Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Ridesourcing Usage: A Case Study of Chicago

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented change in transportation, including shared mobility services. This study examined the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on ridesourcing usage by leveraging two years (2019 and 2020) of daily ridesourcing trip data in Chicago, Illinois. The study employed a set of Random Effects Panel models to examine the factors contributing to changes in ridesourcing usage before and during the pandemic and how the COVID-19 related policies issued by the state and local agencies affected ridesourcing trips. Results show: i) a considerable drop in total daily trips, total daily trip distances, and total daily trip durations was observed once the stay-at-home order was issued, while an increase in average daily trip distances was evident during the stay-at-home period; ii) the south and west parts of Chicago experienced a relatively larger increase in ridesourcing services during the reopen-I period than the stay-at-home and reopen-II periods; iii) areas with higher employment density produced fewer ridesourcing trips during the pandemic while it was the opposite during the pre-pandemic period; iv) areas with higher median income households, higher employment density, and more rail stations experienced a greater decrease in the change of daily total ridesourcing trips, total trip distances, and total trip durations during the periods of state of emergency and stay-at-home orders. Results of this study provide insights for the policymakers and ridesourcing operators to better respond to an unprecedented crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic and help them to rebuild the ridesourcing ridership in the post-pandemic era.