Variables Explaining the Modal Shift in Public Transport Use Due to COVID-19 in an Urban Environment in Queretaro

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the way we move around due to the constant risk of contracting the virus and the social-distancing measures and restrictions implemented by the authorities. These have produced changes in modal travel behaviors because of the perception of COVID-19. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the significant variables that explain the relationship of COVID-related socio-demographic, commuting, and integral perception variables with the modal shift in urban mobility of public transport users. To this end, we considered the socio-demographic, commuting, and integral perception characteristics of users to estimate a binary logistic regression model based on data from 365 valid questionnaires applied in the Benito Juarez Industrial Park (PIBJ, in Spanish), located in the Santiago de Queretaro urban zone, Mexico. The results show that occupation, commuting time, awareness about the consequences of becoming infected, the possibility of becoming infected while using/not using public transport, and whether using public transport is considered risky are variables significantly related to the modal shift in public transport users during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2022 Instituto de Geografia. All rights reserved.