Insights and news from the ATOM Mobility team

Whether we're talking car sharing, mopeds, or scooters, shared mobility is usually associated with large, buzzing cities. More potential customers, longer distances to travel, and higher demand for transportation services – these often seem like key business factors for aspiring mobility entrepreneurs. 

But large cities present hurdles, too. From intense competition to higher operating expenses, establishing yourself in a major urban center is a costly uphill battle that's becoming more difficult by the day. 

In response, mobility entrepreneurs are increasingly eyeing small towns for their operations. 

Launching a shared mobility business in a small town comes with a distinct set of advantages that may be particularly suited for those taking their first steps in the industry. While industry veterans are also exploring opportunities to expand their operations beyond the big cities, smaller towns might not meet their desired level of profitability and hence are typically overlooked. 

In what follows, we'll detail seven important benefits of launching a shared mobility business in a small town and take a quick look at what such an operation could look like. 

7 reasons to launch a shared mobility business in a small town

Unless you're working with massive capital and are willing to go to war with several other operators, a small town can be the perfect place to begin your shared mobility business journey. Especially if you yourself come from that or a nearby town. 

1. Meet real needs

One of the most significant advantages of operating in a small town is the ability to meet genuine transportation needs. Local entrepreneurs, themselves part of the community, possess an intimate understanding of the unique requirements and behaviors of their fellow residents. 

Accordingly, it can be very rewarding both financially and socially to provide a mobility solution that tackles specific issues, and no large competition can do it as quickly or efficiently as a local entrepreneur. 

2. Better collaboration with authorities and residents

Working with local authorities in small towns is often a more streamlined and collaborative process. This makes obtaining permits and navigating regulations considerably easier compared to larger cities. 

The smaller scale and close-knit nature of these communities allow entrepreneurs and city officials to establish closer working relationships, fostering open communication, and a joint vision in developing mobility solutions that are best suited for the town. 

3. More effective marketing

Marketing and advertising efforts in small towns can be significantly simplified and more effective. Sometimes marketing might even be unnecessary. Local entrepreneurs have the advantage of leveraging community events, traditions, and personal connections to create impactful marketing campaigns that resonate deeply with the residents. 

This localized approach not only enhances brand visibility but also establishes a sense of familiarity and trust among potential customers – elements that outside brands may find very difficult to replicate.

4. Little-to-no competition

One of the most enticing aspects of launching a shared mobility business in a small town is the lack of competition from major players. Major companies may overlook these areas due to perceived limited profitability potential, leaving the market wide open for local entrepreneurs to establish themselves as the primary mobility service provider. 

With little or no competition to contend with, entrepreneurs can seize the opportunity to capture a significant market share and build a loyal customer base from the outset.

5. Faster service adoption

A major challenge when launching in a big city is slow adoption. Travelers have lots of options to choose from and they typically already have mobile apps for the most popular service providers. As a result, this can make them hesitant to download another app or to change their habits. 

In smaller cities, this is a non-issue. Word of mouth travels fast and it's much easier to get noticed when you have little-to-no competition. Ultimately, this helps your mobility business start generating more revenue faster.

6. Easier B2B or B2G partnerships

The local nature of small towns enhances the potential for fruitful partnerships and collaborations. As a local business, shared mobility entrepreneurs are more likely to garner the interest and support of other organizations in the vicinity. Building partnerships becomes more accessible, as there is a shared understanding of the community's needs and a mutual interest in driving positive change. 

For instance, establishing collaborations with local businesses to offer corporate fleet services or working in conjunction with the local government to provide special discounts for specific groups of citizens can create mutually beneficial arrangements. These partnerships not only expand the business' customer base but also strengthen its reputation.

7. Simpler and more effective ground operations

​​Small towns, by their very nature, offer a significant advantage in terms of simplified and efficient ground operations for shared mobility businesses. With smaller geographical areas and populations, the logistical challenges associated with tasks such as vehicle collection, relocation, and maintenance are greatly minimized.

The compact size of small towns often results in lower operational costs, enabling entrepreneurs to maintain a lean and cost-effective operation, while keeping customer satisfaction high. 

A typical small town operation

The needs of a city with a population of 20-30k people can be effectively met with a reasonable fleet size of 80-150 scooters, which is an optimal starting size for scooter-sharing businesses. As mentioned, such a fleet is also easy to maintain and keeps ongoing operational costs low. 

Small cities are often surrounded by other nearby smaller 5-10k people towns, which offer expansion opportunities without dramatically increasing servicing and maintenance costs and efforts. This allows the fleet to be managed by a single employee on the ground, while keeping the central ~20k population city as an operational hub.

