Ground Transport Experts Tackle Connected Trip Challenges

Ground transportation is a critical element of travel, whether it’s a car ride to an airport, hotel, or train station. As the travel industry embraces the “connected trip” concept—integrating bookings and data across services—companies face significant challenges in creating seamless, efficient experiences for travelers.

“What we’re seeing is that travelers want more control,” said Veronica Diquattro, president of Omio’s consumer and supply business in Europe. “They expect access to information, flexible options, and simple booking processes.”

However, achieving this level of interconnectivity isn’t easy. Speaking at The Phocuswright Conference in November, Diquattro, along with Eurostar’s chief commercial officer Francois Le Doze and Uber Transit’s global head Jennifer Shepherd, highlighted ongoing operational hurdles.

Le Doze emphasized the challenge of tracking travelers in open, dynamic environments. “We’re improving multimodal options, like combining rail services. But on the day of travel, anticipating disruptions and communicating effectively with customers is critical.”

Uber has tested the connected trip concept with Florida’s Brightline trains, offering riders an Uber subsidy upon arrival. However, a 20% reliability issue in syncing passenger timing with car availability required a shift to an SMS-triggered ride request. “The operational complexities are significant,” Shepherd admitted.

The experts also discussed the importance of accessibility and sustainability in transportation innovation. While the connected trip vision holds promise, its execution demands robust technology, cross-industry collaboration, and traveler-centric solutions to ensure seamless journeys across multiple transport modes.

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Ground Transport Experts Tackle Connected Trip Challenges

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