Insights and news from the ATOM Mobility team
We started our blog to share free valuable information about the mobility industry: inspirational stories, financial analysis, marketing ideas, practical tips, new feature announcements and more.
We started our blog to share free valuable information about the mobility industry: inspirational stories, financial analysis, marketing ideas, practical tips, new feature announcements and more.
🔧 🚗 Simplify fleet management with automation! ATOM Mobility’s latest Task Automation feature creates maintenance tasks automatically, so you can focus on growth instead of scheduling. From mileage-based services to feedback-triggered check-ups, this tool has your fleet covered.
Automating fleet management with ATOM Mobility: The future of task automation
Managing a fleet comes with many moving parts—from ensuring vehicles are serviced regularly to addressing feedback and operational needs. ATOM Mobility’s new Task Automation feature optimizes this process by automatically creating tasks based on each vehicle’s real-time parameters, such as mileage, time, user feedback, and ride count. This allows fleet operators to focus on strategic growth while routine maintenance and issue resolution become automated. Here’s how this feature could make fleet operations smoother, efficient, and more scalable for shared mobility and rental businesses.
ATOM Mobility’s Task Automation feature builds on its ongoing focus to simplify fleet management. This new addition enables operators to automate task creation based on specific vehicle metrics, reducing manual effort and enhancing overall fleet efficiency.
The idea is brilliantly simple: instead of creating tasks manually (which can be tedious and time-consuming), this tool will automatically create tasks for you based on pre-set conditions.
With Task Automation, you can set specific parameters that will trigger task creation, such as mileage, ride count, ratings, or time. Picture this: every 5,000 kilometers driven, the system can automatically create a “Tire Check” task. Or if a specific vehicle receives user ratings below two stars, a “Low user review, check up required” task can be triggered. This approach to task generation not only saves valuable time but also ensures that vehicles receive consistent care based on real usage and performance, not guessing.
Setting up Task Automation in ATOM Mobility’s dashboard is designed to be as seamless as possible. The process essentially boils down to three simple steps:
Once everything’s set, the system will keep track of these parameters for each vehicle, ensuring that when a trigger is met, a task will be created automatically and added to the dashboard. You’ll have everything you need to keep each vehicle in tip-top shape without manual oversight.
It’s no secret that keeping up with fleet maintenance can be a full-time job—and then some. Task Automation is built to give you time back in your day and enhance fleet health without excessive manual work. Here’s how it shines:
To illustrate how powerful Task Automation can be, here are some scenarios where it could make a real difference for fleet operators:
For any business with a growing fleet, Task Automation provides a clear advantage. By using parameters to generate tasks, you can scale up without needing additional manpower just to manage scheduling. As your fleet grows, Task Automation scales with you, handling more vehicles and keeping you updated on the health and performance of each.
Think of it as a maintenance manager that grows alongside your fleet without increasing your operational costs. It’s no longer about manually checking every vehicle at every mile marker; it’s about letting the system manage maintenance alerts while you keep your attention on strategic growth.
Setting up Task Automation is straightforward, but don’t hesitate to ask ATOM Mobility’s team for more detailed guidance. Here’s a quick overview to get you started:
ATOM Mobility’s commitment to innovation means we’re constantly updating our features to make fleet management more efficient and automated. Task Automation isn’t just a convenience—it’s an opportunity to elevate how you manage and grow your fleet in a sustainable way. With automation taking care of repetitive tasks, your team can focus on what really matters: delivering an outstanding experience to every rider.
The shared mobility industry is moving faster than ever, and staying competitive means embracing tools that make operations smoother and more efficient. ATOM Mobility’s Task Automation feature is a game-changer that brings automation to the forefront, allowing operators to focus on high-impact work while leaving routine tasks to the platform.
Whether you manage a fleet of e-bikes, scooters, or vehicles, automated maintenance can streamline your operations, prevent issues before they arise, and let your team work smarter, not harder.
Explore more about ATOM Mobility’s fleet management solutions on their blog and discover other products that can help you on your way to creating a micromobility fleet!
From the rise of ride-hailing services to the increasing popularity of shared vehicles, the industry's landscape is evolving rapidly. This article presents 32 key statistics from 2023 that provide valuable insights into the current state and future prospects of the shared mobility sector, offering a comprehensive overview for industry stakeholders and observers.
