- This will help them in making sustainable decisions in their investments, transport policies and also road safety campaigns.
- Insights from a first-ever study on youth and mobility done by FIA and released in January 2024, show an interesting trend among young people.
Image: HANDOUT
The revolutionary Gen Z are not only shaping digital trends and societal norms across the world but are also transforming the mobility landscape.
During the push for rejection of the Finance Bill 2024 in Kenya in June, a politician was quoted saying that Gen Z travel to the protests using digital cabs and thereafter retreat to global fast-food chains for a meal.
While the remarks may have sparked a backlash, they pointed towards a generational shift in mobility by the youth.
This means that it is critical for investors in the transport sector, especially digital cabs and public transport as well as road safety advocates, to understand the perspective of the youth in mobility.
This will help them in making sustainable decisions in their investments, transport policies and also road safety campaigns.
Insights from a first-ever study on youth and mobility done by FIA and released in January 2024, show an interesting trend among young people. FIA is a governing body for world motor sport and the federation of the world’s leading mobility organizations.
The report summarized views about transport solutions and car ownership by 9,000 young people aged between 16-25 years across Kenya, the US, Germany, China, India, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, and Spain.
In the survey, it came out clearly that majority of the Gen Z is eager to contribute to the development of transport solutions with 54 per cent of the respondents saying they want to be involved in the development of safe and sustainable mobility options.
This is a significant number that road safety agencies across the world cannot ignore. While most countries have set up transport and safety agencies, it is time for these institutions to review their strategic plans to ensure they have considered this generation in shaping the future of transport solutions.
Public transport
In most developing countries, Gen Zs use public transport to work, school or shopping but also seek flexibility in the mode of mobility.
This came out strongly with 57 per cent of those interviewed saying public transport was very important in helping them move around locally.
On the other hand, the use of shared transport also came out as an area of priority for Gen Z where 48 per cent of the respondents indicated that they want better access to shared cars and bikes.
Despite the choice of transport as indicated above, the youth placed safety and sustainability of local transport as their top priority in the survey.
The use of public transport and shared vehicles however does not mean an entire shift from seeking to own vehicles.
The survey revealed that 51 per cent of the respondents already had a driving license and 33 per cent of those who didn’t have indicated they will acquire one in the next five years.
The survey interestingly revealed that 18 per cent of the youth have licenses for motorcycles, which are relatively cheaper to purchase than vehicles.
To Gen Z, owning a car is still important, with about 54 per cent seeing it as a kind of “bubble or extension of their home,” and 56 per cent indicating it is important to own one.
In conclusion, the future of mobility will depend on how effectively investors in the transport sector, players in road safety advocacy and public transport embrace the values of Gen Z, and align their strategies to the priorities of the young people on safe, sustainable and flexible mobility solutions.
Rethinking mobility for Gen Z is not just a choice but a necessity for more inclusive and sustainable transport.
Beatrice Obwocha is a communication specialist and editor at www.roadsafetyhub.com ([email protected])