The number of two-way commuters in the country increased from 6.34 million to 24.62 million between 1993 and 2010, according to a National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) study. This illustrates the fact that millions of individuals commute to and from work on a daily basis. Given the lack of appropriate infrastructure and safety, these workers cannot rely on the country’s erratic public transportation system while travelling via buses, autos, or even unregulated cabs. Excessive traffic on Indian roads exacerbates the situation by causing massive traffic jams, pile-ups, and breakdowns. Furthermore, rotational shifts and more women entering the workforce increase employees’ need for safe and dependable transportation.
Moreover, based on a University of the West of England study, every extra minute spent travelling to and from work reduces job and leisure time satisfaction, increases strain, and deteriorates employee mental health.
The corporate commute challenge in India
Spending several hours in cabs picking up and dropping off employees who do not live on the same route can directly impact employee productivity. Employees prefer cab companies that levy peak time charges to avoid long routes caused by shared cabs, which significantly raises the cost of transportation. Some employees are delayed due to the scarcity of cabs during peak hours. Again, arriving late to work every day reduces employee productivity, costing the company money because it is unable to meet its targets.
Because of the issues mentioned earlier, businesses must sponsor employee commutes and provide them with safe and efficient modes of transportation. Thus, employee cabs regulated by recognized aggregators enter the picture. Several large corporations have partnered with aggregators to provide their employees with on-time cabs driven by dependable drivers. However, Transport Automation Systems are the main game changer that is transforming employee commutes.
The use of Transport Automation Systems
Such innovative systems use IoT and AI technologies to plot the shortest and quickest routes while also grouping employees who live on the same route together. These systems can also predict transportation demand and supply within the organisation, allowing businesses to order only the number of automobiles needed daily.
Such advanced systems use predictive analysis tools to identify impending bottlenecks and congestion, reducing the hour’s employees must spend on the road each day.
Technology integrated into cabs can also ensure passenger safety by providing one-click red alert and live tracking options via GPS systems. Employees can notify their employers when they board and deboard cabs, as well as rate and review drivers based on their driving skills and manners. Aggregators can use a digital backup of driver records to ensure that only trustworthy drivers are used for employee transportation.
The advantages of the corporate commute system
Employees are not the only ones who benefit from automated employee transportation systems. Corporates that provide transportation to their employees benefit from the act in a variety of ways. Companies that want to strengthen their team can use the fact that they provide employee commutes to attract more talent.
Several capable candidates who live far from corporate centres are unable to contribute to the economy because they lack transportation. Such employees, if given commuting options, will be able to join the workforce and contribute to the success of businesses. Because of this, many companies are including sponsored commuting as a perk in their job postings.
Furthermore, companies that provide employee transportation have higher employee retention rates. Employee loyalty can be achieved through employer gestures such as safe commutes.
Employee’s need of corporate commute
Employees who commute for fewer hours are also healthier and take fewer sick days. Employee burnout is also significantly reduced by a simple process such as employee commute. Employers can also benefit from employee commute services by lowering payroll taxes, improving customer access to goods and services, and expanding service hours.
Finally, sharable staff transportation benefits the environment by reducing the number of cars on the road. This significantly reduces a company’s carbon footprint, transforming it into an environmentally friendly enterprise. It is also cost-effective for the company because it does not have to pay for individual employee transportation.
Employer-sponsored transportation has unrivalled benefits for both employees and employers. Because of these benefits, the country is seeing an exponential increase in corporate commute service providers providing unrivalled travel facilities for employees who work from remote locations. Employee commute services’ phenomenal success will boost employee productivity and keep companies at the top of their game.
How corporate transportation is booming in India
The corporate employee transportation ecosystem is thriving in India, thanks to an erratic public transportation system plagued by a lack of infrastructure and passenger safety, whether it’s buses, autos, metro, or aggregator-controlled cabs. Long commutes will become more common as urban cities and towns grow and bustle.
Women’s transportation safety is a significant concern, whether they are travelling within the city, outside of the city, or even abroad. Women are frequently sexually assaulted, cat-called, and robbed while riding in a cab or driving their car, according to newspaper reports. According to a WHO study, 35% of women worldwide experience some form of abuse or physical violence while commuting, and these are just the cases that have been reported.
Auto Rickshaws and cab drivers, whether regular taxis or app-based aggregators, frequently misbehave or abuse female passengers. Women’s mobility is limited in many places due to a lack of safe public transportation and a lack of last-mile connectivity. Friends and family frequently ask women to keep GPS on their phones while travelling in a cab or auto or to click the picture of the driver’s ID proof.
Correspondingly, car rental companies’ spot rental services aimed at mid-to-top management level users in corporations add a higher value by being tailored to the corporates’ needs for dependability, safety, and compliance with the corporate duty of care requirements.
In terms of operation and requirements, corporate employee transportation is complicated. A mid-sized company, for example, will typically have 2,000-2,500 employees spread across the city and its outskirts. Facility managers must ensure that all employees provide pick-up and drop-off as per their time and shift schedule, with as little travel time as possible. Company shifts heavily influence the number of vehicles and their routing. Furthermore, the SLA with the service provider is critical because all legal, logistical, and statutory issues must be supervised, addressed, and monitored.
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Would you like to reap these benefits, improve your team’s working dynamic, and become a more environmentally conscious company?
Karunadu Cabs can ensure that your employees arrive on time daily if your company is based in Bangalore. They can even provide special event shuttle services for colleagues and guests who are visiting.
Please get in touch with us for more information and a free quote on employee shuttle bus services!