Research on global urban mobility reveals the impact of COVID-19 on transport habits

New research shows that COVID-19 has changed mobility patterns worldwide, affecting walking, driving and using public transport published in The Lancet Public Health. The study, led by an international team including researchers from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, analyzed data from nearly 300 cities to understand how urban transportation habits adapted during the pandemic.

“COVID-19 created a global ‘natural experiment’ that gave us a unique opportunity to study real-time changes in urban mobility,” said Rodrigo Reis, professor at the Brown School and co-author of the study titled: “City mobility patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of a global natural experiment.”

The team examined data from Apple’s Mobility Trends Reports, which covered 296 cities around the world from January 2020 to February 2022. The research showed a sharp decline in all modes of transport during the first lockdowns of 2020. However, in April 2020, mobility began to recover at different rates, influenced by city density, the severity of the pandemic and economic conditions.

“When considering a future pandemic, this study demonstrates the complementary roles that multiple sectors, including transportation planning, urban design and healthcare, can play in responding to both existing and emerging public health challenges,” Reis said. “Integrating and coordinating policies and actions that promote healthy urban planning, including active transportation, will help future-proof cities against the impacts of pandemics.”

Lower-density cities had a faster recovery in driving and walking, while dense urban areas that relied on public transit recovered more slowly. Cities with higher infection rates saw more driving and walking, while those with fewer cases resorted to public transportation.

The study also examined more than 500 global mobility and active transport policies, with the aim of informing future urban planning that supports healthier and more resilient cities.

“Active transportation such as walking, cycling and public transportation have known health benefits,” Reis said. “It reduces the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and premature death and provides multiple additional benefits, including environmental, economic and social benefits. Active travel can jointly address major challenges in cities, such as road safety and congestion, chronic diseases, fiscal constraints, aviation pollution and CO2 emissions.”