Covid-19 Pandemic Impacts on Essential Transit Riders: Findings from a U.S. Survey
The Covid-19 pandemic has decimated public transit service across the United States and caused significant decreases in ridership. Adapting to the pandemic has been more challenging for some transit riders than for others. Little is known about the reasons for pandemic-era mode shifts and the impacts of pandemic-related transit reductions on riders’ day-to-day lives. Using a national survey of U.S. transit riders (n=500), this study examines changes in transit use since the pandemic began, the reasons for transit reductions, and the effects of reduced transit use and transit service on transit riders’ ability to meet their travel needs. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing transportation burdens for essential transit riders, pointing to shortcomings inherent in current transit financing policy. We close with recommendations for strengthening the transit service for these groups in the long term as we recover from the pandemic.