--- title: "Virgin Hyperloop Just Laid Off Almost Half Its Employees" description: "Virign Hyperloop, the company leading the charge on making the transportation system a reality, has laid off 111 workers, almost half of its staff." date: "2022-02-22" modified: "2022-02-22" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/virgin-hyperloop-layoffs" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Hyperloop" - "Mass Transit" tags: - "hyperloop" - "the digest" - "virgin hyperloop" --- # Virgin Hyperloop Just Laid Off Almost Half Its Employees ![Virign Hyperloop, the company leading the charge on making the transportation system a reality, has laid off 111 workers, almost half of its staff.]() *\Image: DP World\* ## Big Layoffs Virign Hyperloop, the company leading the charge on making the futuristic transportation system a reality, has laid off 111 workers, the [*Financial Times* reports]() — which is nearly half its staff, for those keeping count. The company is now reportedly refocusing its efforts on sending cargo — rather than passengers — through vacuum tubes at speeds of up to 670 mph. That means the dream of significantly cutting down travel times between cities while speeding inside Hyperloop pods is on thin ice. Virgin Hyperloop is the only company to have actually [tested the concept in the real world]() so far. Just last year, the company made a big splash with a rendering of what the [passenger experience]() could look like. Now, though, it sounds like that was a dead end. ## Supply Chain Blues There are likely many factors at play. "It really has more to do with global supply chain issues and all the changes due to COVID," the company told the *FT,* adding that "these types of decisions are never taken lightly." The company is now hoping to enter the freight market, moving cargo at air speeds but on the ground. The news comes after the company saw a "massive talent flight," triggered by the departure of cofounder Josh Giegel last year. One former employee told the *FT* that "morale is low and there is no confidence in the new direction." Investors believe sending cargo through the vacuum tubes makes more sense, at least in the short term. "Focusing on pallets is easier to do — there is less risk for passengers and less of a regulatory process," DP World, an Emirati government-owned cargo logistics company that holds a majority stake in Virgin Hyperloop, told the *FT* in a statement. DP World is already working on a "[Cargospeed]()" system, which is aimed at moving cargo via Hyperloop-like tubes. Where that leaves the dream of a Hyperloop passenger transportation system, though, is anything but clear. **READ MORE:** [Virgin Hyperloop axes half its staff to focus on freight]() \[*Financial Times*\] ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()