ I think the Pandemic has also taught us that many jobs require the dynamics of in-person engagement for both professional and emotional well-being […] Every community, every business, every employment situation will be different, but technology combined with more flexible workspace […] will increasingly allow a high degree of adaptability to meet those needs”
“Along with the sustainability mindset ingrained in younger generations, I believe that the trend of higher quality and lower impact activities will emerge as much more than a fad.”
What gaps in transportation did the pandemic highlight that we need to address? Equally, in what ways has the pandemic improved the state of transportation?
“The Pandemic highlighted inefficiencies and inequities that had existed in the mobility ecosystem in many cases for generations. With transit often perceived and even funded as a means of last resort, when that means became unavailable those dependent upon it—in many cases, some of the most essential members of the workforce—were stranded and effort had to be undertaken by both government and industry to close the gap and get those who needed to get to work or receive social services were able to do so. Perhaps the major lesson was the need to build both resiliency and adaptability across all modes, which communities all over the world often met in very different and highly creative ways.”
Is travel a right or a privilege post-pandemic? Do you feel travel will move away from being attainable to the masses and become something for the more affluent?
“I think the Pandemic may have the reverse effect. For decades the airlines and the rest of the travel industry had relied on and substantially catered to the business travel community with lounges, frequent flier/guest miles, upgrades, etc.. Now with much of business travel likely not to return, there has been much greater emphasis on less frequent personal travelers who can fill seats, hotel rooms, and restaurant tables instead.”
Do you believe corporate travel, especially international travel, should be considered a perk or will there be a growing preference for video conferencing and virtual meetings?
“In responding here I would note that I myself was a “road warrior” for many years with an elite frequent flier and hotel status. When I was younger I considered it a perk, but as I got older and for the most part the quality of the travel experience tended to decline across all classes of service and especially economy accompanied by more onerous security procedures worldwide, it definitely became more of a burden. While some travel is necessary for conferences or major deal transactions, for the most part, I and a number of my peers that I have spoken with, are just as happy to be at home or at our local office rather than traveling somewhere. That said for many in occupations like sales or consulting, travel will always be considered a benefit and likely necessary to recruit and retain top talent in these areas.”
The rise of “bleisure” travel proves to be one of the most significant outcomes of the shift in corporate travel over the past few years; how do you see this trend evolving, especially amongst the younger workforce?
“This is where travel becomes a real perk and not an obligation. The concept is actually fairly old, with only this recent buzzword to describe being new. It is something I have actually done through most of my career, taking at least a day or two when visiting somewhere for personal time. I think conference planners will continue to rely on the fact that many attendees will not only come for the event but also take time off for themselves as well as partners and family members they may bring along. Most corporations I think are now supportive of the practice as long as personal charges are not included with business expenses (which is easier to monitor with more detailed electronic records of charges hotels, transportation, etc.) Government agencies for the most part do not allow this under any circumstances, and along with ever more onerous approval processes I expect public sector employees to increasingly avoid travel or seek jobs in the private sector to take advantage of this benefit. As younger generations show a tendency to be more experiential than material (i.e., interesting travel versus say a large office, executive dining room, or company vehicle) I think the trend will accelerate.”
In what ways will the effective management of space for mobility, public enjoyment, public health & safety as well as economic prosperity, become ever more critical to cities in the post-Covid-19 world?
“Cities around the world were overcrowded and congested even before COVID-19 and up to 70% of the global population is expected to live in conurbations by 2050. The more than century-old practice of simply building or widening roads and other infrastructure has to be replaced. Going forward both government and industry need to collaborate in using technology across all modes to increase efficiency and accessibility as well as improving user experience—and doing so in a cost-effective manner that ensures equity. This is exactly what our company, Sheeva.AI, is doing in creating a low-cost, cloud-based Vehicle Location Based Services (VLBS) platform. VLBS allows drivers and passengers the ability to automatically navigate to and contactless receive and pays for services including fueling, charging tolls, congestion pricing, and retail, and any number of other features and transactions, customized to the needs of each user.”
Do you believe the preference for solo riders and the private car will remain, or will it revert to pre-pandemic behavior? What will this mean for transport planners and city authorities in their efforts to reduce congestion and pollution?
“Hopefully, mass transit and other forms of mobility will regain some of the ground they had previously, but many people have made a substantial investment in personal transportation during COVID-19. In any event, I think there will always be some segment of the population that will gravitate towards private cars for any number of reasons, or choose other less openly communal forms of mobility such as TNC, carsharing, or micro transit. Here again, Sheeva.AI is working to increase the accessibility, user experience, and effectiveness of driving while ultimately making it more compatible with both supporting infrastructure and services as well as other modes.”
