Impact of COVID-19: A radical modal shift from public to private transport mode

A Paradigm Shift in Urban Mobility: Policy Insights from Travel Before and After COVID-19 to Seize the Opportunity

This study aims to examine the extent to which SARS-Cov-2 and associated governmental interventions to mitigate virus transmission has affected daily travel decisions in Bangladesh A questionnaire survey was used to record opinions of respondents hailing from diverse socio-economic backgrounds on trip number and mode preferences for a variety of trip purposes for “before” and “during” COVID-19 situation This was used to assess changes in (i) trip frequencies, and (ii) travel mode preferences using contingency tables, ordinal logistic regression and Sankey diagrams Analyses revealed that COVID-19 caused large variation in mode preferences but small variation in trip frequencies Males still go outside for work and shopping, putting them at greater risk than females COVID-19 has drastically cut recreational trips, but not so many work trips Although online work or education (950%) and shopping (170%) has risen, this seems to be limited to urban areas Besides, buses continue to be preferred the most during pandemic for trips involving short distance recreation (26 75%), markets (43 18%), and long distance recreation (35 66%) Results suggest the lack of online penetration in rural and suburban areas have prevented worktrip reductions in those places, putting the inhabitants at heightened risk from virus Moreover, majority of the people continue to use buses at the expense of their health for lack of cheaper alternatives Results imply that the government needs to ensure proper hygiene practices in public transit and non-motorised paratransit vehicles Moreover, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), pedestrian and bicycle facilities need to be improved © 2021 The Author(s)

Exploring the travel behavior changes caused by the COVID-19 crisis: A case study for a developing country

The present study focuses on the relationship between the Covid-19 pandemic and mobility patterns. By using data from an international survey, transport users’ socio-demographic features and travel...

The Influence of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Mobility Patterns: The First Wave’s Results

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused incredible impacts on people’s travel behavior. Recent studies suggest that while the demand for public transport has decreased due to passengers’ inability to maintain physical distance inside this mode, the demand for private automobile and active transport modes (walking and cycling) has increased during the pandemic. Policymakers should take this opportunity given by the pandemic and encourage people to use active transport more in the new normal situation to achieve sustainable transportation outcomes. This study explores the expected change in active transport mode usage in the new normal situation in Bangladesh based on the data from a questionnaire survey. The study finds that 56% and 45% of the respondents were expected to increase travel by walking and cycling, respectively, during the new normal situation. On the other hand, 19% of the respondents were expected to do the opposite. The study further identifies the factors influencing the expected change in travel by active transport modes during the new normal situation by developing multinomial logistic regression models. Finally, this study proposes policies to increase active transport use beyond the pandemic and ensure sustainable mobility for city dwellers and their well-being.

Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Active Travel Mode Choice in Bangladesh: A Study from the Perspective of Sustainability and New Normal Situation

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented changes in the activity patterns and travel behaviour around the world. Some of these behavioural changes are in response to restrictive measures imposed by the Government (e.g. full or partial lock-downs), while others are driven by perceptions of own safety and/or commitment to slow down the spread (e.g. during the preceding and following period of a lock-down). Travel behaviour amidst the stricter of these measures is quite straightforward to predict as people have very limited choices, but it is more challenging to predict the behavioural changes in the absence of restrictive measures. The limited research so far has demonstrated that different socio-demographic groups of different countries have changed travel behaviour in response to COVID-19 in different ways. However, no studies to date have either (a) investigated the changes in travel behaviour in the context of the Global South, or (b) modelled the relationship between changes in transport mode usage and traveller characteristics in order to quantify the associated heterogeneity. In this paper, we address these two gaps by developing mathematical models to quantify the effect of the socio-demographic characteristics of the travellers on the mode-specific trip frequencies before (January 2020) and during the early stages of COVID-19 spread in India (March 2020). Primary data collected from 498 respondents participating in online surveys have been used to estimate multiple discrete choice extreme value (MDCEV) models in this regard. Results indicate – a) significant inertia to continue using the pre-COVID modes, and b) high propensity to shift to virtual (e.g. work from home, online shopping, etc.) and private modes (e.g. car, motorcycle) from shared ones (e.g. bus and ride-share options). The extent of inertia varies with the trip purpose (commute and discretionary) and trip lengths. The results also demonstrate significant heterogeneity based on age, income, and working status of the respondents. The findings will be directly useful for planners and policy-makers in India as well as some other countries of the Global South in better predicting the mode-specific demand levels and subsequently, making better investment and operational decisions during similar disruptions.

Modelling the effects of COVID-19 on travel mode choice behaviour in India

The integration of public transport modes has been cited by many as one of the primary factors that enhances public transport ridership and makes public transport investments more viable. Asian cities are witnessing huge investments in high-speed rail (HSR) infrastructure, which will be instrumental in inter-city travel. The HSR station should serve as a multimodal hub, providing users with a seamless interface to various transport modes of the city, thus enabling in the provision of a sustainable transportation solution to the urban area. This paper focuses on public transportation integration at railway stations by drawing upon existing literature along with specific case studies from Asian cities. First, a generalized framework for integration is developed based on literature sources. Second, six Asian railway stations were reviewed to identify the components essential for developing the public transport integration framework. Finally, the implication of such integrated transport nodes is addressed with reference to the urban quality of life. Results reveal that a framework with three levels of integration — physical, informatory, and monetary, is required to achieve successful public transport integration at railway stations. These levels of integration also need to be supported by additional interventions, such as those that enhance user perception of transit service quality, provides contextual information of the surroundings, and garners active participation of the stakeholders, which will, in turn, enhance the sense of belonging and aid in augmenting users’ quality of life.

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Manoj Bs

Papers

Modelling the effects of COVID-19 on travel mode choice behaviour in India

Framework for Public Transport Integration at Railway Stations and Its Implications for Quality of Life

Measuring User Satisfaction of Pedestrian Facilities and its Heterogeneity in Urban India – A Tale of Three Cities