The Covid-19 epidemic has severely affected some public transport systems.
The number of passengers on New York’s MTA and London’s underground metro system initially dropped by about 95 per cent and has since risen to almost a third of last year’s level. And while that number has soared, the number of passengers is likely to be lower in the near to medium term.
But experts are not worried. Cities around the world are facing economic problems due to the economic impact of the epidemic, while governments will cut funding as rideship is reduced. It can build what some call a “death spiral” – a cycle of poor services and even fewer riders.
“I have no doubt enough to say that it will be less than the pre-Covid,” said Greg Marsden, a professor of transport governance at the University of Leeds in Britain. It will be lower as we enter a major recession. And because people have accepted their behavior. “
He added, “What really matters is how we manage the transition.” If we do this wrong, it is very difficult to bring public transport services back after they have disappeared. “
The next few years will be crucial as it becomes clear how many people will continue to work from home or use private transport, and governments are under pressure to cut costs that have hampered transportation systems over the years.
“As we move into the 2021, 2022 deadlines, where governments have less money and begin to question their priorities on public spending, the risk zone lies,” said Richard Anderson, co-director of transport strategy at Imperial College London . Center.
Public transport is rarely profitable, but it is essential for the success of big cities, Anderson said, comparing “killing the golden goose” by reducing government transportation costs.
Lessons from Asia
Transportation networks in countries where infection has been relatively low – such as Taiwan and South Korea – can indicate the shape of post-covid transit and provide tips on how to keep passengers alert.
Revenue cuts are unlikely to be sustainable for most networks, although it will take months to roll out the Covid-19 vaccines and even longer to ease restrictions.
Meanwhile, the Taipei Metro, whose traffic was only 15 percent lower than in October 2019, embarked on a high-profile sanitation drive, taking in more than a hundred employees and gathering volunteers to scan passengers’ body temperatures at return locations.
In Seoul, transportation officials made the congestion rate available online so that passengers could plan their travel to avoid congestion, and it was possible to report passengers who were not wearing masks through an app.
But there are limitations to comparing Asia’s experience with other regions. Its cities are generally densely populated, making public transportation options difficult (such as driving to work or working from home). These continents have also experienced other epidemics in recent years, such as SARS, and are increasingly used for wearing masks and social distance.
Emotional appeal
In the West, it is not clear how many passengers will eventually return to public transport. A French survey in September put the figure at 100 percent, while the U.S. A second poll of Americans in the Northeast in April and May found that 5 percent would return.
While ridership remains low, transportation experts have urged policymakers to go beyond the number of raw passengers when making funding decisions.
Public transport has been a lifeline during the epidemic for key workers and low-income people, many of whom cannot work from home or drive their own cars.
Cutting transport funding will also disproportionately affect women and ethnic minorities. U.S. A survey of no showed that public transporters during the epidemic were “heavy women and people of color” and health care workers and food service workers were among the top occupations in the morning.
Advocates of mass transport say there is a need to create an emotional case to support public transport with economic arguments and practical steps to improve efficiency.
Mohamed Mezkhani, secretary general of the Brussels-based International Association of Public Transport, pointed to an initiative in Vienna that would be displayed on a station screen to send selfies using public transport.
“We need to act on two levels, rational and emotional,” he said.
“It’s important to evoke a positive attitude towards public transport. People should be proud to use public transport,” he said. It’s like recycling. People do it because there is a sense of satisfaction, because it is civic behavior. “