From our own 100+ operators, we see that small town operators with no other competition are earning more money per vehicle than their counterparts in bigger cities – a very important metric, particularly in the early stages of building a shared mobility business.

Best =/= biggest

When you hear “burgers” you think “McDonalds”. But when you hear “best burgers in town” you probably think of some local burger joint that you would choose over McDonalds every day of the week. 

It's a similar story with shared mobility businesses – most entrepreneurs aspire to be Uber or Bolt, to take over the big cities, and to become a dominant name in the industry. But the reality is that you can find great business success by shining locally. 

If you're interested in starting your own shared mobility venture, join our ATOM Academy to learn more and see if it's the right car sharing or scooter sharing software for you.

Micromobility is transforming urban transportation, offering convenient, affordable, and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional modes of commuting. However, with the rising popularity of e-scooters, bikes, and other micro-vehicles, there are also growing demands from cities to ensure compliance with road regulations.

One of the biggest challenges that micromobility operators face is parking compliance. 

It's a never-ending challenge to ensure that scooters are parked correctly and in designated areas without obstructing public spaces and other road users. Noncompliance can lead not only to penalties but even drastic measures such as banning micromobility solutions in certain locations for good.

The old way of keeping track of parking compliance – ineffective

In order to control compliance with parking rules, users are usually asked to upload a picture of the vehicle after each trip. These pictures are then manually reviewed to identify bad parking situations, then send the user either some educational materials or, in other cases, a warning.

The problem? 

Such manual photo reviewing is extremely time-consuming and inefficient. Identifying and locating badly parked vehicles can take up to several days. By the time the wrongly parked vehicle is located, the operator may have already received a fine. 

Besides, it's a missed opportunity for the operator to effectively educate their customer – if the user receives a reprimand or some educational materials several days after the incident, it may not be efficient. These messages can get ignored, as the customer has probably already forgotten the particular situation.

This is where Captur.ai comes in.

Real-time, automated photo reviews with Captur.ai

Captur.ai is an AI-powered solution for real-time image analysis to help micromobility operators ensure parking compliance. The company already works with some of the leading mobility operators across the globe.

For ATOM Mobility users, Captur.ai's solution is now available as an in-app integration. Here's how it works:

When a user takes a photo at the end of the ride, ATOM Mobility sends it to Captur.ai, which uses AI to analyze it. Within 3-5 seconds, the user receives feedback on whether the vehicle is parked correctly or not. 

If the algorithm detects that the scooter is parked badly, the image is blurred, or the vehicle is not clearly visible in the photo, the option to finish the ride is disabled. The user is asked to repark and/or retake the photo. 

Users are given three attempts to submit a satisfactory photo, or the fourth attempt is approved automatically. Then, the last photo is sent to the customer's dashboard, marked as either good parking, bad parking, or improvable parking. Thanks to this categorization, operators can quickly notice and identify improperly parked vehicles and take action. 

“The first impression? Captur.ai works great, and it's a fantastic timesaver,” says Holger Ollema, founder of Hoog Mobility. 

The key benefits of Captur.ai for micromobility operators

The benefits of Captur.ai's AI-powered photo reviews are manifold, but mainly they're about reducing operational costs, growing the business, and providing better service to customers.

Save time and reduce costs

Time is money. Thus, effective automation of manual work can significantly affect the company's bottom line. 

With Captur.ai, micromobility operators no longer need to manually inspect every parked vehicle for compliance. Clients already working with Captur.ai say they've been able to automate 95% of previously outsourced manual work, saving hours of their time. 

This is especially important for those just starting out. As a new business owner, you might be extra cautious when it comes to expenses. By automating parking compliance monitoring, you can keep money in the company without increasing your workload.

Launch your business in new cities with ease

Despite the fact that studies show just 1.1% of e-scooters violate parking regulations, concerns about compliant vehicle parking are one of the key reasons why cities delay or ban the entry of new micromobility solutions.

Ensuring parking compliance is something ATOM Mobility + Captur.ai takes care of from day one. This argument may alleviate concerns for municipalities when granting permits to new micromobility solutions.

In fact, operators already using Captur.ai say this solution has made it easier for them to expand their businesses to new cities and markets. 

‍Improve user experience and brand image

Improperly parked e-scooters that block sidewalks or roads are one of the key reasons why other road users may have negative attitudes toward them. According to research, if negative attitudes towards e-scooters are formed, it may impact the person's willingness to ever try and use one. This means losing potential customers – and profits.

