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Modern transportation is changing rapidly - creating innovative solutions, services, and opportunities for consumers, fleet owners, and industries with mobility capabilities.

Industries and fleet owners that have found success are not only acknowledging the rapid changes, but are embracing a new mobility mindset which is pushing connectivity and efficiency to new frontiers and creating a mobile revolution.

Some of the key players that will benefit from this new mobility mindset include fleet managers, industries like residential and retail properties, government sectors, rental car companies, colleges and universities, and car dealerships. 

There is a way to rethink mobility, save resources, increase revenue, and offer a reliable service to the end user.

Traditional Mobility Challenges

Because of the rising cost associated with vehicle ownership and the standard option of public transportation, people are looking to new possibilities. New generations are moving away from the traditional concept of owning or leasing a vehicle; and, toward a new mobility mindset. Since the spread of COVID-19, vehicle sales have dramatically decreased and public transportation has been limited- forcing the public in the direction of contactless mobility.

The traditional mobility approach no longer has anything to offer the public. A more holistic approach to mobility is needed in order to welcome in the new normal.

As the new normal approaches and the mobility mindset shifts, businesses across the globe are beginning to feel the impact. Now is an optimal time for businesses with mobile capabilities to take advantage of the new mobility mindset and explore their contactless options to ensure a better, safer, and more efficient future for both its employees and consumers.

Time and Distance

Traditional mobility services take time and distance. From reservation to drop off, services like traditional corporate fleets and rental car companies are inconvenient for both the fleet owner and the end user.

Vehicles are not guaranteed to be within a close distance of the user; and, instead are at a specific (and sometimes inconvenient) location. Picking up and dropping off the vehicle to a set location within a set time frame is not always a feasible option for the average, on-the-go user.

Take rental car companies, for example. Rental car companies manage fleets on-site. Meaning, vehicles are only accessible at one specific location during certain hours by an on-site employee, a process that creates an underutilized and inconvenient fleet for both the owner and user.

Mobility services like these don’t need a physical location to succeed.

Tracking and Management

Whether managing a fleet of rental cars or a fleet of company cars, mobility management is a tedious and expensive process that leaves room for much error and paperwork.

Currently, fleet managers must keep a record of expense reports, mileage, maintenance, vehicle safety, consumer demands, insurance, etc. for each vehicle and every within the fleet. Plus, corporate fleet managers must also try their best to monitor where and how often employees are using the vehicles for business versus personal reasons.

If the vehicle is stolen or reported missing, the fleet manager must jump through hoops to retrieve it or make up for the loss. Many fleets utilize manufacturer standard equipment and alarm systems that don’t guarantee a safe return if stolen or missing. If there is no fleet tracking system installed with real time alerts and mapping data, business owners and managers may not ever make a recovery.

Insufficient knowledge, reporting, and management exposes fleet owners and corporations to audit risk, safety issues, and perpetual high costs. Putting the burden of all of this reporting on one person or one department is simply not worth it in the long run.

Purpose and Expense

The average car owner uses their vehicle for one hour out of the day. Meanwhile, the vehicle sits idle more than 90% of the time, taking up space and resources. 

Traditional fleets mimic this minimal usage pattern in the sense that they are for single purpose use only. The paradigm of 1 vehicle per 1 end user leads to an unnecessarily large and expensive fleet.

If you’re in the B2G space, you're probably familiar with consistent budget fluctuations. Because of the financial uncertainty, fleet purchases may be planned years in advance and thus, may no longer serve the current fleet and employee needs. The vehicles are rarely used and rarely shared between departments. This permanent purchase causes unnecessarily elevated costs as well as an underutilized fleet.

Modern Mobility Solutions

Innovations in technology, transportation, and consumer interest are consistently changing- shaping the future of mobility. Are you prepared for the changes to come?

 In order to move to a more modern mobility mindset, businesses and fleet owners need to “think outside the fleet.”

Contactless Convenience

Allow your customers and/or employees to access mobility options anywhere, anytime and, avoid the need for on-site staff and set office hours. The convenience of anywhere, 24/7 access saves on employee costs by not requiring a member of the staff to be present at all times.

How do you achieve this? Contactless technology accessible through any mobile device.

Contact is no longer achieved through a designated site, but, is instead available in the palm of your hand through one customizable, cloud-based app. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, contactless payments have received an unprecedented boost seen by consumers as a cleaner and more convenient way to pay.

As the purchasing process continues to shift to a digital one, a mobile app is now a necessity. Working with a white-label app service brings that necessity to life and saves time, money, and effort in the process. A white-label app service is not only an effortlessly effective add-on for businesses, but it’s also user-friendly for both the end user and manager.

The end user can easily see all available mobility options, book a vehicle, and go. Fleet managers are able to see available vehicles and manage the entire fleet within that same app while, simultaneously, monitoring driver data that will shed light on current user issues and predict future outcomes.

Goodbye, paperwork. Hello, digital!

Multi Purpose Use

Because traditional fleets follow a single purpose use model, they sit idle over than 90% of the time. Modern fleets; however, have a multi purpose use and can be used for both business and revenue.

Vehicles can be shared and rented for a profit among employees and throughout departments for leisure and additional travel purposes. Employees or the end user can define their rental period and mileage, as well as select the services best suited to their individual needs.

This modern approach allows for a more free floating system that not only increases revenue, but enhances accessibility as well.

Conclusion

Transportation is entering a new era and industries, businesses, and fleet owners have the opportunity to rethink mobility. By changing mobility management strategies, embracing data and analytics, and training the next generation of mobility managers- fleet owners and managers can conquer the benefits of a more modern mobility mindset.

New technologies like Free2Move’s Fleet Sharing offer the most comprehensive solution for any fleet size or business type.