Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public transport
The COVID-19 pandemic had a large impact on public transport. Many countries advised that public transport should only be used when essential; passenger numbers fell drastically, and services were reduced. Provision of a reasonable service for the much smaller number of fare-paying passengers incurred large financial losses.
Protective measures such as obligatory mask-wearing and spacing of passengers where possible were introduced, and ventilation and sanitation (disinfection) were implemented. Protection required passengers and operators to make many changes to the way they operated and behaved.
The risks[edit]
It was suggested in March 2021 that the use of public transport had led to the spread of COVID-19.[1] There has been little evidence that mass transit poses a risk of covid infection.[2] According to Santé Publique France (Public Health France) in June 2020, none of 150 clusters of infection studied were due to public transport; it was suggested that this was helped by spacing passengers out, mask wearing, and disinfection of surfaces. Also, people talk and move little, especially when travelling alone.[3]
By October 2020 according to the Union Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP) there was evidence that, when appropriate measures are implemented, the risk of catching COVID-19 in public transport is very low. The UITP article said that analysis in the UK by the industry-funded Rail Research and Safety Board (RSSB) found that the probability of catching covid on a rail journey was 1 in 11,000 journeys. Later figures have not been released, but are believed to be significantly higher, and expected to increase with the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in July 2021 (see United Kingdom section).
Modelling at the US University of Colorado Boulder in North America found that the risk of being infected in a well-ventilated metro, or a bus, with minimal talking and movement is 0 percent after 70 minutes.[4]
