Consequences and impact of COVID-19 on shared mobility

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to cataclysmic changes in the way countries work, as societies have been forced to contend with a new normal that fundamentally alters the way they travel, work and buy.

A niche segment that was particularly hit in the pandemic fallout was shared mobility. As entire cities went into lockdown across the world, the number of people using shared mobility transport plummeted. This left mobility-as-a- service (MaaS) companies disoriented, as they had to contend with falling revenues and a vanishing user base.

But as states and cities relax lockdowns and people start commuting, the need for shared mobility services will slowly rise. However, as the pandemic has yet to be controlled, shared usage of mobility options could pose an issue. 

This is due to widespread concern over the health risks of using shared mobility, especially in services where vehicles frequently change hands over the day. Gaining back user trust will require companies to strictly enforce safety protocols and disinfect vehicles several times over the course of a day. 

Moreover, although the pandemic has been ubiquitous, the impact has seen drastic variances. While countries like Germany and Taiwan escaped without an extensive disruption to daily life, nations like Italy and Spain have suffered massively with total shutdowns that lasted months. Shared mobility companies across these countries will have to adapt to their respective markets.

The future of shared mobility will inevitably see greater adoption over the next decade, with studies suggesting shared mobility to make up 18% of all passenger miles globally.