Ground Transport

Amtrak's modernization effort is underway. If it remains nimble, it can take advantage of shifts in consumer behavior as car ownership declines and travelers look to avoid the headache of heading to the airport for a short flight.

Cities are getting more crowded with vehicles, and people are becoming more reluctant to use cars during business and leisure trips. Smart technology can help.

Premium Rewards isn't going to change the world as a loyalty program, but it is going to entice business from a new set of travelers. And that might be exactly what Silvercar needs right now.

Amtrak needed someone to come in and run it like a private business. Former Delta CEO Richard Anderson was probably the right choice. He knows how to turn things around, even if he may ruffle a few feathers along the way.

Silvercar's new loyalty program is a good incentive for both current and prospective customers to try out the service. It also may be a shot in the arm to a plateauing company.

Doing just traditional car rental isn't going to cut it anymore, and Avis is rapidly expanding its alternative services.

TripAdvisor and Booking Holdings are seemingly playing nice and fair with the tours and activities companies for now, but what happens five years from now when competition gets more intense and extracting profits is more of a mandate? Will push come to shove?

It's been hard for car rental companies to adapt to disruptors like Uber and Lyft, but their recent strategies show promise.

Britain's Rail Development Group contends it's not leaving the Interrail scheme for reasons related to Brexit. But the optics and timing of the move aren't great — not to mention it goes against several global trends in travel at the moment.

Uber is no stranger to consumer backlash so little wonder a top technology executive at the company went out of his way to say driverless cars will be a partnership with consumers and regulators. Let's see how that unfolds.