Mobility experts argued that the benefits of corporate micromobility outweigh the negatives during a recent Smart Mobility Institute roundtable.
As part of a recent SMI event focusing on corporate micromobility, Employee Choice, Car or Mobility, experts Thibault Alleyn, Head of Global Mobility Solutions at Fleet Logistics, and Fabio Griemens, Director Strategy & Operations at FREE NOW, analysed whether more companies should look at incorporating micromobility options into their transport planning.
A recent FREE NOW survey revealed that while 52 per cent of business travellers choose the safest mobility option, 40 per cent would rather use bicycles or e-bikes for their daily commute.
Meanwhile, 45 per cent would be interested in exchanging a company car for a mobility budget.
Both experts agreed that safety was a key concern for businesses while assessing transport options, and that a focus needed to be placed on best practice while using micromobility devices, such as wearing a helmet and using the correct lane.
However, they also highlighted the need for governments and regulators to do more in terms of infrastructure to make micromobility safe for riders.
“Their first challenge is to get micromobility to cohabitate successfully with cars, buses, pedestrians and all other types of mobility,” said Griemens.
“In other words: infrastructure is essential. We encourage separate lanes for scooters and bicycles, and speed limits in dense urban areas. We need to make urban mobility safe and easy. This requires close collaboration between mobility suppliers, public transport providers, insurers, lawmakers and governments.”
Overall, both agreed that corporate micromobility has a lot of potential with Alleyn stating “we believe the benefits outweigh the negatives”.
He added: “But only if employees are duly informed of the relevant safety issues and other attention points, before actually riding.”
