August 2020

The COVID-19 Effect

How is Urban Mobility
Evolving Across the World?

The world’s leading

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) solutions provider
Introduction
Public transportation ridership is a key indicator of how economies
around the globe are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As people
emerge from their lockdowns, governments, transit agencies, and
operators are trying to determine how to provide service that will
reassure riders they can safely return to public transit.
The challenges posed by the coronavirus Those were some of the questions thousands of
have created uncertainty in how public commuters were asked during May–July 2020
transportation can recover after historic by Moovit, in order to help understand how
ridership lows and fear of catching the to manage public transit post-COVID-19. This
virus. Social distancing is here to stay for report looks at how people commuted before
the foreseeable future, and yet public the pandemic, as restrictions ease, and how
transportation remains and will continue to be they expect to get around town 6 months from
a lifeline around the world. now. We also discovered the measures riders
want to see instated in order to feel safe taking
Will public transit ridership bounce back? And public transit.
what will encourage riders to use mass transit
more in the upcoming months? Here’s a look inside the evolution of urban
mobility habits due to COVID-19.

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

United States
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the United
States, respecting social distancing is the #1 factor What will encourage you to use public
across all cities in the report that would encourage transport more often after lockdown?
more public transit use.
Contactless
More vehicles Real-time info
payment
Taking a deeper look at what types One more interesting form of
Higher frequency of vehicles to Real-time arrival info to reduce Touchless payment systems and/
of social distancing riders want, social distancing is touchless reduce crowdedness waiting time at crowded stops or mobile ticketing

we see that a higher frequency of payments and mobile ticketing,

vehicles to prevent overcrowding
takes the lead. Real-time arrival
data, allowing passengers to wait
less time at crowded stops, comes
in a close second.
which around 30% of Americans
said would encourage them to
return to public transit.

In six months, transit ridership in US cities

is expected to return to an average of
18% below pre-COVID-19 levels

51% 43% 31% 53% 46% 33% 45% 47% 25% 53% 48% 32%
Chicago New York City/ Philadelphia Washington, DC
New Jersey

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

Australia
A higher frequency of vehicles to avoid traveling on crowded
buses or trains is the leading way to encourage more usage of Evolution of urban mobility due to
public transport in Australia. COVID-19 in Sydney

Riders in three of the country’s biggest
cities — Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide
— want real-time information in order
to spend less time waiting at crowded
stops. Adelaide leads with 30% more
people that chose this reason. The same
goes for knowing in advance which
vehicles are crowded.
Within six months, transport ridership in
Public transport Private car
Sydney is expected to return to nearly
pre-COVID-19 levels, according to user
Walking Other
responses. Private car use has slightly
increased post-lockdown but will return
to pre-COVID-19 levels within six months.
62%
54%

43%

34%

What would encourage Higher frequency

Contactless or 26%

53%
of vehicles 25%

you to use public to reduce

crowdedness
29% mobile payment
systems
17%
transport more often in
Melbourne? 9% 9%
11%

Real-time arrival Knowing 6%

4%

40% 39%
info to reduce in advance
waiting time at when vehicles
crowded stops are crowded
Before lockdown After lockdown 6 months’ time

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

Italy
Italy was one of the first countries
after China to be hit hard by How will you get around Private car/scooter

COVID-19, and public transportation in the coming months?

ridership dropped by 90% between 31%

March and May 2020.

18% Don’t know yet

Although Italians suffered greatly during the

2%
pandemic, citizens seem to feel safer now and 49%
are adapting to their ‘New Normal’. Shared mobility

When asked how they got around during the Public transport

lockdown, 32% said they continued using

public transportation, and half of respondents
said they plan to use public transportation for
their daily needs in the coming months.
Why will you I used it before COVID-19

Asked why they prefer public transportation,

prefer to use public
35% answered that they used it before
transport in the 35.4%
COVID-19.
coming months?
4.6%
60% Following the pandemic, it’s
more affordable for me

I have no other means of

transportation

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

France
Pre-COVID-19, France had high usage of public
transportation, and even with a big decrease in
ridership during the lockdown, French respondents
indicated their ridership will return to pre-COVID-19
levels within six months.
Lyon saw the biggest drop in public transport
usage, with a decrease of 24% right after
lockdown, though in 6 months’ time, ridership
What will encourage you to use public
will be close to pre-COVID-19 levels. transport in Paris more often after
lockdown?
When asked what would bring French residents
back to public transport, the leading answer
Real-time arrival info to reduce
was having real-time arrival information to waiting time at crowded stops
43%
avoid waiting at crowded stops. In terms of new
technologies to facilitate social distancing, Higher frequency of vehicles to

17% of respondents would like to be able to pay

reduce crowdedness
36%
for public transport by touchless payment or Pre-booking seats for trips with
mobile ticketing systems. limited passengers
31%
Knowing in advance when
vehicles are crowded
26%
Contactless or mobile payment
systems
12%