The shared mobility industry has experienced significant growth and transformation in 2023, with various segments such as ride-sharing, vehicle rental, and micro-mobility witnessing substantial changes.
From the rise of ride-hailing services to the increasing popularity of shared vehicles, the industry's landscape is evolving rapidly. This article presents 32 key statistics from 2023 that provide valuable insights into the current state and future prospects of the shared mobility sector, offering a comprehensive overview for industry stakeholders and observers.
The global shared mobility market is expanding rapidly, projecting a substantial increase in revenues and ridership. By 2030, it is poised to double its share of urban transport journeys from 2023. Additionally, the number of individuals earning from shared mobility services is forecasted to rise notably.
In Europe, shared vehicle services demonstrate considerable growth, with an increase in multi-mobility users. At the same time, European cities are the strictest shared micromobility regulators, limiting the number of operators and implementing various rules.
Global
Europe & UK
Shared car ridership has increased significantly, with notable upward trends in Q3 2023. The global ride-hailing market is also projected to witness substantial growth, with increased user numbers and an uptick in popularity over taxis in the United States. In Europe, German cities, led by Berlin, continue to dominate in total shared car ridership.
Electric scooter (e-scooter) ridership has declined, although it remains the predominant shared mobility choice, constituting 42% of total ridership. Moped ridership in Europe has similarly decreased, influenced by exits of key market players.
E-scooters have emerged as an environmentally friendly alternative, with 10% of rides directly replacing car journeys. Citizen referendums in Paris and evolving regulations in Amsterdam reflect the dynamic landscape of the electric scooter and moped market.
The global bike-sharing market shows significant growth. In Europe, station-based bikes have increased in popularity. Dockless bikes experienced an impressive surge as well, following the 2023 scooter ban in Paris. Overall, bike fleets and ridership are expanding across major European cities, contributing to a robust Trips/Vehicle/Day (TVD) ratio.
The shared mobility market continues to expand. With ride-sharing and micro-mobility playing pivotal roles, the future of shared mobility appears promising. The insights gathered from these statistics are crucial for understanding the shared mobility market's trajectory and its implications for the broader transportation ecosystem.
Let's make 2024 a year of shared mobility!
“We spent two years developing a car-sharing app in-house. And even after all our efforts it still wasn't half as good as ATOM Mobility's platform.” – Peter Mraz, GreenGo's manager.
Electric car-sharing operator from Slovenia. Operates in 4 cities.
“We spent two years developing a car-sharing app in-house. And even after all our efforts it still wasn't half as good as ATOM Mobility's platform.” – Peter Mraz, GreenGo's Manager, shares how he found the perfect partner in ATOM Mobility.
Launch date: May 2021
Country: Slovenia, operates in 4 cities
Web page: https://greengo.city
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/greengo-by-t2/id1618782932
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=greengo.app
GreenGo is a green vehicle-sharing company based in Slovenia that currently focuses on electric cars.
The company's story is unique in that it's a project that spun out from its parent company T-2, d.o.o., a local telecom provider with over 400 employees. T-2's owner was enthusiastic about green mobility and set out to bring his vision to life – and succeeded. Today, you can find GreenGo's Renault Zoes and Twingos, Cupra Borns, and VW ID.3s in four cities – Ljubljana, Kranj, Trzin, and Logatec.
However, the man who's running the show is Peter Mraz, GreenGo's Manager. While he does enjoy access to the parent company's resources, Peter is single-handedly overseeing the entire project and responsible for its success.
“I do have backup from designers, legal, accounting and so on. And there are maybe 3-4 people who help manage the cars and maintenance. Everything else – it's on me. Thanks to ATOM Mobility, I have been able to manage everything from project start to launch pretty much on my own,” says Peter.
Orginally, the idea was to develop the GreenGo car-sharing app in-house – a decision Peter grew to regret.
“It took us two years to develop the app. Even then, it did the job, but it wasn't perfect and it didn't quite go the way we wanted it to. And even after all our efforts it still wasn't half as good as ATOM Mobility's platform,” he shares.
Indeed, this ongoing struggle pushed GreenGo to explore alternative options on the market and, after some market research, they landed on ATOM Mobility. ATOM Mobility ticked their two most important checkboxes – it offered the core functionalities they required and offered fast time-to-market.
Originally“Once we made the switch, we launched in 3 months, though we did already have the cars at the ready, which certainly helped,” Peter continues.
Admittedly, ATOM Mobility didn't immediately fulfil all their needs.
