IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i6p5048-d1095434.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Contributing Factors to the Changes in Public and Private Transportation Mode Choice after the COVID-19 Outbreak in Urban Areas of China

Author

Listed:
  • Haiyan Liu

    (School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China)

  • Jaeyoung Lee

    (School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
    Department of Civil, Environmental & Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously affected the whole of human society worldwide. Travel patterns have greatly changed due to the increased risk perception and the governmental interventions regarding COVID-19. This study aimed to identify contributing factors to the changes in public and private transportation mode choice behavior in China after COVID-19 based on an online questionnaire survey. In the survey, travel behaviors in three periods were studied: before the outbreak (before 27 December 2019), the peak (from 20 January to 17 March 2020), and after the peak (from 18 March to the date of the survey). A series of random-parameter bivariate Probit models was developed to quantify the relationship between individual characteristics and the changes in travel mode choice. The key findings indicated that individual sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, ownership, occupation, residence) have significant effects on the changes in mode choice behavior. Other key findings included (1) a higher propensity to use a taxi after the peak compared to urban public transportation (i.e., bus and subway); (2) a significant impact of age on the switch from public transit to private car and two-wheelers; (3) more obvious changes in private car and public transportation modes in more developed cities. The findings from this study are expected to be useful for establishing partial and resilient policies and ensuring sustainable mobility and travel equality in the post-pandemic era.

