These are difficult times. Around the world, there has been upheaval, change, and unexpected conditions. Whatever area you work in, you’ve almost certainly observed significant changes in the way things are done.
This is especially true in the transportation industry.
In this article, we look at five major developments in the transportation sector that have occurred recently or are expected to occur in the near future. We also look at how they could influence you and your company, or at the absolute least, how you travel and commute.
You may take measures to prepare by being aware of these five major changes. Adjusting your budget, modifying the way you drive, making changes to travel and commuting, or looking into ‘greener’ and more ecologically friendly choices are all possibilities.
You may not have control over the circumstances, but you do have power over how you respond to them. Look through these five important changes, be ready to adapt, and you’ll not only survive, but flourish in them as well.
FIRST KEY CHANGE: Environmentally Conscious Policies and Incentives
The environment is one of the most hotly debated subjects in today’s world, affecting a wide range of businesses. More firms are attempting to solve what experts refer to as a “climate catastrophe” than ever before. This is evident not only in the corporate world, but also in national and international policymaking.
For example, the implementation of the popular Walk to Work or Cycle to Work programmes, which are intended to minimize traffic and pollution on key roads while also incentivizing people to improve their health.
Tax rebates and incentives for businesses and people to exclusively buy environmentally friendly automobiles – such as electric or hybrid vehicles – that can then be written off as a valid expenditure are more national or policy-wide examples.
Other common eco-friendly transportation strategies include the building of cycle tracks and bike paths, as well as congestion charges and tariffs aimed to decrease the use of non-essential transportation – particularly in polluted regions.
In the future, it is predicted that more “aggressive” or proactive environmental rules impacting transportation would be implemented.
For all of these reasons, and more, environmentally friendly alternatives have the best chance of fitting your budget and enduring the test of time if you are contemplating acquiring a car for your business.
AUTOMATION IS THE SECOND KEY CHANGE
Automation is a major shift that will have a significant impact on the transportation sector in the near future. Transportation is becoming smarter, whether via the use of robotics and artificial intelligence in manufacturing, engineering, and administration, or through the use of self-driving automobiles and autonomous vehicles.
Digital components have been included into nearly every new mode of transportation, and they are increasingly used and depended upon for a variety of purposes and duties.
Many of us – and many businesses – are now familiar with and reliant on GPS tracking, for example, but this may become more futuristic in the future, with fewer actual people. Managing a delivery fleet of drones or self-driving automobiles, for example, may reduce a whole working crew to a single management worker.
Even if it’s years away, it’s always worth looking into the little ways that automation and artificial intelligence might assist you, your mode of transportation, or your transportation firm succeed.
It might be anything as basic as utilizing software to track your business miles when you travel for work, all the way up to fully automated delivery alternatives.
3RD KEY CHANGE: BOUNDARIES & TARIFFS
The turmoil surrounding Brexit – the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union – has been one of the most contentious recent shifts in the transportation sector. This may have a significant influence on British imports and exports, and many people are confused by the changes.
Increased bureaucracy and’red tape,’ probable shortages and delays with goods, higher pricing owing to increased supply problems, and contentious border concerns – such as with Northern Ireland – are just a few of the key sectors that may be impacted (which remains in the EU single market for goods).
Overall, it is predicted that, in the next years, transportation will be impacted not just by Brexit, but also by a slew of new border difficulties and tariffs introduced throughout the world.
The global economy is more unpredictable and competitive than it has ever been, and the transportation sector is anticipated to evolve dramatically as a result.
KEY CHANGE 4: More Rapid Law Changes
Until recently, a change in the legislation took a long time to evaluate and much longer to implement. However, this is beginning to change.
Experts in the transportation sector believe that in the next years, there will be broad evaluations of key policies, procedures, and regulations – and that they will take effect faster than ever before.
The rules on hands-free phone use in cars, increases in car tax based on how much CO2 the vehicle emits (coming into effect in 2021), and new rules that will see motorists facing a fine and penalty points if caught filming videos or taking photographs while driving are just a few examples of how laws can change the way we drive.
Because of the fast-changing nature of driving, transportation, and (particularly) their junction with technology, it is predicted that rules and policies will be revised and implemented more quickly than ever before.
Keep up to date in order to prevent being caught off guard by a rule you were unaware of!
5TH KEY CHANGE: Remote Work
The emergence of remote working is one of the most significant shifts in the transportation sector.
However, remote working is no longer only a reaction to national curfews or travel restrictions during a worldwide epidemic. It also represents a significant shift in the way we work and how businesses choose to function.
Remote employment can help to minimize traffic and pollution on national highways. It may save commute time and costs while also connecting workers from all over the world, independent of their physical location. It’s a complicated problem with benefits and drawbacks, but it’ll certainly become a big topic of discussion in the modern transportation sector.
You don’t have to be an expert on these topics, regardless of your experience, but having a basic understanding of these major challenges influencing the transportation sector can help you prepare for the future!