“We had a very specific vision and requirements. ATOM Mobility was great, but didn't have everything we wanted when we started out. But the platform is evolving quickly. Their team develops something new every 2-3 months and it's very good for us. Since they develop for other companies, too, we also benefit from the updates. Now, ATOM Mobility has everything we need and more,” Peter says.
Still, early on, GreenGo were facing an uphill battle with fierce competition. Slovenia already had one high-profile electric car-sharing company that had established itself in the market, had more experience, and was well-respected among its customers and the general public.
What was GreenGo's strategy for finding a foothold in the ecosystem?
GreenGo carved out its market share by leveraging a strategic partnership with Slovenian Railways.
“You see, a lot of tourists arrive in Ljubljana and other cities by train. Either internationally or from the airport. So we started off by placing our vehicles in railway stations, allowing us to be the easy choice top of mind for anyone arriving in the city,” Peter explains.
To further improve convenience for potential customers, GreenGo integrated ATOM Mobility with a local MaaS platform. This allowed people to purchase credits for GreenGo's car-sharing app through the city's own mobility solution.
Not only did this solidify GreenGo as the most accessible solution for any tourist who used the city's app to buy a train ticket, it also connected it to all the local residents that use the city's mobility app in their day-to-day.
Now, you'll find GreenGo in four cities and their customers love them, as suggested by the high app ratings and continuous positive feedback.
In most of the cities, they're using a station based model – where the cars need to be picked up and returned at certain points. However, in the capital they're currently running a hybrid model featuring both free-floating and station-based vehicle sharing.
GreenGo expects to have to switch to a fully station-based model in Ljubljana, too, as the city is pulling the brakes on free-floating vehicle sharing. But they're not too fussed, as this model is easier to manage and can be a better choice for a still-up-and-coming company.
As any company, GreenGo is eyeing growth and expansion.
“Our vision is to become a leading force in the sharing economy,” Peter highlights.
Expanding their fleet with different types of vehicles, specifically – electric micromobility solutions – is one of the avenues GreenGo is exploring.
In terms of business development, GreenGo has an interesting strategy for the upcoming year, namely, focusing on expanding into the business-to-business (B2B) segment with corporate sharing schemes.
“With B2C, you need a lot of cars, a lot of investment. Electric vehicles are very capital intensive, which poses challenges for a growing company. B2B offers the opportunity to make the maximum from your existing fleet, which will allow B2C expansion later on. Plus, we already have a sort of successful B2B pilot project under our belts,” says Peter, referring to a corporate sharing scheme they launched with their very own parent company.
They made four cars available to T-2 employees, which they can take out under certain conditions and packages for a few hours, a day, or a weekend. This sharing scheme proved to be very popular among employees, and Peter is certain other large companies will also be keen to test out this modern benefit for their workers.
With some ups and downs, GreenGo is steadily carving out its spot in the market.
What would Peter do differently if he had to do it all over again?
“Choose ATOM Mobility from day 1 and save everyone a lot of headaches and resources,” he laughs. “But, seriously, the time-to-market is so fast, I think you could launch a mobility company from zero in one month.”
Mobility businesses enjoy high brand awareness – we see them on the streets daily. But to succeed in the industry, that's not enough. You also need a strong marketing strategy that turns potential customers into paying users. On paper, it's quite simple, but the reality is slightly more complex.
Marketing in the mobility business is unique because your fleets – be it scooters, bikes, cars, or mopeds – are like a flexible billboard moving all over the city. Whenever someone chooses your service, they essentially parade it around town like a brand ambassador, and even when your fleet is stationary it attracts significant attention as people constantly see it on the streets.
In other words, urban mobility businesses enjoy high brand awareness.
Still, for mobility entrepreneurs, this is the norm. Namely, it's an industry baseline that everyone benefits from and it won't necessarily help you gain more customers, outperform competitors, and boost business.
To do all of those things, you still need an effective marketing strategy that reaches the right audiences and activates users.
Vehicle-sharing customers are diverse, as are their motivations for using the services. Since you're likely operating in a very specific market, i.e. a particular city or region, it's critical to identify and understand your target audience and the different segments to not only reach and speak to the right people, but also avoid wasteful ad spend.
Determining who you're marketing to will also help you in defining the messaging and channels you use, which are key for successful campaigns.