Captur.ai provides e-scooter users with real-time feedback and educational content to improve their parking habits. In fact, Captur.ai reduces the time needed to provide customers with feedback by 10x, ensuring that the number of scooters on the streets that are parked improperly is minimized.

What does this mean for your brand? An opportunity to create an image of a responsible and safe brand. This may help you attract new customers and boost existing customers' loyalty. 

Less headache, more room for growth

Forget shifting manually through thousands of photos to detect bad parking – this can now be done automatically thanks to the Captur.ai AI-powered solution. 

For ATOM Mobility users, this integration offers an effective solution to the pressing problem of parking compliance. That's one less thing micromobility operators need to worry about when starting or expanding their business.

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As shared mobility continues to experience rapid growth – projected to generate up to $1 trillion in consumer spending by 2030 – it's no wonder that entrepreneurs are drawn to explore opportunities in this thriving market.

However, despite the optimistic market outlook, the shared mobility industry doesn't provide a magic shortcut to massive and instant returns on investment – despite what some players in the industry might claim. In this blog post, we'll offer a realistic and experienced-based assessment of the investment needed to get a shared mobility venture off the ground.

We will explore how much capital you need to kickstart your own shared mobility business. With experience in supporting over 100 entrepreneurs worldwide, ATOM Mobility is in a good position to understand the financial details.

We'll discuss the essential expenses involved, including vehicles, software, insurance, and operational costs – the aim is to help you make informed decisions and kickstart your entrepreneurial journey with confidence.

Vehicle costs: how much will you pay?

The most significant cost in starting a shared mobility business comes from getting the vehicles.

Here's what you can expect to pay for a single vehicle:

• Scooters: 750-1000 EUR
• E-bikes: 1300-2500 EUR
• Mopeds: 2000-4000 EUR 
• Cars: 12000-20000 EUR

Considering the higher costs associated with vehicles like mopeds and cars, leasing is also a viable option. However, securing leasing partnerships is more challenging for operators without an established business.

The choice of vehicles will ultimately depend on your business model – whether you want to provide affordable or high-end options. For instance, if you opt for top-of-the-line scooters from brands like Segway and Äike, expect to pay over 1000 EUR per vehicle. On the flip side, you can find scooters as low as 400 EUR on the Chinese market, but such a price tag comes with its own set of risks. 

Optimal starting fleet size for scooter-sharing businesses

Assuming you've made your decision on the model and brand, the next question is: how many vehicles should you buy? What's the ideal fleet size to start with?

We will focus on scooters – with their affordable price tag, they have become a favored choice for those looking to venture into the shared mobility industry.

Based on what we've seen, operators kickstart their ventures with fleets of different sizes. Some start with a humble fleet of 20 scooters in their first season and then steadily grow to over 100 vehicles in the following seasons, even diversifying into cars and other modes of transportation. 

However, starting with a larger fleet offers distinct advantages. Having a bigger fleet means more people will notice your brand, leading to faster adoption of shared mobility within the local community. In other words – a larger fleet speeds up the process of making shared mobility a part of people's everyday commuting routines. 

Another crucial point is that operating costs remain relatively consistent for a fleet of up to 200 vehicles. Beyond that, you'll likely need to expand your team, acquire more vans, secure a larger warehouse, and hire an additional technician. But, if you're starting out small, 20 vehicles instead of 100-200 won't lead to significant cost savings in operating expenses. Therefore, it's more cost-effective to begin with a larger number of vehicles from the outset.

Maintenance and insurance

Maintenance costs are also an important consideration. On average, around 10-15% of your fleet will require ongoing maintenance, depending on the brand and model of the vehicles. With a smaller fleet of 20 scooters, it's statistically likely that 2-3 units will be undergoing repairs at any given time. In case your fleet experiences a series of unfortunate incidents, this percentage can quickly escalate, leading to a decrease in the number of scooters generating revenue.

Securing third-party public liability insurance for smaller fleets, which is required by law to protect pedestrians and riders in the event of accidents, can be a challenging task. No matter the fleet size, operators are required to pay an annual premium. This means that smaller fleets, like those with only 20 scooters, could end up paying the same premium as fleets with 150 scooters. For a smaller business, this expense can be quite prohibitive and difficult to manage. Thus, insurance costs are another reason to consider starting with a bigger fleet.

On average, the insurance costs around 8 EUR per scooter per month (paid annually) for fleets ranging from 100 to 200 scooters. These costs may vary depending on the specific coverage requirements set by local authorities.

Aim for 100 scooters – or 50 if you're low on cash

If we take into account brand visibility, maintenance, and insurance, it’s advisable for new operators to aim for a fleet size of at least 50 scooters. It’s a budget-friendly choice, especially in a location with strong market demand. A fleet of this size can also serve as a market test run. 

