The Latest Trend in Urban Transportation – Micro Mobility

Daily urban commuters have another woe to add to their list of problems when they commute to work every day. Now after dealing with congested roads, endless traffic jams, vagaries of the weather, noise and pollution, they also have to deal with the numerous “fines” for “traffic violations.” As a large number of people deal with such issues, there is a small group of people who are creating a silent revolution by adopting “small” vehicles like e-scooters and bikes.

Micro mobility is a concept that refers to travelling up to 5 kilometres in a stretch. In cities like Bangalore, it will easily take an hour or so to travel these 5 kms, thanks to the narrow roads and traffic jams. Micro mobility suggests the use of smaller and eco-friendly vehicles for such short commutes. A study by McKinsey and Company talks about the current trend in the mobility market and its future. According to its survey, the estimated size of the micro mobility market in the United States is approximately 200 to 300 billion dollars and that of Europe is 100 to 150 billion dollars. It is estimated that the market in China will be around 30 to 50 billion dollars. It is also suggested that the micro mobility market is set to see a huge growth in Asia.

Micro mobility not only provides convenient commuting solutions for less than 5 miles, but also for first mile/last mile travel. People who use the public transport can use bike renting services or bicycle/e-scooter for the last mile. Encouraging this mode of travel will surely reduce traffic congestion in the cities and pave way to creating a cleaner environment. And, a suggestion is to make the most of these affordable and eco-friendly commuting solutions before the government finds a way to tax them also!