The Future of Public Transit and Shared Mobility: Policy Actions and Research Options for COVID-19 Recovery

The global tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic devastated communities and societies. The pandemic also upended public transit and shared mobility, causing declines in ridership, losses in revenue sources, and challenges in ensuring social equity. Despite ongoing uncertainty, guidance can instruct recovery and build a more resilient, socially equitable, and environmentally friendly transportation future. This chapter summarizes a recent scenario planning exercise conducted by the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies in collaboration with the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Executive Committee in Spring to Fall 2020. The exercise convened 36 transportation experts in the United States who developed policy actions and research options crafted to guide near- and long-term public transit and shared mobility. Clear themes emerged from the study regarding key actions for public transit operators in the areas of: (1) innovation and technology, (2) planning and operations, (3) customer focus, and (4) workforce development. A second grouping of broader policy strategies for both public transit and shared mobility included: (1) immediate policy and actions across actors, (2) alignment of societal objectives, (3) federal transportation spending authorization, and (4) finance and subsidies. While the exercise reiterated the need for rapid actions, thoughtful planning and decision-making can prepare both sectors for a more cooperative, multimodal ecosystem.