However, for a more robust start, an ideal fleet size would be 100 scooters. As we mentioned earlier, the operating costs for both 50 and 100 vehicles would be more or less the same. However, opting for 100 vehicles instead of 50 would result in double the revenue. This boost in revenue would make it easier to sustain and expand the business. Having more vehicles would also contribute to better brand visibility in the long run.

Shared mobility software costs and considerations

Once you've got the fleet sorted, the next step is to get your hands on some software. 

When it comes to shaping your brand identity, the software you use is just as crucial as the vehicles you offer. Having a top-notch fleet is great, but it won't make a difference if you neglect the software side of your shared mobility service. You want users to easily find, book, and pay for your rides without any trouble.

When it comes to white-label software pricing, it usually involves a one-time setup fee plus a monthly subscription fee based on the number of vehicles – or a dynamic pricing model per usage. 

The setup fees for white-label software are typically between 4-10k EUR, depending on the provider and features. The monthly fees will vary based on fleet size or usage. 

ATOM Mobility white-label software offers a wide choice of setup options, catering to fleets of all sizes, starting from the smallest and going all the way up to 5k+ vehicles. There is also a special plan for those who want to dip their toes in the water with 20 or fewer vehicles, which doesn’t require a setup fee. It's a great way to test the market and get started without breaking the bank.

Starting your shared mobility venture with 70k

Now that we've got the basics covered, let's crunch some numbers and calculate the amount of money you'll need to kickstart your scooter-sharing business.

Taking into account the costs of vehicles, software, insurance, and other expenses, we're looking at 70,000 EUR. 

Here's what you'll need to kickstart your business and keep it running for at least one season: 

• 40k for buying 50 scooters
• 10k to procure and maintain software for the season
• 7-10k for insurance coverage
• 5k for a warehouse
• 5k for renting a van

On top of that, you need to consider the ongoing operating costs, which will fluctuate based on the size of your fleet. If you have a fleet of 50-150 scooters, it can be efficiently managed by two owners – or one owner and a couple of part-time employees. The expense of charging the vehicles will depend on the local prices in your area.

So, with around 70k in your pocket, you'll have a decent budget to make things happen in the first year. You can prove your concept, test the market, and learn the ropes along the way. And once you've got a solid foundation, scaling up in the second year becomes a lot easier. Investors will feel more confident jumping on board when they see that your business model is actually viable.

Of course, the 70k figure is not set in stone. The actual expenses will vary based on your location and your willingness to take on additional risks. We've had operators who achieved success with just half that budget – but their journey was certainly more nerve-wracking as a result.

With our suggested budget, you'll also have some breathing space for trial and error as you kick off your venture. This kind of money allows for a smoother and less stressful launch – also increasing the chances of steady growth in the next season.

If you're interested in starting your own shared mobility venture, join our ATOM Academy for FREE to learn more and see if it's the right business for you.

If you'd like to explore the software costs in detail, schedule a demo with our team today.

One of the main advantages of using the ATOM Mobility software for your business are the generous customization options. You can tailor ATOM's robust solution to your brand's needs and requirements, allowing it to express your identity loud and clear. 

But, for mobility services, it's not just about company branding – it's also about adapting to the environment in which your service operates. The appearance, atmosphere, payment types, and incentives offered should be specifically tailored to align with the preferences and demands of the particular market.

Customization is crucial for business success, as it allows you to become recognizable and memorable and win the hearts of locals. So, how can you do that with the ATOM Mobility app? Is branding the only thing you can customize? Read on to find out!

Creating an app that speaks for you

ATOM Mobility makes app customization incredibly simple and efficient via a powerful operator's (that's you!) dashboard. Besides customization and setting configuration, the dashboard allows you to manage your fleet, team, and customer demands all in one place. You can track your vehicles in real-time, check out customer heat maps and analytics, and more.

But when it comes to the customization of your customer or rider app, here's an overview of all the things you can do to create a unique mobility solution.

Branding

Customizing the ATOM Mobility app starts with the obvious – adding your branding via the dashboard. That includes:

• Adding your logo
• Adding your specific color scheme
• Adding your splash screen – the first graphical notification a user receives when opening any app
• Tailoring icons – for example, how the vehicles will appear on the app's map

User tutorials

Adding customized user tutorials to your app will make life notably easier for users and your customer support as well. Users will have basic FAQs covered, and your customer support will have more time to deal with complex issues. 

