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The Ins & Outs Of Workforce Travel: A Guide On How To Book Field & Crew Worker Travel

Mar 1, 2023
Learn the Details of Booking Workforce Travel and How LodgeLink Can Make it Easier

Finding quality accommodations for workforce crews can be daunting. Booking costs, travel dates, housing amenities, and location are just a few items you must manage when scheduling your crew travel arrangements. 

But planning workforce travel doesn’t have to be difficult. Learn the ins and outs of workforce travel and how to make crew travel arrangements that maximize your budget and keep your workers happy.

What is Crew Travel?

Crew travel is different from traditional business travel in almost every aspect, including the frequency of travel, the number of people travelling, length of stay, and the locations they’re travelling to. 

The biggest difference is the reason for travelling. Corporate workers travel to major cities for business development, crew workers travel to tertiary locations for industry projects. 
Daily commutes to these project sites are unrealistic, so travel managers must find crew housing that accommodates stays of up to 45 days. The length of their stay requires additional considerations that corporate workers only staying one or two nights might not need.

Challenges of Booking Crew Travel

The complexity of crew travel can complicate finding the crew travel arrangements your team needs. Below are a few of the most common difficulties:  

Crew Size

The size of your crew will depend on the size of your project. Crews can range in size from five to 50 workers and making cost-efficient hotel arrangements for large groups can be challenging. You might have to speak with hotel managers directly to negotiate group rates to stay within your budget. 

Transportation

Finding travel accommodations for crews of up to 50 people can be a challenge, especially since they’re travelling to remote areas where public transportation isn’t available. 

If their lodging isn’t within walking distance to the job site, you’ll have to think through the ground travel logistics: Will you supply workers with company vehicles? Will you schedule rental cars? Does the hotel have transportation you can use? 

 

A group of arrows pointing up with dollar signs on them

Costs

The costs of crew travel arrangements are expected to increase with inflation. In 2022, the cost of airfare was up 36% from the previous year; lodging prices were up by 3%, and food prices were up by 8%. The constant increase in essential travel costs makes finding affordable travel arrangements hard. 

Booking Changes

Plans change and it’s hard to find someone who is flexible after your stay has already been booked. If numbers change and you overbook rooms, you might have trouble finding a hotel that’s willing to reimburse you. On the other hand, if you underbook, you might not be able to add rooms on short notice. 

A person in a yellow vest holding a tablet and a phone looking at a workforce travel site

Long Response Times

Understaffing is the biggest issue the travel industry is facing. Airlines and hotels are understaffed, which could cause delays in response times. If you’re unable to find housing far enough in advance, project timelines could be delayed costing you time and money. 

Eight Things to Consider When Booking Crew Travel Arrangements

Your crews will spend weeks, if not months, on the road. You’re responsible for their safety and well-being while away. To mitigate risks, keep these eight items in mind when making crew travel arrangements. 

1. Travel Policy

Your company’s travel policy is set in place to ensure the traveller, travel booker, and management are all on the same page. It should include details like your preferred suppliers, reimbursable & non-reimbursable spending, and preferred class and price of flight bookings.

Two people walking toward a work site

2. Location

The location of your housing arrangements is increasingly vital for crews. Most crews travel to rural areas where public transit isn’t an option, so booking rooms as close to the job site as possible is essential. This can help your company save on transportation costs.

3. Cost

An important factor, but not the most crucial factor. As a company, decide what rates you’re comfortable with and outline them in your travel policy. 

4. Ground Transportation

If you’re flying your crew to the worksite, you should have transportation to the lodging or hotel planned in advance. This will help relieve some of your team’s anxiety when they arrive at the airport. 

If your crew needs equipment, you’ll need to consider the logistics of transporting what you need to the job site. Will you have someone drive the company vehicles to the site or will you need to rent the equipment from a local company when the team arrives at the job site? If the site is within a reasonable distance, providing some form of ground transport can make sense from a cost perspective.

5. Parking

Something else that’s important to consider with transportation: parking. Not all hotels or lodging areas are equipped to house large work vehicles in their lots. They might even require fees for doing so, so it’s important to factor in large truck parking and costs when planning your crew travel arrangements.

6. Amenities

Your crews will likely be staying for an extended period. Make sure the booking offers some traditional and non-traditional amenities for your crew's comfort. This is where knowing your crew and understanding their travel preferences can come in handy. If you know what amenities they prefer, you can use those items to narrow your search.

7. Cleanliness & Comfort

While you want to find short-term accommodation at a reasonable cost, the facility that you decide on should be comfortable for your crew. Unlike corporate travellers who are only staying one or two nights, your crew may be staying in this secondary location for weeks or months at a time. Make sure to factor in their comfort and don’t just opt for the cheapest option. 

8. Communication

Keeping the line of communication open between you and your crew is a must. But keeping communication open between you and the hotel or lodge management should also be a priority. Staying in close contact with them can help you resolve any issues or complaints from crew members about their booking in a timely manner. 

How LodgeLink Simplifies the Process:

Streamline the chaos of workforce travel with LodgeLink. Our innovative technology modernizes the crew travel experience. Simplify booking and management, consolidate payment and reconciliation, and control and plan crew travel through the LodgeLink platform. 

LodgeLink's Platform.
Simplify your search for accommodation using LodgeLink’s technology. We’ve already negotiated group rates with our network of hotels and lodges across the U.S. and Canada so that you don’t have to. Filter search results by amenities that are important to crews, like quiet hours, meal services, or large truck parking. 

As your plans change, you can easily change booking dates for an entire booking or individual crew members. Easily switch out crew members and assign crew to unassigned rooms from anywhere, at any time.
We help increase your organizational efficiency by simplifying the cost-tracking of crew members during their stay. Our technology aggregates data and expenses into one invoice to make payment and reimbursements easier. 

Transform your company’s workforce travel. Request a FREE demo to get started with LodgeLink today.

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