5 Learnings from the Scooter Sharing Industry
Shared-mobility is reshaping the world of transportation offering end-users the possibility to travel around urban places with various alternative ways. Bike-sharing, car-sharing, ride-sharing complement public transport and help people to go from point A to point B fast & conveniently. The past couple of years e-scooter sharing is the new ’’rising star’’ and has been dynamically expanding in different cities, such a Barcelona, Paris & Berlin.
In order to launch a scooter sharing scheme 3 main things are needed: a. an operator who will run the fleet, b. the vehicle(s) that riders can drive and c. the technology provider who will guarantee the efficiency of the operation both from the user’s & the operator’s side.
COMODULE is a technology provider who offers the full eco-system (Hardware, Software & Platform) to sharing operators in order to manage their fleets. The past 18 months COMODULE has helped several operators to launch sharing & fleet schemes in India, Germany, Switzerland & Austria and these are the 5 main lessons we have learned so far:
1. Think globally, act locally
Each operator has to consider the particular needs & requirements of the city where the sharing operation takes place (e.g. which are the local regulations, how acquainted are the residents of this area with mobility as a service, etc.) In other words, managing a sharing operation in New Delhi has certain differences compared to an operation in Vienna. That is why urban mobility needs to be multimodal and locally adapted.
2. End-User is the King
The whole service must be focused on the rider’s demands & expectations. For that reason, operators need to challenge constantly themselves by offering what is useful for the end-users of the service. Users want to have a reliable mobility service, easy to use, convenient combined with a joyful driving experience. Having an insanely customer centric notion makes a sharing service outstanding and thriving!
3. Choose the fleet’s vehicles cautiously
The vehicles of the fleet are the means that the riders are using to travel around. The scooters need be credible both in terms of safety and maintenance. Repairing & keeping the fleet live is one of the biggest costs for the operators that must be managed on a daily basis. Thereby, it is of paramount importance choosing wisely the vehicles of the fleet.
4. Select the right technology provider
Technology is the backbone of the whole sharing mobility system. On the one side, the web-based platform and the connectivity device empower the operator to control the fleet remotely, evaluate the health of the vehicles and provide direct support to the riders. On the other side, drivers put a great value on the mobile application which enables them to activate a vehicle and ride it quickly and smoothly!
5. Expect the unexpected
In this constantly changing world that everything is evolving and changing all stakeholders must be ready to adapt to the new circumstances. Several new players are entering the market, old players are thinking how to expand, manufacturers try to develop vehicles with innovative features and various technology providers are striving to optimize their products. Meanwhile, more citizens are familiarizing with this innovative mobility system and municipalities are forming new rules to guarantee the eurythmy of urban transportation.
The key to make the transition to this new mobility era and resolve major city problems such as pollution, traffic congestion, and noise, is resilience. Hence, all involved parties need to collaborate in harmony, in order to build a prosperous mobility system which will improve the well-being of the urban residents.
