Employees and Companies Have a Shared Responsibility for Ensuring Ground Transport Safety for Business Travel, According to New Report from FREENOW and GBTA

Research examines how travel programmes can maximise the safety of ground transport on business trips across four key European markets: Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, and Ireland

Both corporate travel managers and business travellers in Europe have a shared responsibility as well as opportunities to mitigate risk by making smart choices when it comes to ground transportation for business trips.This is according to a new report, titled "Maximising Duty of Care: Choosing the Safest 'Last Mile' Option for Business Travel" from FREENOW, Europe's multi mobility app with taxi at its core, and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world's largest business travel association.

Whilst a large majority of travel programmes have risk management protocols for business travel in place, these often overlook ground transport risks specifically, according to data from the report. For instance, a large majority of travel programmes (85%) have risk-related policies for business travel, but only about half (55%) "always" or "often" address ground transport in these policies. In addition, most travel programmes (62%) conduct regular safety trainings for employees about business travel, but only about half (56%) "always" or "often" include ground transport risks in this training. Most travel programmes (89%) have a traveller tracking system in place, however only one-quarter (24%) can "always" or "often" locate employees using ground transport data.

"The research reflects that travel programmes can do more to improve how they manage risk when it comes to ground transportation for their employees. Corporate travel managers should partner with trusted ground transportation companies known for their exemplary safety records. Additionally, educating employees on the realities of ground transportation safety is crucial, helping them make informed decisions when navigating their travel options," said Suzanne Neufang, Chief Executive Officer, GBTA.

Further Reduction of Risks in Ground Transportation

The research also indicates that taxis are often perceived as the safest form of third-party ground transport, with 50% of travel managers considering taxis among the top safest options, compared to 43% for rental cars and 26% for public transit. The importance of vehicle safety checks (93%), partnering with reputable brands (93%), and requiring drivers to have professional taxi or Black Cab licenses (91%) were all identified as essential to ensuring safety.

Daniel Barthuly, Head of Business Travel, FREENOW, said: "Companies must protect their employees by promoting safe ground transport and integrating it into Travel Risk Management (TRM). Around 70% of corporate travel managers rank safety records as a top factor in choosing transport vendors." Barthuly added that FREENOW for Business supports this by allowing companies to access management software that gives a total overview of employee rides. In addition, riders can share their live location in real-time tracking with friends or family, and all FREENOW taxi drivers are verified and meet local regulations, ensuring reliable, compliant ground transportation.

Companies commonly have a formal relationship, contract, or business account with a ground transport vendor. This could be a taxi company / technology platform, a rental car company, or a chauffeured car company, among others. Across the countries surveyed − Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, and Ireland − at least three in five business travellers say their company has such relationships. This allows companies to receive dedicated account support, apply travel policies, and streamline processes such as payment and expense reporting. In addition, companies can choose to work with vendors who have a demonstrated safety record as well as mandate or encourage employees to book with these vendors.

These partnerships not only help in streamlining operations but, according to survey results, at least nine out of 10 business travellers believe that such relationships could significantly increase operational efficiency as well.

Download the "Maximising Duty of Care: Choosing the Safest 'Last Mile' Option for Business Travel" full report here. GBTA members can also access the full report on the GBTA Hub.

About the Research Methodology

GBTA and FREENOW continue to examine the ways European business travellers and travel managers in key markets assess and use various modes of ground transport, drawing comparisons to similar research the two organizations conducted in 2020 and 2023.

Findings from the report are based on responses from surveys of 425 business travellers and 76 corporate travel managers in four European markets: Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, and Ireland. Responses were collected in September and October 2024 via an online survey of GBTA members and an online panel convened by Qualtrics. For purposes of the survey, "last mile transportation" was used to refer to ground transportation trips that are taken over distances of 75 kilometres or less, excluding long-distance rail.

Join the Upcoming Webinar on Wednesday, 20 November

On 20 November, 2:00-3:00pm CET, GBTA in partnership with FREENOW will host a related complimentary webinar hosted by Daniel Barthuly, Head of Business Travel, FREENOW, and Mark Sharoff, Senior Research Manager, GBTA. Ideal for travel buyers and industry suppliers, the webinar will expand on the research findings and explore the changing landscape of ground transport safety, the role of sustainability in the mobility ecosystem, and how business travellers and travel managers perceive transportation options, particularly concerning last-mile transport. Register here.