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

Spain
In Spain, COVID-19 kept 80% of the respondents in
total lockdown. One month after restrictions were
lifted, things looked very different, with only 20%
remaining at home with no plans to leave, though the What will encourage you to use
vast majority said they will travel only when necessary. public transport more often after
lockdown?
When asked during lockdown how they plan to get around
afterwards, nearly half of respondents planned to ride by
More frequent cleaning and
bus, tram or trolley, and 36% planned to use the Metro. disinfection of vehicles
83%
When asked about alternatives to public transportation, Mandatory use of masks and
43% said they don’t see any other way to get around the city. gloves
65%
Higher frequency of vehicles to
reduce crowdedness
63%
Automatic door opening

How will you get around in the coming 52%

months? Real-time arrival info to reduce
waiting time at crowded stops
48%
Open windows
53% 9% 48% 36% 30% 15% 28%
Contactless or mobile payment

Walking Bicycle Bus/tram/ Metro Private car Carpooling

systems
27%
trolley

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

Germany
The city of Hamburg had the highest ridership numbers
during lockdown across all the cities we surveyed. Public What will encourage you to use public
transport there was also hit hardest right after the transport more often after lockdown?
lockdown, with a decrease of 31% vs. pre-COVID-19 levels.
More vehicles Real-time info Crowding info
In terms of getting Germans to vehicles are crowded, so they can
Higher frequency of vehicles to Real-time arrival info to reduce Knowing in advance when
return to public transport, higher avoid them if possible. reduce crowdedness waiting time at crowded stops vehicles are crowded

frequency vehicles was number

one. Another major factor is having
as much information as possible:
38% said they would like real-time
arrival information to avoid waiting at
crowded stops, and a similar number
would like to know in advance which
Our survey found that over a quarter
of Hamburg residents want to
adopt touchless payments and
mobile ticketing to maintain social
distancing.

Change in public transport usage in Germany

Munich
-6%
Berlin
-8%
Hamburg
-17%
57% 37% 37% 52% 39% 40% 57% 37% 39%
Before lockdown After lockdown 6 months from now Berlin Hamburg Munich

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

Israel
Public transportation usage in Israel was high
before COVID-19 hit the country, with almost 70% of In six months, transit ridership
respondents using it, and even after the lockdown is expected to return to just
there was only a 15% decrease. In 6 months, ridership 6% below pre-COVID-19 levels
will be just slightly below pre-COVID-19 levels.
What will make Israelis feel safe taking buses
and trains? The primary answer, with 71%, was
a higher frequency of vehicles for less crowded
journeys, more than any country in the survey. What will encourage you to use public
transport more often after lockdown?
Israelis also want to know when the bus is really
coming to the station to reduce waiting time in
Higher frequency of vehicles to
crowded stops: nearly two-thirds of respondents reduce crowdedness
71%
chose real-time arrival information as the main
factor in using public transport again. Real-time arrival info to reduce
waiting time at crowded stops
60%
Knowing in advance when
vehicles are crowded
34%
Contactless or mobile payment
systems
22%
Pre-booking seats for trips with
limited passengers
19%

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

United Kingdom
The UK is one of the countries that suffered the most
from COVID-19. That might be one of the reasons that Evolution of urban mobility due to COVID-19
we’re seeing a steep decline in transport ridership in in London
London, where it dropped by 44% right after lockdown
was eased. Public transport Walking Private car

Personal bicycle or
Before the lockdown, two thirds Personal car use has increased scooter
Ride-hailing Other

of Londoners were using public by around 50% and is expected

transport to get around the city, to remain higher than before the
while just over a third say they will pandemic. Out of the respondents
be using public transport after who expect to drive six months 66%

the lockdown. Of those who are from now, over half said they felt
choosing to use public transport, safer driving their personal car
more than half (54%) said they are than using public transport. 49%

only doing so as they have no other

option. 37%

31%

In six months, transport ridership

18%
is expected to return to 15%
12% 13%
16% 15%

26% below pre-COVID-19 levels 5%

7% 6%
3% 3% 2%
1% 1%

Before lockdown After lockdown 6 months’ time

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

Canada
Although it’s Canada’s largest city, Toronto didn’t see
as big a hit from COVID-19 compared to other big In six months’ time, transit ridership
cities in the country. But, while keeping themselves in Toronto is expected to return to
as healthy as possible, ridership slumped right after 23% below pre-COVID-19 levels
restrictions eased, to 34% below pre-COVID-19 levels.
In six months’ time, ridership is expected to rise to 23%
below pre-COVID-19 levels, according to users’ statements.

