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Rethinking how we move in the world
Restarting society more thoughtfully, fairly and sustainably
There has been a significant drop in automobile use in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. According to Ram Pendyala, director of the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at ASU, Phoenix traffic may have been reduced by 30% during stay-athome orders.
“From a transportation perspective, it means reduced traffic and energy consumption, cleaner air and less wear and tear on our roads — all good things for sustainability,” Pendyala says. “But the lack of traffic is not really a good thing. Traffic is a sign of economic and social vitality. Mobility is a sign that people are interacting with each other, businesses are thriving. It’s only the adverse effects of traffic that we don’t want.”
Forecasting travel demand to better manage traffic, promote sustainable transportation and support infrastructure planning is a focus of Pendyala’s work. His research related to transportation offers insights for navigating the pandemic.
Many workplaces were closed, changing traffic levels and commuting patterns. With gyms closed, Valley paths became more crowded.
Lindsay Kinkade/ASU
His research into human preferences and behaviors related to transportation offers insights on the impact of social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak in America.
“For example, this experience could prompt us to think differently about the nature of work in the future,” Pendyala says. “On the one hand, we all enjoy the first weeks of telecommuting. But then workers begin to feel isolated and employers start getting concerned about productivity. We might see some increase in people working remotely on a permanent basis, but likely for only a part of each week, as opposed to the full-time telecommuting we see now.”
Pendyala also points out that public transportation ridership has dropped by as much as 60% during recent weeks. Though transport agencies like Valley Metro have instituted more stringent disinfection protocols, public fear is widespread and difficult to overcome.
Even alternatives to public transportation from ride-sharing services to micro-mobility are suffering, as people grapple with uncertainty about how the new coronavirus is transmitted.