The broadest categories are business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B). While most people associate vehicle sharing with B2C, e.g. a person zooming on a scooter down a bike lane to make an appointment, the reality is that the far-less-visible B2B segment is thriving with initiatives like corporate car sharing schemes.
The messaging for these two – the individual on the scooter and the CEO looking to offer a convenient mobility solution to their employees – will vary greatly. Different pain points, motivations, and use cases mean that you must adapt how you talk to each segment and differentiate between the two from the get-go. That is, if you're looking to target both.
Whether you're focusing on B2C, B2B, or both, you should research who are the people using/buying your services. The goal is to have your marketing efforts reach the right people, and by digging into the background of your customers, you'll gain an understanding of who they are.
To do so, dive into demographics (age, gender), use cases (how, when, and why they travel), and price sensitvity (how much they spend, do discounts affect their decisions), among other things. Companies often craft user personas by putting all of this information together and creating a profile of the average customer, which they then use to develop their messaging.
Do note that if multiple dominant categories emerge, it's completely normal to have 2-3 user personas. Plus, these can evolve over time, so make sure to conduct ongoing research and refine it according to new data.
Once you know who you're targeting, it's important to find out where these people are to reach them in the most effective way possible. If your primary customers are college students, you're unlikely to find them on Facebook.
Generally speaking, we can split the marketing channels into two categories – online and offline.
Nowadays, digital marketing is where the bulk of action happens.
Social media platforms offer a fantastic opportunity to reach your specific audience, as they typically allow advanced targeting. By narrowing down various parameters, such as location, demographics, and even related preferences (the factors we defined when creating user personas), it's possible to have very cost-effective ads that generally reach the people who are most likely to convert. Collaboration ith influencers is also an increasingly effective strategy.
However, you must carefully consider which platforms to advertise on. B2C content will thrive in places like Instagram, but, if you're targeting CEOs and CPOs for B2B services, LinkedIn may prove to be a better fit. It's extremely difficult to accurately predict which platform will perform best, hence it's wise to have a presence on multiple platforms, and allocate budgets according to observed returns.
Search engine and content marketing is another avenue worth exploring – think of it as your company showing up as the first result when somebody searches for a keyword relevant to your business, e.g. “best car-sharing in (city)”. This can be paid, where your website or app appears as a sponsored result. Or it can be organic, where you produce valuable content that ranks highly on search engine result pages.
Organic content may take longer to deliver results, however, it can offer greater long-term return on investment (ROI). For example, if your city is a burgeoning tourist destination, you can create a guide on how to get around the city and include your services as one of the best ways to do so.
Display advertising is another paid channel and, in essence, it entails paying partners to place ads/banners of your services on their website. For display advertising to succeed, finding the right partners is key. For example, it might make more sense to have your car-sharing service banner appear on a local tourism page or a student club website than a clothing e-commerce store.
You'll find further digital marketing opportunities with email marketing, referral programs, push notifications and more. With online advertising, experimentation is critical – test various methods and platforms to explore what brings the greatest ROI.
Offline channels include things such as traditional media (TV, radio, print), outdoor advertising, as well as partnerships and sponsorships. These can complement a strong digital marketing strategy, particularly as it relates to standing out among the competition.
Fostering brand awareness is its strong suit, as offline advertising typically struggles with driving direct conversions. That is, a bus stop poster may not give you immediate app downloads, but its primary value lies in your business being top of mind when the potential customer is looking for a mobility solution.
Of course, you don't have to – nor should you – go all-in on a single channel. Rather you should dabble in multiple to see what works, and then double down on the most effective channels.
The goal of any marketing effort is to invest $1 and get more than $1 in return. Working with a limited budget means you must carefully manage your ad spend to get the most out of it.
First, you should define measurable goals for your marketing campaigns. Setting key performance indicators (KPIs) allows you to measure the success of your campaign. These KPIs – e.g. app download, website visit, account creation, first ride, user activation – can vary between channels, platforms, and campaigns, however, they should always be conducive to achieving your business goals.
With clear goals, you can evaluate performance. Investing in various channels and seeing how they perform will provide you with insights about which should be left alone, and which are the more lucrative ones that demand prioritzation.
Still, here are some things to keep in mind:
Effective ad budget allocation is a balancing game that you will get better at with experience. Early on, it's about defining achievable goals and finding the easiest way to reach them.
Best-in-class software platforms for mobility, like ATOM Mobility, should offer various tools that help you along in your marketing journey.
