With a new service, the startup firm Cabin promises an easier travel experience. On its pilot route, from San Francisco to Santa Monica, travelers can board a double-decker bus, bunk down in their own dedicated bed chambers, and wake up at the Southern California beach, with their hotel parked in the lot.

The goal, according to the founder, is to streamline the travel process, which conventionally might involve driving to the airport, boarding a plane, and getting a ride service from the airport to a hotel, and then reversing the multi–service provider process on the way back. By combining several of these elements, Cabin hopes to appeal to travelers who want a simplified experience.

But it also offers a nicer setting than conventional busses. The 24 beds on the top of each of Cabin’s double-decker busses are charming pods where people can settle in and sleep comfortably. Downstairs in the busses, Cabin offers social spaces so that travelers can interact if they prefer. However, none of the busses currently provide showering facilities. At a price point of about $115 between San Francisco and Santa Monica, the service also is on par with more conventional travel modes.

Although this route is the only one currently in service, the company plans to open new routes as it grows, attracts additional funding, and buys more busses.

Discussion Questions:

1. Would you use Cabin? Why or why not?
2. What does Cabin need to do next, to expand its service and ensure its survival?

Source: Yuliya Chernova, “Rolling-Hotel Startup Hitting the Road in California,” The Wall Street Journal, June 28, 2017