The transportation industry is changing rapidly. Technological breakthroughs and evolving consumer trends are catalyzing growth in the space, as both private firms and the public entities that manage U.S. infrastructure eschew more traditional transit notions for futuristic visions. Companies looking to achieve success in this sector must recruit leaders who have the skills and experience needed to navigate this shifting ground. That said, two specific traits carry considerable weight within today’s transportation arena. What might those be?
An urge to collaborate
While business success remains the paramount goal for organizations in the industry, recent developments necessitate collaboration. Increased government investment in private transportation technology is the most visible example. Communities across the country are searching for ways to not only bolster local infrastructure, but develop vast transportation ecosystems based on cutting-edge innovation. In 2015, the Department of Transportation introduced the Smart City Challenge as a way to stimulate further action in this vein, offering $40 million in federal funding to the metro with the most transformative plans. Columbus, Ohio, captured the top spot and embarked on an ambitious initiative that involves multiple private partners, including Amazon, Autodesk, AT&T and Sidewalk Labs, according to the city.
Many U.S. metros are replicating this model, meaning high-ranking professionals in the transportation sector must be able to collaborate with other vendors to achieve success.
“Technological breakthroughs and evolving consumer trends are catalyzing growth in the transportation space.”
An eye toward the future
Traditionally, innovators exploring the fringes of the transportation space have struggled to find footholds, with clients opting for long-standing firms boasting proven products as opposed to burgeoning experimenters. This state of affairs has changed in recent years. Now, local and state governments are much more willing to truck with developing technology. Take, for instance, the emergence of Hyperloop, which is in the process of fabricating an expansive vacuum-based train system based on designs from SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. While the company has yet to produce a full-scale prototype, government officials are lining up to take part in its first public project, Wired reported. The White House has even expressed interest in expanding the technology on a national scale.
The modern transportation environment encourages calculated risk-taking, as more traditional methods have failed to solve many of the larger issue affecting American transit. Consequently, business leaders in the industry must operate with an eye toward the future and strive to push boundaries, no matter how scary that may be.
Firms hoping to carve out space in today’s transportation sector must pinpoint candidates with the above traits. Here at YES Partners, we leverage strong industry connections to find these transformative professionals, giving our clients the power to develop long-term talent pipelines for sustained success.
To see some of the roles we have already successfully placed, click here.
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