Both corporate travel managers and business travellers in Europe have a shared responsibility as well as opportunities to mitigate risk by making smart choices when it comes to ground transportation for business trips.

This is according to a new report from Freenow and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).

While a large majority of travel programmes have risk management protocols for business travel in place, these often overlook ground transport risks specifically, according to data from the report.

For instance, a large majority of travel programmes (85 per cent) have risk-related policies for business travel, but only about half (55 per cent) “always” or “often” address ground transport in these policies.

In addition, most travel programmes (62 per cent) conduct regular safety trainings for employees about business travel, but only about half (56 per cent) “always” or “often” include ground transport risks in this training.

Most travel programmes (89 per cent) have a traveller tracking system in place, however only one-quarter (24 per cent) can “always” or “often” locate employees using ground transport data.

“The research reflects that travel programmes can do more to improve how they manage risk when it comes to ground transportation for their employees.

“Corporate travel managers should partner with trusted ground transportation companies known for their exemplary safety records.

“Additionally, educating employees on the realities of ground transportation safety is crucial, helping them make informed decisions when navigating their travel options,” said Suzanne Neufang, chief executive, GBTA.

Further reduction of risks in ground transportation

The research also indicates that taxis are often perceived as the safest form of third-party ground transport, with 50 per cent of travel managers considering taxis among the top safest options, compared to 43 per cent for rental cars and 26 per cent for public transit.

The importance of vehicle safety checks (93 per cent), partnering with reputable brands (93 per cent), and requiring drivers to have professional taxi or Black Cab licenses (91 per cent) were all identified as essential to ensuring safety.

Companies commonly have a formal relationship, contract, or business account with a ground transport vendor.

This could be a taxi company / technology platform, a rental car company, or a chauffeured car company, among others.

Across the countries surveyed − Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, and Ireland − at least three in five business travellers say their company has such relationships.

This allows companies to receive dedicated account support, apply travel policies, and streamline processes such as payment and expense reporting. In addition, companies can choose to work with vendors who have a demonstrated safety record as well as mandate or encourage employees to book with these vendors.

These partnerships not only help in streamlining operations but, according to survey results, at least nine out of ten business travellers believe that such relationships could significantly increase operational efficiency as well.