You can add boiled-down user tutorials on anything, and they'll appear in a special tutorials section on your app. Here's a list of commonly chosen user tutorials to inspire you:

• How to unlock the vehicle and start the ride
• How to end the ride and park the vehicle
• How to know where you can park the vehicle
• How to understand the app's color scheme of the parking zones
• What are the good practices for riding
• What are the main safety rules of the ride
  

Moreover, you can tailor user tutorials by adding images, short videos, and custom descriptions. You can also split each tutorial into several steps to make the information easier to digest. 

Pricing and special offers

The ATOM Mobility customer app offers a wide range of options for user pricing, allowing you to choose the best packages for your clientele. 

With the ATOM Mobility app, you can bill your users in three ways:

• Direct payments via the user's payment card
• Digital wallet-based payments
• A hybrid of the two
  

Regarding the digital wallet, the top-up process is also customizable. You can pick the top-up amounts, set several top-up levels, or add an auto top-up option – i.e., if a user's digital wallet reaches X amount of money, it gets automatically topped up by Y amount. Moreover, you can set a minimum balance requirement for the digital wallet to avoid debtors.

Additionally, there are several options for calculating the ride's fee. You can:

• Set the pricing per minute, hour, or day
• Add a ride unlock fee – a certain amount charged when the user unlocks the vehicle
• Add mileage-based pricing
• Set a price for when the ride is paused, and more
  

What's also convenient – the ATOM Mobility app offers the option to add pre-paid subscription packages. There are daily, weekly, or monthly passes available, and you can assign a wide array of credits and deals to each package. For example, any of the app operator's vehicles available for use within the 30-day pass, ten vehicle unlocks + X ride minutes + Y pause minutes available within the daily pass, and more.

Another option available when customizing your app's pricing is setting discounts for vehicles that haven't been used for a certain number of hours. That way, you can promote a more even use of your vehicles. 

Parking zones

With ATOM Mobility, you can also customize the vehicle parking zones. This allows you to easily divide your city into areas that are yay or nay for vehicle parking – they'll appear green or red on the app.

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Moreover, you can create the so-called bonus zones – if a vehicle is parked there, a user receives an X% discount on their ride. Adding bonus parking zones helps to incentivize vehicle parking in the “hotspots” of the city – beneficial from the business perspective.

Additionally, you can add paid parking zones where parking isn't forbidden, but the users are charged a certain amount if they park there. Again, this allows you to regulate where your vehicles are parked to get that business ball rolling. 

It's also possible to add speed limit zones to your solution to help the users follow the maximum allowed speed in the pedestrian zones. While speed limit compliance should come without saying, we all know that speeding occasionally happens, causing unnecessary traffic accident risks.

Customer support – just the way you want it

Excellent and convenient customer support is the next crucial thing for any well-functioning mobility app. With ATOM Mobility, you can add several customer support options to the app's section: 

• A shortcut to the user tutorials section
• Embedded FAQ section from your business website
• Email communication – pop-up windows shortcutting to email
• Direct calls communication – pop-up windows shortcutting to, e.g., Whatsapp calls, Messenger calls, regular phone calls
• Live chat option with the native Intercom integration

Automated invoices with a twist

A useful feature offered by the ATOM Mobility software is automated invoices. Whenever users finish their ride, they receive an invoice in their inbox, with no manual work from your side. 

What is more, the invoices can be customized as well. You can add your branding – logo, color scheme – and tailor the invoice fields, adding the country's VAT, tax reporting requirements, and more.

Referral programs

It's no secret that referral programs can bring in new customers, increase customer loyalty, improve customer satisfaction, lower customer acquisition costs, and more. ATOM Mobility offers adding a referral program to your unique app so you can nab these and other benefits.

You can set up a promo code that your users can distribute to their friends, who will receive a bonus or a discount for their first ride. The promo code distributors will also receive a bonus in their digital wallet or a discount for their next ride after the newcomer completes their first ride. 

An extra module or two

With ATOM Mobility, you don't have to stick to one type of mobility service. You can – and you should – expand your business to other verticals whenever you see the possibility. 

That's why ATOM Mobility offers the option to place three business modules on your platform – vehicle sharing, ride-hailing, and digital rental. Expand your services, and become the go-to mobility platform of your city in no time.  

Building your mobility business with ATOM Mobility

Now that you know the main customization options that the ATOM Mobility app offers, your next step is to dive into crafting your personalized mobility solution. It won't take you heaps of time – we can launch your personalized software suite in as little as 20 days. Plus, 98% of the app customizations can be done via your app operator dashboard.

Our core, your values, and the best mobility solution for your city is born!