Easier than flying and more comfortable than driving, Cabin’s 'moving hotel' ferries customers between LA and San Francisco overnight for $115 each way, offering a seamless travelling experience for those who want to maximise their time. We explore the insights behind Cabin, and what it says about how people prefer to get from A to B.
Cabin started out in 2016 as a converted big rig known as SleepBus, but has reinvented itself as a bus that can carry 24 passengers, an attendant and the driver from LA to San Francisco. When the company launched its pilot in 2016, tickets sold out in 36 hours and racked up a waiting list of 20,000 names. In addition to a private bunk with a memory foam mattress, luxury bed linen, and a bathroom, the bus has a lounge space, free WiFi and freshly brewed hot drinks.
Taking the less direct Highway 101, the moving hotel gives passengers a smoother ride and calmer experience, allowing them to arrive at their destination at the more 'reasonable hour' of 7am (instead of 5am) – something the brand's research found to be a preference. Clocking in at eight hours – compared to around 90 minutes via plane – Cabin’s route is certainly not the quickest way to get from A to B, but by travelling overnight passengers are maximising their time and potentially getting their recommended shut-eye to boot.
Hyperloop will supposedly have transit times of just 35 minutes between San Francisco and LA, but since it's not expected to be in operation for a number of years, there's room for innovation until then. Not only does Cabin meet the demand for a more seamless route between the two cities, it maximises efficiency – something studies suggest people are willing to spend more on. As people feel increasingly stressed with daily life, brands are stepping in both at work and in public spaces to help them unwind.
Katy Young is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research. She has a degree in American Studies and Film, and an MA in Journalism. Her interests include wild swimming, thinking of podcast ideas and singing in an all-female choir.
