The changes are being driven by a multitude of factors, including:

• The return to travel since the COVID-19 pandemic

• New employee work patterns and remote/hybrid working • Increasing. pressures to promote sustainability

• Technological advances (such as AI, machine learning, smart devices, datafication, new energy solutions, blockchain, edge and quantum computing)

In this update of our 2020 GTBA FREENOW whitepaper, we've once again conducted a survey of European business travellers and travel managers to assess ground transport's changing landscape. We re-examine the state of ground business travel in seven key markets:

France, United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Poland and Italy

Key Highlights

1. European travel managers are winning at policy enforcement but struggling with traveller satisfaction.

When asked to indicate the top three strengths of their ground transport programme (out of seven options), travel managers most commonly include policy enforcement, traveller safety/duty of care, cost savings and ease of payment/expense management. However, they also recognise the challenges and pain points of their programme. The most frequent top three pain points include traveller satisfaction, reporting/spending visibility and sustainability.

2. On average, European travel managers say 30% of their company's ground transport spend is on public transportation.

In addition, approximately 20% of spend is allocated to traditional taxis and 14% allocated to private hire vehicles. For comparison, the 2020 GBTA-FREENOW study found average spending on public transport accounted for just 16% of ground transportation spend and 18% was spent on private hire vehicles. The shift towards increased spending on public transport and the corresponding decrease in spending on rental cars and private hire vehicles suggests increased sustainability efforts in travel programs.

3. Business travellers like the convenience of ride-hailing apps.

“Ease of booking”, “shorter wait times/availability of rides”, and “cost” were all highlighted as important features of ride-hailing apps by business travellers.

However, they also value features only available when their company has a formal relationship or contract with a provider, including automatically importing rides to expense reporting systems and allowing their company to configure the app to enforce travel policies.

4. Travel managers are very interested in contracting with companies that offer multiple types of ground transport.

Modes of transport that travel managers were interested in included rental cars, carsharing, private hire vehicles (PHVs)/ride-shares, eScooters and eBikes. In fact, half (53%) of travel managers express interest in contracting with the same provider for multiple ground products or services.

5. Travel managers find it is difficult to track carbon emissions generated by ground transportation.

Half of European travel managers feel it is more difficult to track carbon emissions from ground transportation compared to other categories. In addition, a significant number of travel managers are unsure of the percentage of electric vehicle bookings for ridesharing, rental cars or limos/chauffeured cars suggesting there is an information gap.

1. Introduction
2. Key Highlights
3. Current State of Ground Transportation Policies
4. Ground Transportation Policies in Managed Travel Programmes
5. What tTransportation Modes do Business Travellers Prefer
6. Ground Transportation Programmes: Priorities, Strengths and pain Points
7. Ground Transportation Spending
8. Ride Hailing Technology
9. Business Traveller and Ride Hailing Apps
10. Managed Ride Hailing
11. Ride Hailing Payment and Expenses
12. Data and Privacy
13. Mobility Providers
14. Sustainability, Carbon Reduction and Ground Transportation
15. Conclusion
16. Travel Manager Profile
17. Business Traveller Profile