When asked what will make the people of Toronto use

public transport more, the top choice was a higher
frequency of vehicles. Other top contenders were getting
real-time arrival information to decrease wait time at What would encourage you to use public
crowded stops (49%), and knowing in advance which transport more often in Toronto?
vehicles are crowded (47%).
Higher frequency of vehicles to
reduce crowdedness
64%
Real-time arrival info to reduce
waiting time at crowded stops
49%
Knowing in advance when
vehicles are crowded
47%
Contactless or mobile payment
systems
35%

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, saw quite
a decrease in public transport usage Once the lockdown lifts, how will you get around
during the lockdown, with two-thirds of Lisbon?
respondents saying they didn’t have any
plans to move around the city.
16% 3% 80% 52% 13% 6% 6%
Once restrictions were lifted, however, the people of Lisbon
came back to use buses, trams, metros and other means of
public transport with only 13% of people staying at home.
Walking Bicycle Bus/tram/trolley Metro Private car Carpool Taxi
When asked about measures that will encourage them
to travel by public transport more often, the number one
measure was disinfection and cleaning of vehicles more What will encourage you to use
often. Other measures Lisbon transport-takers want to see public transport more often?
are increased bus frequency and mandatory distancing
between riders. More frequent cleaning and
disinfection of vehicles
83%
In addition, almost half of the respondents indicated they’re Higher frequency of vehicles to
not evaluating any alternative to public transport as they reduce crowdedness
78%
don’t see one.
Mandatory distance between
riders
75%
Mandatory use of masks and
gloves
74%

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

Brazil
Despite being one of the worst affected
countries in the world, Brazil’s public Change in public transport usage in Brazil
transportation has continued serving Before restrictions → During pandemic → 6 months’ time

riders in the biggest cities of Sao Paulo, 100%

Rio de Janeiro, and Brasilia during the

lockdown, as 75-80% of riders continued
to use transit. 50%

Interestingly, those ridership numbers will be similar

in six months, suggesting a possible migration
11% 9% 13% 12% 27% 33% 22%
towards walking and ride-hailing, both of which 0%
São Paulo Rio de Janeiro Brasília Belo Horizonte Fortaleza Porto Alegre Recife
popularized during the lockdown.

Ridership in smaller cities didn’t fare as well during

lockdown and will also pick up at a slower rate than
What would encourage you to use public
the bigger cities.
transport more often in Brazil?
When looking at what will encourage riders to return Higher frequency of vehicles to
to mass transit, more frequent buses to prevent reduce crowdedness 77%
crowding takes the lead, with real-time arrival info Real-time arrival info to reduce
waiting time at crowded stops 63%
coming in a close second. More accurate information
More accurate information on
on available service, as well as knowing in advance which lines are working 45%
if a bus is crowded followed in Brazilian riders’ main Knowing in advance when
requirements for a safe return. vehicles are crowded 44%

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

Conclusion
As we look to the future, cities, transit agencies and operators, and
corporations will need to rethink urban mobility. The continuation of
public transportation is critical to keeping citizens connected to their
jobs, schools, and essential services, especially for those who don’t have
other modes of transportation.
The thousands of responses we received from Moovit is here to help win those riders’ trust
real users around the world make it clear: back. We can help you keep riders up-to-
Public transit ridership and the needs of riders date, understand rider behavior, and manage
have changed, yet they are eager to get back capacity dynamically. In order to thrive in the
to their regular routines of getting around their post-coronavirus ecosystem, it’s imperative
city on their favorite bus, metro, or tram. to implement more digital, customer-focused
services and features that will both make
We have an opportunity to create a more riders feel safe and that they’re making the
sustainable system that will adapt to those right choice by taking public transportation.
needs. Services and capacity levels need to be Cities, agencies, and operators have a chance
planned proactively in order to support those never before seen to embrace new, improved
needs and encourage citizens to come back technologies and approaches to win riders
to public transit. Between better, real-time back and continue serving the public.
communication with riders, higher frequency
buses, and crowdedness information, cities,
operators, and agencies can seamlessly move
out of the ‘avoid’ stage and start giving riders
the confidence they need to safely ride public
transport.

© 2020 Moovit. All rights reserved.

Why Unmatched The world’s
Moovit? Global Experience largest repository
and Expertise of transit data
865M+ With over 865 million users, and operations in By combining information from public transit
users more than 106 countries, in over 3200 cities, we
know your cities and towns.
operators and authorities with live information
from the user community, Moovit offers

3200+
As urban mobility experts, we understand
that each city and operator has different
challenges. That’s why our solutions are
travelers the most accurate real-time picture of
the best route for their journey.
We have established an unprecedented

cities tailored and customized to your specific needs. community of users who send active reports
about their travel experience, such as bus

106
congestion levels, cleanliness, and more, to
help others have a better travel experience.

This is how we generate up to 6 billion

countries anonymous data points every day, creating

the world’s largest repository of people’s

45
movement data, and driving unmatched
insights to our customers and users.

languages

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 Want to learn how to adapt quickly
to your riders’ ‘new normal’
and how to win them back?

Drop us an email at maas_solutions@moovit.com