Navigating the post-pandemic urban landscape: Disparities in transportation recovery & regional insights from New York City

Abstract

The onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020 brought many transportation systems in North America to a standstill. As life returned to normal, various modes of transportation exhibited differing rates of recovery, with disparities across regions. Limited research has delved into the regional variations in the recovery of these modes of transit over the past years. Such analysis is crucial for gaining insights into urban recovery and resilience, as well as understanding the factors influencing such recovery. In this work, we investigate the usage recovery of taxis, ride-hailing services, and subway ridership following the Covid-19 pandemic. We focus on New York City as our case study, employing clustering techniques to identify neighborhoods with similar recovery patterns. Furthermore, we examine the socio-economic, demographic, and built-environment factors contributing to regional variations in this recovery. Our research findings reveal that different modes of transportation responded differently to the pandemic, and these responses exhibited regional disparities. These findings hold significance for future health-related emergency response strategies and the regulation of existing transportation infrastructure.