Towards a resilient and attractive future public transport: Insights from a study on public transport usage patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The global Corona virus pandemic strongly affected travel behavior. Long-term changes are expected which will run counter to a development of a sustainable mobility. One main issue is the setback for public transport and the preference for individual motorized modes. This paper analyses the changes in public transport, the reasons behind and potential counter measures. It is based on a quantitative survey, mobility data of the time before Corona and a focus groups discussion. The results suggest notable reduction in public transport use during the pandemic and critical evaluation of implemented measures against Corona. A reduction in public transport season tickets can be observed with variation in the values depending on subjective evaluation of public transport, type of settlement, and teleworking frequency. The paper discusses strategies for the development of a more resilient public transport system.