Ground transportation experience: the post-COVID-19 travel experience
As travel restrictions begin to ease around the world and businesses prepare for their re-entry to business travel, we understand that business travellers face many unknowns surrounding their future travel experiences.
CTM recently conducted a global customer survey to understand the key issues and concerns facing businesses and their travellers as they prepare to return to travel. A recurring theme across our survey findings was the future travel experience, and how the safety and well-being of travellers would be maintained.
When it comes to ground transportation – from car rental, to public transport and cross-channel – business travellers can expect to experience newly enhanced protocols across a range of service experiences spanning cleaning, vehicle collection and drop-off, and booking administration.
In this blog, we identify some of the post-COVID-19 measures being implemented across the ground transportation sector.
Car Rental
For many business travellers, the option to rent a private car for the duration of their trip will be a reassuring, and often cost-effective solution. For smaller travelling groups (2 to 3 travellers), renting a full-size car should provide sufficient space to maintain social-distancing while limiting interactions with unknown contacts. Typically, a single day of car rental inclusive of insurance will cost less than 2 or 3 return taxi fares. Check for complimentary parking facilities at your destination or accommodation provider to maximise your budget.
Enhanced cleaning
Many car rental companies have communicated enhanced cleaning methods since COVID-19, with some introducing a ‘new standard of clean’ and increasing safety measures to enhance customer safety and confidence.
Car rental companies like Avis Budget Group have committed to enhancing their already rigorous cleaning methods, and have developed new cleanliness standards such as the ‘Avis Safety Pledge’
Avis Budget Group: “We have further enhanced our cleaning protocols which include thorough, multiple-point focus areas using industry-grade cleaning solution throughout the vehicle, paying particular attention to hard surfaces that people touch, such as steering wheels, door handles, key fobs and dashboards.”
Avis also welcomes customers to utilise their own cleaning products during their rental, if they wish, as long as they do not contain bleach (which can damage surfaces).
Extra precautions to reduce the spread
Car rental companies are introducing additional measures to protect both their employees and customers, with many introducing new safety protocols for vehicle pick-up and drop-off to minimise physical contact.
In some cases, car rental companies are discouraging or not permitting walk-in bookings.
Avis customers can expect to be served by branch employees wearing face masks and gloves and positioned behind a perspex counter shield, floor markers to encourage social distancing, and paperless rental agreements and invoices at most locations.
Avis Preferred members can also bypass the counter at select locations across Europe and go straight to your car for collection.
Many companies are defaulting to electronic rental documentation and receipts (printed copies should be available on request).
Booking conditions and availability
Please note, some car rental suppliers have made adjustments to selected depots’ operating hours and locations in response to COVID-19. For up to date information, please contact your CTM travel consultant or check the supplier’s website for more information.
In acknowledging the fast-changing travel landscape, some car rental suppliers have introduced temporary changes to booking change and cancellation conditions to provide customers with greater flexibility during COVID-19. Check with your CTM travel consultant to understand the booking conditions that relate to your booking.
Supplier links for the latest information
- Avis Budget Group UK: https://www.avis.co.uk/avis-coronavirus-advice
Rail
For many business travellers, the option to travel via high-speed rail services within the UK or Eurostar’s cross-channel route to certain locations within Europe is often seen as favourable with the ability to work on-the-go. Many rail providers have now ensured extra precautions are in place by enhancing cleaning methods, reducing capacity, and implementing seating arrangements since COVID-19 to revive travellers’ confidence.
Enhanced cleaning
Rail companies such as London North Eastern Railway (LNER), Transpennine Express and Eurostar have all increased the frequency of their cleaning and deployed extra cleaning measures.
LNER have increased the frequency of their cleaning across their routes and introduced a two-stage disinfectant process with the introduction of ‘fogging’ to spray disinfectant onto hard services, killing the virus and bacteria.
Transpennine Express have increased cleaning at turnaround locations. focusing on those high touch areas, such as handrails, door buttons, tables, toilets, and ticket vending machines.
Similarly, Eurostar have confirmed that high-touch areas will be cleaned throughout journeys, regularly ensuring disinfectant processes are in place in high touch areas.
Extra precautions to reduce the spread
Rail companies are introducing additional measures to protect the safety and wellbeing of their customers and employees, with many introducing new safety protocols for boarding, on-board an offloading,
LNER’s customers will be expected to wear a mask on board, maintain social distancing, and follow seating arrangements which consist of one person to a row and alternative sides of the train.
Transpennine Express have significantly reduced their service and seating onboard will be limited to 15 – 20 people per carriage.
Eurostar: “Passengers must wear a face mask at stations and onboard in line with guidelines announced by the French and Belgian governments.”
Eurostar also confirmed any type of mask is suitable as long as it effectively covers the nose and mouth. Seating arrangements are also in place onboard ensuring every other seat is left empty.
Booking conditions and availability
Please note, some rail providers have made adjustments to their timetables, and reduced capacity in response to COVID-19. For up to date information, please contact your CTM travel consultant or check the supplier’s website for more information.
In acknowledging the fast-changing travel landscape, some rail providers have introduced temporary changes to booking change and cancellation conditions to provide customers with greater flexibility during COVID-19. Check with your CTM travel consultant to understand the booking conditions that relate to your booking.
Supplier links for the latest information
- London North Eastern Railway (LNER): https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/coronavirus-travel-information/#Tab_27934
- Transpennine Express: https://tpexpress.co.uk/travelling-with-us
- Eurostar: https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/service-information/coronavirus-and-eurostar-service
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At CTM, we have a series of preferred ground transportation partners that we work with. At times like this when there is uncertainty in the world around travel, our preferred partners are keeping the safety of our customers at the forefront by supporting and safeguarding traveller wellbeing through enhancing cleaning measures and ensuring precautions are in place to reduce the spread.
