The coronavirus has had a profound effect on transportation, as it has with almost every other aspect of our lives.
In this article we cover how the pandemic has had an effect on transportation.
Affects of the pandemic on transportation
A study from online news source Bloomberg CityLab examined global transportation data to observe the effects the pandemic has had on our cities.
In this trend report, you see the effects of the pandemic on transportation:
- It’s no surprise that traffic ground to a halt in cities all over the world as lockdowns forced many businesses to suspend work or work remotely. Transportation data gathered from apps including TomTom, Mapbox and Apple’s Mobility Index show that traffic in walking, driving and transit decreased significantly as cities entered lockdowns in the first quarter of the year.
- Many cities have adjusted their public transport models to be more mindful of social distancing measures. Cities including New York, Sydney, Milan, Bogotá and Nairobi put plans in place to create more cycle lanes/pavements.
- The air quality improved in many cities in the wake of the pandemic but sadly, the positive effects for the environment might be short-lived. In some Chinese cities that have reopened, there has been a marked increase of people choosing travel by car over public transport and vehicle sales have increased. Car travel is seen as safer than public transport with its danger of the virus, but it’s worse for the environment than buses and trains.
- Lighter traffic resulted in a decrease in pollution that might have prevented more than 12 000 deaths in the Wuhan area alone. But it also meant that some drivers took advantage by travelling at higher speeds in certain parts of the world. Unfortunately, several American states and cities reported spikes in traffic fatalities as a result.
The full effects of the pandemic have yet to be seen and it’s likely that they will last for many years to come.
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