The national biennial study, conducted by Censuswide, surveyed 500 business travellers to assess their priorities, challenges and expectations. According to the findings, a widening gap has emerged between corporate travel policy and actual booking behaviour, as international travel and app-based payments continue to reshape how journeys are arranged.
The research found that while 83% of travel managers require the use of approved providers, only 33% of bookings are made through compliant channels. Half of all business taxi journeys are arranged independently, reducing visibility over both corporate spend and traveller safeguarding.
Many of these journeys take place late at night, overseas or without colleagues present. The study also found that 17% of travellers do not believe safety is a priority for their organisation. Among respondents, 7% reported theft, 13% said they had experienced road accidents and 10% reported physical assault.
The shift towards personal and mobile payments is also moving bookings further outside managed systems. According to the research, 60% of travellers now use personal cards or cash for business taxi journeys, up from 49% in 2023, while mobile payments have increased to 36%.
Ashley Seed, Chief Commercial Officer at CMAC Group, said: “Many organisations assume that having a travel policy in place means that ground transport is controlled. The research shows most activity is not captured within approved channels. When only one in three bookings sits within policy, businesses lack clear oversight of spend and weaken duty of care protections. Ground transport journeys may often be short, but the financial and safety implications remain significant. A managed programme for business brings this activity back into view, helping businesses protect their people, enforce standards and make more informed decisions on spend.”
The study also showed that adoption of managed programmes has risen from 15% in 2023 to 33% in 2025. However, most corporate ground transport activity still remains outside compliant systems.