With employees returning to the office this spring, what role do you believe hybrid-model and office environment plays in our professional lives, and what does this mean for the traditional commute?
“I think the traditional morning and evening commutes with people working 9-5 in an office will diminish, with both roadways and transit having been largely designed around that rush hour surge with largely unused capacity in some areas much of the day and not enough coverage in many other places. However, I think the Pandemic has also taught us that many jobs require the dynamics of in-person engagement for both professional and emotional well-being. I think workers, employers, and the government will work to optimize the process essentially from the ground up. Every community, every business, every employment situation will be different, but technology combined with more flexible workspaces such as swing offices and workstations will increasingly allow a high degree of adaptability to meet those needs.”
Do you think the dramatic declines in carbon emissions and urban smog witnessed during COVID-19 will lead to more meaningful changes, or will all habits return to normal in 2022 and in the years to come?
“I think the sharp reductions in emissions during lockdown periods have served as a living experiment to demonstrate the effects of not traveling as much on both congestion and decarbonization. Moreover, the path towards sustainability is increasingly ingrained in younger generations who will seek more efficient housing, transport, consumer goods, and food supplies among other things.”
Do you believe travel will have its “fast fashion” moment as witnessed across the retail industry whereby people start to focus on the quality, not quantity, of their trips and become increasingly more mindful of their carbon footprint?
“Along with the sustainability mindset ingrained in younger generations, I believe that the trend of higher quality and lower impact activities will emerge as much more than a fad. Here again, Sheeva.AI is working to improve the quality of driver and passenger experience while making parking, fueling, grocery, and retail pickup, and EV charging more seamless and automated.”
Dave Kilduff, HQ
“Back-to-office shuttles not only help protect you from the virus, and in a lot of major cities, there is an unsafe element traveling on public transportation […] There is no better way to improve your CO2 footprint than to have multiple travelers on a single-vehicle. There is also no safer way to travel as you don’t have to drive and the driver is a professional driver that has been drug and alcohol tested…”
“The world has changed forever, ground transportation mobility offerings will be able to direct the traveler to the safest and healthiest way to travel. The choices will be from electric vehicles to sharing rides, and all other forms of ground transportation including micro-mobility…”
What gaps in transportation did the pandemic highlight that we need to address? Equally, in what ways has the pandemic improved the state of transportation?
“The ground transportation industry from rental car companies to chauffeur-driven companies was in financial trouble carrying a lot of debt before Covid. Hertz, as an example, was able to restructure, shrink their debt and come out stronger. In the chauffeur-driven Industry, a lot of suppliers went out of business especially independent operators and smaller operations. There have been mergers, bankruptcies and there continues to be a financial strain on the industry. The lesson- with fewer suppliers and an unknown future it is imperative to vet and continue vetting. Going forward companies need to have multiple suppliers or mobility tools from companies that have resolved those issues. Safety, which is duty of care(drug and alcohol testing) and health and wellness( strong COVID protocols) I believe will continue for many years going forward when traveling with ground transportation.
Back-to-office shuttles not only help protect you from the virus and in a lot of major cities, but there is also an unsafe element traveling on public transportation. This provides an incentive to go back to work, a productive way to work as there are plugs and Wi-Fi installed in the shuttles. At the same time, it improves the environment as we now have gone too far. We need to take drastic measures to reduce our carbon footprint. There is no better way to improve your CO2 footprint than to have multiple travelers on a single-vehicle. This is also no safer way to travel as you don’t have to drive and the driver is a professional driver that has been drug and alcohol tested with a fingerprint background check.”
In what ways will the effective management of space for mobility, public enjoyment, public health & safety as well as economic prosperity, become ever more critical to cities in the post-Covid-19 world?
“During Covid which was a time where we experienced a lack of travel which resulted in a major improvement in our air quality. Going forward, sustainability and the reduction of the CO2 carbon footprint will be paramount. Manufacturers are converting their factories to EVs (electric vehicles). The process of that conversion will not only reduce their carbon footprint but is also the journey to autonomous vehicles.
The world has changed forever, ground transportation mobility offerings will be able to direct the traveler to the safest and healthiest way to travel. The choices will be from electric vehicles to sharing rides, and all other forms of ground transportation including micro-mobility. A one-stop-shop for your future travel.”
Scott Gillespie, tClara
“The shift to working from home has and will continue to result in a big reduction in commuting traffic among office workers. So less smog, less traffic congestion, less time wasted in traffic…all good things for society. My best guess is that very little of this new behavior in the US is driven by climate concerns. I think it is very much a convenience issue.”
What gaps in transportation did the pandemic highlight that we need to address? Equally, in what ways has the pandemic improved the state of transportation?