For example, ATOM Mobility can inform your overall strategy with the comprehensive analytics business owners can find in their dashboard. Ride and customer data, statistics and heatmaps, reports and insights can all help you get a better grasp of who is using your services and where. This, in turn, may aid in defining user personas and ensure you don't have to start your marketing from scratch.
More directly, ATOM Mobility also offers inbuilt advanced marketing tools:
This article has mostly focused on customer acquisition, however, retention and activation should also have a prominent place in your strategy. By leveraging your own organic communication channels – your app, email subscribers, social media – you can increase customer lifetime value, boosting revenue at low expense to yourself.
A well-executed marketing strategy can elevate your business. Putting one together takes effort and resources, but it can be the difference between struggling to make ends meet and a thriving mobility enterprise.
So, identify your customers, target them where they hang out, iterate and optimize. And make sure to use tools and platforms that help you along the way.
As Europe continues to lead the world in shared mobility usage, with fleet sizes increasing across all transport modes, it may be tempting to launch your own vehicle-sharing or ride-hailing business venture. While it’s an admirable idea, it’s not one without risks. Over the years, we’ve seen many shared mobility companies facing challenges and some, regrettably, giving up. With this article, we aim to share our knowledge and experience to help your business succeed in the dynamic micromobility market. Here’s a list of common yet critical mistakes made by shared mobility companies in the early stages, along with our tips on how to avoid them.
Overestimating the number of rides can lead to financial strain and operational inefficiencies. When estimating the number of daily rides you plan to get out of your fleet, be realistic and base your prognosis on usage data.
Generally, ride averages tend to be way smaller than optimistic entrepreneurs hope. A study by mobility enablement data company Fluctuo can give you an idea of trips taken daily by different shared mobility vehicles in European cities in 2022:
How to avoid:
Correct estimation of the number of rides per day involves several factors and considerations:
Not starting with a big enough fleet size to cover operating costs is another common pitfall for micromobility companies. Starting with a small fleet can limit revenue potential and hinder the ability to meet demand, leading to customer dissatisfaction.
How to avoid:
In addition to conducting thorough market research and pilot tests, as mentioned previously, follow these tips to make sure your fleet size can cover operating costs:
Budgeting for all potential expenses is essential for financial stability, effective resource management, and risk mitigation, all of which are crucial for the success of a micromobility business. Failure to budget for all possible expenses for the whole year can lead to financial instability and operational disruptions.
How to avoid:
Inflexibility with business models or the inability to pivot in response to market changes can hinder a company's ability to adapt and grow. It’s crucial for a micromobility service to remain agile and open to adjusting business models based on market feedback and evolving trends.
How to avoid:
Selecting the wrong software partner can result in poor customer experience, lower usage, and negative ratings. Even seemingly small system inefficacies can lead to users choosing competitor services instead, so make sure you don’t underestimate UX. Conversely, a convenient and intuitive platform with a wide range of features can help to attract and retain customers.
How to avoid: carefully vet potential software partners, considering factors such as reliability, user-friendliness, customer support, and the rate of new features shipped. Factor in the flexibility of software and whether it would be able to scale with your business when needed.
ATOM Mobility provides all the software you need to launch and scale your own vehicle-sharing, ride-hailing, or digital rental business, including free-floating car sharing. In addition to all the core features you would expect, including a customizable rider app and a feature-rich operator dashboard, businesses can benefit from AI-powered vehicle analysis and advanced analytics tools to support informed business decisions.
Operating without long-term permits can lead to regulatory challenges and uncertainty, impacting the company's ability to establish a stable presence in the market. Without a stable operating environment, it becomes challenging to plan investments, expansions, or long-term strategies. In addition, competitors might have an advantage in securing prime operating locations or gaining market dominance, making it harder for the company to establish itself.
How to avoid:
Our final tip is a universal one, as weak management can derail businesses of any size or industry. That said, strong leadership is especially crucial for achieving success in competitive markets like micromobility, where a determined and competitive mindset can be a deal-breaker.
How to avoid: Whether you’re a manager yourself or a CEO looking to hire one, look for these effective management characteristics:
Now that we’ve covered the various challenges micromobility companies face, you are equipped with knowledge and practical advice for avoiding these risks. By carefully addressing these key reasons and taking proactive measures to avoid them, you can enhance your chances of long-term success in this rapidly evolving industry.