The Covid-19 outbreak, and the consequent need for maintaining hygiene and social distancing norms, is expected to influence the way people commute. The changes that were taking place in the mobility sector—with the emergence of ride-hailing services for two- and four-wheelers—could therefore witness an acceleration.
In India, most people rely on public transport, and that is not expected change in a hurry. But what could happen is a shift to a combination of public transport and shared mobility, with ride-hailing ventures, be it for scooters or taxis, ramping up new and innovative models to demonstrate that their services are safe and affordable.
“The world has been well on its way to a transport system that is hybrid [part public transport and part shared], electric and data-driven. Covid-19 has only increased the pace of this transformation process,” says Vivekananda HR, co-founder of Bounce, a scooter rental company. “There is a strong reason to believe that owned-vehicle commute will dwindle within the foreseeable future. At the same time, the very definition of ownership will transform, as intra-city mobility will evolve as a service”. He gives the example of China, which, after the lifting of lockdowns, has seen a paradigm shift in consumer behaviour away from public transport and towards private vehicles and docked or dock-less shared motorcycles and bicycles; shared-motorcycle rides have gone up by 150 percent.
Denne historien er fra July 17, 2020-utgaven av Forbes India.
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Denne historien er fra July 17, 2020-utgaven av Forbes India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet