COVID-19 saw traffic levels drop to levels not seen in Malta in years. While people appear to have enjoyed a taster of less chaotic roads, will a return to normality herald in a return to a situation where the private-car reigns supreme?

In Episode 10 of The Boardroom, hosted live on WhosWho.mt’s Facebook page tomorrow at 3pm, and presented by business-writer Jo Caruana, eCabs CEO and co-founder Matthew Bezzina, Debono Group CEO Geoffrey Debono and GOTO COO Liana Cremono will speak about the future of mobility in Malta.

Locally, alternative transport and cab markets have been difficult to enter due to a reliance on private vehicles. Over time, changing attitudes to drink-driving and an improved service offering have seen the likes of eCabs gain a serious foothold.

The Debono Group, which owns both GOTO (in collaboration with GOTO Global) and Cool, is at the fore of bringing in alternative mobility solutions. GOTO allows customers to rent a vehicle on a ride-by-ride basis, while COOL is Malta’s first ride-pooling service.

All three companies are geared towards those who prefer not to use the local public transport system while also disincentivising private vehicle usage.

The question remains, will COVID-19 have a big impact on this market? How are changing consumer habbits impacting the use of cabs and ride-sharing services? Looking forward, will Malta’s transport sector look significantly different in the years to come?