When is Public Transit Too Crowded, and How Has This Changed During the Pandemic?

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended people to follow social distancing guidelines. To track and evaluate transit operator implementation of social distancing recommendations, UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) researchers searched for and reviewed the websites of 200 transit agencies across the U.S. Of the 200 transit agencies investigated, only 92 (46%) publicized their pre-pandemic crowding standards, and only 84 (42%) publicized their pandemic-specific crowding standards. This suggests that a majority of transit operators either have not formally adopted, or do not publicize, these standards. For each transit operator surveyed, we sought to identify and compare the definitions of crowding before and during the pandemic. In general, pre-pandemic definitions of crowding on 35-, 40-, and 60-foot buses are consistent with those recommended in the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual. Amidst the pandemic, the transit agencies surveyed reduced their crowding standard from 69% to 83%, on average, to ensure social distancing among passengers.

About the Project

The global COVID-19 pandemic has shocked many economic and social systems. One of the most profoundly affected has been the public transit systems that serve cities large and small. Ridership initially plummeted, service has been cut, and in some cases slashed, and public health concerns are many, and finances are increasingly tight on public transit systems around the globe, in the U.S., and here in California. To understand how public transit is evolving in the pandemic, UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies researchers have looked into what transit service is changing, how it is changing, why it is changing, and for whom it is changing. The project has also examined how well the changes made affect the spread of COVID-19, and how transit can continue to safely serve the mobility needs of essential workers during the pandemic.