We’ve learned that a whole lot of people – not everyone – really prefer to work from home or work from somewhere other than their traditional office. We saw a huge decrease in business travel and in workday commuting. I think these shifts will endure and have big implications for the future of work, commuting, and business travel.
Is travel a right or a privilege post-pandemic? Do you feel travel will move away from being attainable to the masses and become something for the more affluent?
“Everybody should have the freedom to travel, but unfortunately, I do think travel will become increasingly expensive. Businesses will reserve travel for their more important trips, and leisure travelers will be priced out of many otherwise-attractive trips to far-away lands.”
Do you believe corporate travel, especially international travel, should be considered a perk or will there be a growing preference for video conferencing and virtual meetings?
“One traveler’s perk is another traveler’s pain. The better question is which trips will be justified? Our research indicates it will trip which has high potential value and significant risks of failing if done by video. International trips have higher friction, so they need higher paybacks to be justified. Much depends on the nature of the meeting, its main goals, and the relationships between the participants. That said, yes, virtual meetings will continue to take share from in-person meetings, especially for meetings that would require extensive travel.”
Do you think the dramatic declines in carbon emissions and urban smog witnessed during COVID-19 will lead to more meaningful changes in attitudes, or will all habits return to normal in 2022 and in the years to come?
“The shift to working from home has and will continue to result in a big reduction in commuting traffic among office workers. So less smog, less traffic congestion, less time wasted in traffic…all good things for society. My best guess is that very little of this new behavior in the US is driven by climate concerns. I think it is very much a convenience issue. I don’t see politicians raising a successful call to action to drive less for the sake of the planet.”
Augustin Friedel, Mobility Expert and Advisor
“Major lessons learned: we need more space & infrastructure for walking, biking, and other forms of micro-mobility. Boost for shared and owned micro-mobility is promising.”
“Cities should plan and build more infrastructure for micro-mobility vehicles. They could also use their power to reduce/block car traffic or to release stricter speed limits.”
What gaps in transportation did the pandemic highlight that we need to address? Equally, in what ways has the pandemic improved the state of transportation? In your opinion, what were the major lessons learned from the pandemic?
Not really sure if the pandemic improved transportation overall. Public Transit ridership is down, private cars are seeing increased demand. Major lessons learned: we need more space & infrastructure for walking, biking, and other forms of micro-mobility. Boost for shared and owned micro-mobility is promising.
Do you believe corporate travel, especially international travel, should be considered a perk or will there be a growing preference for video conferencing and virtual meetings?
We will see both. Video calls will replace a lot of business travels but Video conferences could not replace all sorts of business travels.
The rise of “bleisure” travel proves to be one of the most significant outcomes of the shift in corporate travel over the past few years; how do you see this trend evolving, especially amongst the younger workforce?
Never thought about the trend of bleisure. Would say workstations are a bigger trend. The pandemic has shown that we could work from anywhere with a desk and a good internet connection.
In what ways will the effective management of space for mobility, public enjoyment, public health & safety as well as economic prosperity, become ever more critical to cities in the post-Covid-19 world?
This was also critical before the pandemic. Cities could use the current momentum to drive change. Paris, Brussels, and other cities are going ahead. Wrong signal that cities, e.g. in the US are re-opening slow streets to car traffic again.
Do you believe the preference for solo riders and the private car will remain, or will it revert to pre-pandemic behavior? What will this mean for transport planners and city authorities in their efforts to reduce congestion and pollution?
Signals are indicating that safety, avoiding of infection risk and other factors are continuing the increased demand for individual transportation instead of mass transit. In urban areas, bike and micro-mobility traffic are picking up. Cities should plan and build more infrastructure for micro-mobility vehicles. They could also use their power to reduce/block car traffic or to release stricter speed limits.
With employees returning to the office this spring, what role do you believe hybrid-model and office environment plays in our professional lives, and what does this mean for the traditional commute?
The model is the future. If companies don’t allow hybrid work, employees will leave. The result is less demand for daily commute options and adjusted traffic peaks. Signals indicate that people move to areas with reduced public transit access. This could result in more car traffic.
Do you think the dramatic declines in carbon emissions and urban smog witnessed during COVID-19 will lead to more meaningful changes in attitudes towards the climate crisis?
Things will change slowly. Already forgotten in the general public that we had better air quality during the lockdowns relates to COVID.
Do you believe travel will have its “fast fashion” moment as witnessed across the retail industry whereby people start to focus on the quality, not quantity, of their trips and become increasingly more mindful of their carbon footprint?
No, They don’t walk the talk. Not in fashion and also not in mobility/transportation.
