Sustainable mobility in auto-dominated Metro Boston: Challenges and opportunities post-COVID-19

Smart and Resilient Urban Futures for Sustainability in the Post COVID-19 Era: A Review of Policy Responses on Urban Mobility

“…Moovit [32], a popular transit app, released a public transport index with near real-time public transit data showing a decline in the usage of public transit reaching record low levels in many large cities, immediately after the introduction of mobility restrictions (e.g., 90% in London, 92% in Lyon). Public transport ridership has fallen sharply during the lockdown and beyond, due to the widespread use of teleworking and e-learning, as well as the fear of infection (especially in mass transit, which already had the stigma of being "dirty and crowded") [33]. Apart from losing passengers' trust, operators also carried the burden of implementing new hygiene protocols (e.g., frequent sanitization of public transportation vehicles and stations) and adopting new rules of operation (e.g., reduction of maximum occupancy) [5].…”

“…Smart city advancements could be further utilized in the context of the pandemic to address new needs that emerged in the urban mobility sector. The economic, social, and environmental benefits of public transport cannot be ignored, and therefore, its future should be re-examined in terms of the provided services and customer experience [33]. New rules of operation (e.g., IoT and smart systems for monitoring and controlling occupancy), securing complete functionality, improvements to infrastructure (e.g., smart ventilation systems, thermal cameras for monitoring passengers' temperature), and the use of automated systems and services (informing about occupancy level and alternatives and influencing real-time demand, online ticket purchase, etc.)…”

“…The future of urban sustainability depends on the recovery of mass transit ridership, and the complementary use of other sustainable means in order to avoid auto-dependence, congestion, and an increase in pollution [33]. However, this challenge can only be addressed in combination with changes in city planning, and the success of this effort will reflect cities' readiness to deal with major challenges [19].…”

The Implementation of the Smart City Process—Researchers’ Knowledge in Detecting Transport System Defects

“…The mode choice in many cities has changed during the pandemic. There was an increase in car use and decrease in traveling by public transport [6][7][8][9][10].…”

“…Combs et al [11] noticed worldwide measurements such as carving out roadway space for pedestrian and cyclists or reducing speed limits. Basu et al [9] added that a multi-modal approach will be needed to ensure affordable and sustainable urban mobility.…”