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The Future of Public Transit and Shared Mobility: Policy Actions and Research Options for COVID-19 Recovery

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Pandemic in the Metropolis

Part of the book series: Springer Tracts on Transportation and Traffic ((STTT,volume 20))

Abstract

The global tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic devastated communities and societies. The pandemic also upended public transit and shared mobility, causing declines in ridership, losses in revenue sources, and challenges in ensuring social equity. Despite ongoing uncertainty, guidance can instruct recovery and build a more resilient, socially equitable, and environmentally friendly transportation future. This chapter summarizes a recent scenario planning exercise conducted by the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies in collaboration with the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Executive Committee in Spring to Fall 2020. The exercise convened 36 transportation experts in the United States who developed policy actions and research options crafted to guide near- and long-term public transit and shared mobility. Clear themes emerged from the study regarding key actions for public transit operators in the areas of: (1) innovation and technology, (2) planning and operations, (3) customer focus, and (4) workforce development. A second grouping of broader policy strategies for both public transit and shared mobility included: (1) immediate policy and actions across actors, (2) alignment of societal objectives, (3) federal transportation spending authorization, and (4) finance and subsidies. While the exercise reiterated the need for rapid actions, thoughtful planning and decision-making can prepare both sectors for a more cooperative, multimodal ecosystem.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In this chapter, we define shared mobility as the shared use of a vehicle, motorcycle, scooter, bicycle, or other travel mode that provides users with short-term access to a transportation mode on an as-needed basis. While public transit is a form of shared mobility, we define public transit as a more traditional public transport system that is owned and/or operated by public agencies, transporting individuals predominately via bus, rail, and ferry.

  2. 2.

    Experts indicated that PPPs could enable public transit to better meet shifting mobility demand following the pandemic and reduce operational costs. However, experts also indicated that more research is needed to develop fair agreements and outcome-based evaluations. Guardrails, such as: (1) mechanisms to prevent the pass through of fees and taxes to consumers or (2) permitting processes, which also require development.

  3. 3.

    A system that enables consumers to access mobility, goods, and services on-demand by dispatching or using shared mobility, delivery services, and public transportation strategies through an integrated and connected multimodal network.

  4. 4.

    A mobility marketplace in which a traveler can access multiple transportation services over a single digital interface.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, USA

    Susan Shaheen

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada

    Stephen Wong

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  1. Susan Shaheen
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Correspondence to Susan Shaheen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris

  2. EECS, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Alexandre M. Bayen

  3. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, CA, USA

    Giovanni Circella

  4. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA

    R. Jayakrishnan

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Shaheen, S., Wong, S. (2023). The Future of Public Transit and Shared Mobility: Policy Actions and Research Options for COVID-19 Recovery. In: Loukaitou-Sideris, A., Bayen, A.M., Circella, G., Jayakrishnan, R. (eds) Pandemic in the Metropolis. Springer Tracts on Transportation and Traffic, vol 20. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-00148-2_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-00148-2_20

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-00147-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-00148-2

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