Transit Riders Want An Improved Experience Post-Pandemic, Survey Says

According to an article by Skip Descant, "[p]ublic transit riders in post-lockdown America want their buses and trains to arrive on time, with shorter wait times, and they want to be kept up to speed on crowding and cleanliness." While these might seem like basic expectations, the pandemic highlighted the gaps in transit service and, at the same time, accelerated the implementation of certain service improvements that riders will expect to continue in the post-COVID era.

A recent survey of 1,200 transit riders showed that most people "want apps or tech features to improve the transit experience. These can come in the form of real-time vehicle-crowding data, or technology that integrates trip planning across multiple modes and payment." The survey also showed that 40 percent of transit riders use two forms of transportation during their commute, while 20 percent use three forms of mobility, "making the case for better multimodal integration across transportation systems." Respondents also indicated a desire to see continued protocols to limit crowding.

"COVID-19 has shown itself to be a time of innovation across government sectors — some of it forced, while in other cases hastening trends already in place — and presents opportunities for better systems than before the pandemic, say observers." To help transit recover, transit agencies can use rider feedback on pandemic measures to inform their decisions about how to improve future service and provide "compelling options" that make it easier for commuters to ditch their cars.