Suggested Citation

  • Haiyan Liu & Jaeyoung Lee, 2023. "Contributing Factors to the Changes in Public and Private Transportation Mode Choice after the COVID-19 Outbreak in Urban Areas of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5048-:d:1095434
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/5048/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/5048/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Beck, Matthew J. & Hensher, David A., 2020. "Insights into the impact of COVID-19 on household travel and activities in Australia – The early days of easing restrictions," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 95-119.
    2. Naveen, B.R. & Gurtoo, Anjula, 2022. "Public transport strategy and epidemic prevention framework in the Context of Covid-19," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 165-174.
    3. Hector Monterde-i-Bort & Matus Sucha & Ralf Risser & Tatiana Kochetova, 2022. "Mobility Patterns and Mode Choice Preferences during the COVID-19 Situation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-13, January.
    4. Wei Liu & Xiao-Guang Yue & Paul B. Tchounwou, 2020. "Response to the COVID-19 Epidemic: The Chinese Experience and Implications for Other Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-6, March.
    5. Carolina Silva Costa & Cira Souza Pitombo & Felipe Lobo Umbelino de Souza, 2022. "Travel Behavior before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil: Mobility Changes and Transport Policies for a Sustainable Transportation System in the Post-Pandemic Period," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-25, April.
    6. Rebecca Brough & Matthew Freedman & David C. Phillips, 2021. "Understanding socioeconomic disparities in travel behavior during the COVID‐19 pandemic," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(4), pages 753-774, September.
    7. Farrukh Baig & Konstantinos Kirytopoulos & Jaeyoung Lee & Evangelos Tsamilis & Ruizhi Mao & Panagiotis Ntzeremes, 2022. "Changes in People’s Mobility Behavior in Greece after the COVID-19 Outbreak," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-22, March.
    8. Zhang, Yunchang & Fricker, Jon D., 2021. "Quantifying the impact of COVID-19 on non-motorized transportation: A Bayesian structural time series model," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 11-20.
    9. Cui, Qi & He, Ling & Liu, Yu & Zheng, Yanting & Wei, Wei & Yang, Bo & Zhou, Meifang, 2021. "The impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on China’s transport sectors based on the CGE model coupled with a decomposition analysis approach," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 103-115.
    10. Beck, Matthew J. & Hensher, David A., 2020. "Insights into the impact of COVID-19 on household travel and activities in Australia – The early days under restrictions," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 76-93.
    11. Armando Cartenì & Luigi Di Francesco & Ilaria Henke & Teresa Valentina Marino & Antonella Falanga, 2021. "The Role of Public Transport during the Second COVID-19 Wave in Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-18, October.
    12. Wen, W. & Yang, S. & Zhou, P. & Gao, S.Z., 2021. "Impacts of COVID-19 on the electric vehicle industry: Evidence from China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    13. Downey, Lucy & Fonzone, Achille & Fountas, Grigorios & Semple, Torran, 2022. "The impact of COVID-19 on future public transport use in Scotland," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 338-352.
    14. Hamza Zubair & Ampol Karoonsoontawong & Kunnawee Kanitpong, 2022. "Effects of COVID-19 on Travel Behavior and Mode Choice: A Case Study for the Bangkok Metropolitan Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-26, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yukun Gao & Pengjun Zhao, 2024. "Tracing long-term commute mode choice shifts in Beijing: four years after the COVID-19 pandemic," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Luan, Siliang & Yang, Qingfang & Jiang, Zhongtai & Wang, Wei, 2021. "Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on individual's travel mode choice in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 271-280.
    2. Shuai Yu & Bin Li & Dongmei Liu, 2023. "Exploring the Public Health of Travel Behaviors in High-Speed Railway Environment during the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Perspective of Trip Chain: A Case Study of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomera," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-22, January.
    3. Zhou, Kaile & Hu, Dingding & Li, Fangyi, 2022. "Impact of COVID-19 on private driving behavior: Evidence from electric vehicle charging data," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 164-178.
    4. Möllers, Alessa & Specht, Sebastian & Wessel, Jan, 2022. "The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and government intervention on active mobility," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 356-375.
    5. Li, Tao & Wang, Jiaoe & Huang, Jie & Yang, Wenyue & Chen, Zhuo, 2021. "Exploring the dynamic impacts of COVID-19 on intercity travel in China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    6. Kim, Suji & Lee, Sujin & Ko, Eunjeong & Jang, Kitae & Yeo, Jiho, 2021. "Changes in car and bus usage amid the COVID-19 pandemic: Relationship with land use and land price," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    7. Emma Strömblad & Lena Winslott Hiselius & Lena Smidfelt Rosqvist & Helena Svensson, 2021. "Adaptive Travel Behaviors to Cope with COVID-19: A Swedish Qualitative Study Focusing on Everyday Leisure Trips," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-17, November.
    8. Anwar, Muhammad Azfar & Dhir, Amandeep & Jabeen, Fauzia & Zhang, Qingyu & Siddiquei, Ahmad Nabeel, 2023. "Unconventional green transport innovations in the post-COVID-19 era. A trade-off between green actions and personal health protection," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    9. Jun Zhang & Shenghao Zhao & Chaonan Peng & Xianming Gong, 2022. "Spatial Heterogeneity of the Recovery of Road Traffic Volume from the Impact of COVID-19: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, November.
    10. Shirgaokar, Manish & Reynard, Darcy & Collins, Damian, 2021. "Using twitter to investigate responses to street reallocation during COVID-19: Findings from the U.S. and Canada," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 300-312.
    11. Chen, Chao & Feng, Tao & Gu, Xiaoning & Yao, Baozhen, 2022. "Investigating the effectiveness of COVID-19 pandemic countermeasures on the use of public transport: A case study of The Netherlands," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 98-107.
    12. Molloy, Joseph & Schatzmann, Thomas & Schoeman, Beaumont & Tchervenkov, Christopher & Hintermann, Beat & Axhausen, Kay W., 2021. "Observed impacts of the Covid-19 first wave on travel behaviour in Switzerland based on a large GPS panel," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 43-51.
    13. van Wee, Bert & Witlox, Frank, 2021. "COVID-19 and its long-term effects on activity participation and travel behaviour: A multiperspective view," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    14. Currie, Graham & Jain, Taru & Aston, Laura, 2021. "Evidence of a post-COVID change in travel behaviour – Self-reported expectations of commuting in Melbourne," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 218-234.
    15. Feuillet, Thierry & Bulteau, Julie & Dantan, Sophie, 2021. "Modelling context-specific relationships between neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage and private car use," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    16. Beck, Matthew J. & Hensher, David A. & Nelson, John D., 2021. "Public transport trends in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic: An investigation of the influence of bio-security concerns on trip behaviour," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    17. Shelat, Sanmay & Cats, Oded & van Cranenburgh, Sander, 2022. "Traveller behaviour in public transport in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 357-371.
    18. Beck, Matthew J. & Hensher, David A., 2022. "Australia 6 months after COVID-19 restrictions- part 1: Changes to travel activity and attitude to measures," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 286-298.
    19. Yang, Senyan & Ning, Lianju & Jiang, Tingfeng & He, Yingqi, 2021. "Dynamic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the regional express logistics: Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 111-124.
    20. Kwang-Sub Lee & Jin Ki Eom, 2024. "Systematic literature review on impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding measures on mobility," Transportation, Springer, vol. 51(5), pages 1907-1961, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5048-:d:1095434. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.