Will Companies take Responsibility for Commuter Travel?
Environmental & Duty of Care now driving ground transport procurement
London - 10th July Changes in working practice are blurring the edges between commuter and business travel and this is leading companies to adopt more formal travel planning for both aspects of travel, according to new research by the Institute of Travel Management (ITM).
As companies consider the implications of corporate manslaughter legislation, embrace Corporate Social Responsibility and as home working becomes more common, companies are having to decide whether a home office worker taking the train into London for a meeting constitutes business or commuter traffic and what their responsibilities are for that trip.
"Although all trips to or from the office are basically business travel, the main consideration has always been who pays for it" says ITM Executive Director Paul Tilstone. "However CSR is changing corporate thinking. 25% of companies already consider the carbon footprint associated with their employees' commuter travel to be their concern. And whilst only a minority recognise this type of trip as business travel right now, 42% are unsure."
Further impetus for this shift comes from travel buyers focussing more intensely on ground transportation expenditure as their remit widens to cover not only rail and car hire, but taxis, chauffeur drive, fleet management and public transport. So it's no surprise that the issues facing buyers and suppliers of air travel and hotel accommodation - duty of care, the environment and security - are also having an increasing impact on ground transport procurement.
ITM's survey revealed that 65% of buyers have already reviewed or in the process of reviewing their companies' fleet and private car use in the light of corporate manslaughter legislation. 33% of buyers had selected taxi and car hire firms based on environmental issues.
However CSR hasn't had the same impact in every area of ground transportation. Colin Goldney, MD of Argate Consulting, ITM's research partner believes that's because buyers have not yet applied the same principles across the board. "Recognising that rail is better for the environment than air or road is the easy part. Few are comparing public and private transport; bus or tube versus the taxi."
"Another challenge is that of overcoming human nature. Convenience is still a major decision making factor for travellers, with 54% of buyers believing that convenience and cost are of equal importance. However if travel buyers are handed responsibility for commuter travel, it's unlikely that employees will take much notice of any attempts to influence what is basically a lifestyle decision" Goldney continued.
Although duty of care and the environment are driving change in the habits of ground transportation buyers, this is not happening at the same pace as mainstream travel management, and it is unclear whether these issues will make companies focus more on ground transportation.
