Six Hidden Changes in Mobility During COVID-19 and Their Impact on Future Transport Technologies and Research Direction

Transportation is integral to our daily activities, not only for social well-being but also economic success. Transformative technologies such as automation and ride pooling services due to comfort and convenience should enhance our use of mobility and complement public transit. However, restrictions on movement due to the COVID-19 pandemic have raised questions related to transport resilience and its long-term societal impact. Alternative mode choice for many individuals in the United States, for example, may not be an option given the low transit and land-use density distribution outside the urban core. This combined with inadequate funding, limits job growth spearing inequality and prejudice. Spatio-temporal distribution of cities that shape activity and transport accessibility have not fully benefited some population segments socioeconomically. Considerable research has been dedicated to understanding the impacts on public transit ridership, general trip frequency, distance and mode purpose, along with active health and the environment. Many existing studies around the pandemic’s global effect on mobility have largely investigated salient impacts on people and sectors loosely and in isolation, rather than collectively. It is therefore imperative to fully establish from evidence, key dimensions and changing patterns of transport and mobility since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, their implications, and lessons learned. This paper explores a thought leadership through guidance and insight, the hidden salient impacts of the pandemic in six key areas: transport sector employment, essential workers, personal vehicle ownership, telecommuting, ridesharing, and gender equality including ethnic minorities. Further research recommendations given the evolution of transport technologies in the context of future pandemics are also provided.