Transportation emissions during pandemic: duality of impacts

Abstract

Through the lens of an electric bicycle (E-bike) sharing program, this paper shows how the impact of the pandemic on transportation emissions can be multifaceted by impacting both (i) modal usage and (ii) trip generation. The pandemic led to a decrease in the number of trips by travelers, but it also induced a modal shift away from shared mobility into personalized modes. As a result, estimates of transportation emissions can present conflicting figures. In this work, we collect data on the travel behavior of users of an E-bike sharing program in Madison, Wisconsin, before and during the pandemic. Observations on trip choices and modal shifts of users provide means to estimate their relative and overall impact on transportation emissions. Results suggest that the influence of the pandemic on transportation behavior and environmental emissions is convoluted. Post-pandemic environmental implications would depend on the extent of recovery between modal shares and trip generations.