The Future of Mobility is Closer Than You Think

Future of Mobility

Going beyond fleet to get people to their destinations – easily & fast.

Imagine having clear, easy-to-access data about how members of your company travel. Whether they take a company vehicle, hop on the subway, or hail a taxi, you can capture this information and see the true costs of mobility for every user. Efficiencies are easily identifiable, and the possibilities are limitless. This is the future of mobility, and it’s not as far away as you might think.

What is mobility today, and where is it headed?

Mobility is a key part of today’s fleet management strategies, and it usually incorporates pool management, short-term leases, long-term rentals, and programs that are designed to deliver transportation, on-demand, for just the amount of time needed. However, in the future, mobility isn’t limited by a specific lease structure, and does not stop at just vehicles.

Rather, mobility is a fully customizable plan that allows transportation to happen as precisely and easily to best meet your needs. In the future, mobility will be a holistic approach that focuses not just on fleet, but the end user and all forms of travel they use, whether that is ride sharing, train, public transportation, air, and (one day) even autonomous vehicles. Mobility will be all about moving people in the most efficient way possible to get the job done.

The Future of Total Cost of Mobility

Today, total cost of mobility is closely tied to the costs of operating pool vehicles and other short-term leasing related expenses. In the future, the total cost of mobility will be more about the end user’s travel costs than vehicle operation costs. Eventually the total cost of mobility will incorporate all modes of transportation a person uses to get from point A to point B. Instead of access to just a company vehicle, users could access an app that identifies the most efficient methods of travel, whether that is driving a company pool vehicle, using a rideshare service, or taking the subway. This app would empower them to easily book and pay for these transportation services via a pre-paid company account. Fleet will be just one part of a larger whole.

The great thing about this scenario is that it’s not too far off. Companies in Europe have already been experimenting with this type of mobility model, and a few (like moovel) are beginning to expand west. Their progress confirms an interest in a more efficient future, and a call for greater communication across all forms of transportation.

Make Way for Driverless Cars

For many, the next mobility frontier is centered around driverless cars. Fully autonomous personal vehicles are projected to hit the road by 2021, and according to experts nearly 1 million units will be sold by 2025. This could bring with it a major shift to the way companies treat their fleets. Driver duties could change, efficiency is expected to improve (through reduced congestion), and perhaps the preferred method of transportation would swing altogether now that passengers don’t need to be attentive at the wheel.

Finding an FMC that Keeps Pace with Change

As the mobility movement matures and becomes better defined, your FMC will have to adapt along with it. Soon an FMC’s job won’t end with just providing vehicles, and to be honest we might already be there. Your fleet management company will be in charge of not only tracking your fleet, but also ensuring you have the tools to do your job in the most efficient way possible.

While this model of mobility has yet to take full hold, it’s important to stay forward-thinking about your costs of mobility today and be prepared for the future. Merchants will be there to help you welcome not just the mobility movement, but also whatever comes next.

Wondering where mobility could take your fleet?

Click below or call 866.653.2737 to talk to one of our mobility experts.

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