Covid-19 need not spell the death of public transport: Learning from Hanoi's safety measures

In-depth analysis of ambient air pollution changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Asian Monsoon region

The COVID-19 pandemic has given a chance for researchers and policymakers all over the world to study the impact of lockdowns on air quality in each country. This review aims to investigate the impact of the restriction of activities during the lockdowns in the Asian Monsoon region on the main criteria air pollutants. The various types of lockdowns implemented in each country were based on the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. The concentrations of major air pollutants, especially particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), reduced significantly in all countries, especially in South Asia (India and Bangladesh), during periods of full lockdown. There were also indications of a significant reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). At the same time, there were indications of increasing trends in surface ozone (O3), presumably due to nonlinear chemistry associated with the reduction of oxides of nitrogens (NOX). The reduction in the concentration of air pollutants can also be seen in satellite images. The results of aerosol optical depth (AOD) values followed the PM concentrations in many cities. A significant reduction of NO2 was recorded by satellite images in almost all cities in the Asian Monsoon region. The major reductions in air pollutants were associated with reductions in mobility. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Taiwan had comparatively positive gross domestic product growth indices in comparison to other Asian Monsoon nations during the COVID-19 pandemic. A positive outcome suggests that the economy of these nations, particularly in terms of industrial activity, persisted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the lockdowns implemented during COVID-19 suggest that air quality in the Asian Monsoon region can be improved by the reduction of emissions, especially those due to mobility as an indicator of traffic in major cities.

What if delivery riders quit? Challenges to last-mile logistics during the Covid-19 pandemic

Notoriously precarious, hazardous, and stressful, delivery jobs became even more onerous and dangerous during the pandemic. In this study, set in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, we applied Structural Equation Modelling to a large sample of primary data to measure delivery riders' intention to quit their jobs at the height of the pandemic. We found that job burnout was the key trigger to the intention to quit whereas the risk of Covid-19 infection did not directly affect this behavioral intention. Female riders, migrants, persons living with chronic diseases, and those who had seen their income decimated during the pandemic were more likely to want to quit their job. But if a mass of delivery drivers or riders had failed to show up for work, the last-mile delivery sector would have become paralysed, leaving individuals in various states of lockdown or isolation without food and supplies. As the sector is poised to retain its importance in the post-pandemic period, we recommend a number of approaches for both private companies and public policy makers to persuade riders to stay in their jobs. First and foremost, strategies to prevent and mitigate job burnout should be formulated.

An evaluation of the impact of COVID-19 safety measures in public transit spaces on riders' Worry of virus contraction

The coronavirus pandemic has brought about global change in travel behavior. Transit ridership volumes have dropped to record lows. Concerning environmental, health, and social consequences lie in store if transit networks are not able to regain a substantial portion of pre-pandemic users. Transit providers have implemented several interventions aimed at both slowing the spread of the virus and retaining riders as travel restrictions lift. While the effectiveness of these measures has been evaluated with respect to spread rate reduction, little consideration has been given to their impact on riders' feelings of worry regarding virus contraction. By deploying a photo-simulation approach in a randomized control trial, this study finds that level of compliance with safety measures and the conditions of transit spaces themselves significantly impact riders' levels of worry. Given these findings, a series of recommendations are made regarding compliance practices that are expected to lessen rider worry regarding the risks of COVID-19 infection.

Understanding the perceived behavior of public utility bus passengers during the era of COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines: Application of social exchange theory and theory of planned behavior

Over the years, passengers in the Philippines have relied on public utility bus (PUB) to reach a destination. However, PUB has been greatly affected by the adverse effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Therefore, the study analyzed passengers' behavior using PUB during the COVID-19 pandemic by integrating social exchange theory (SET) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB). A total of 505 PUB users completed the online questionnaire containing sixty-seven (67) measures. Through confirmatory factor analysis - structural equation modeling (CFA-SEM), all the twelve (12) hypotheses were found significant. Accessibility, safety, economic benefit, and crisis management had a significant and positive influence on passengers' trust. Moreover, passengers' trust produced a significant positive influence on attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Additionally, attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control generated a significant positive influence on the intention to use PUB. Furthermore, perceived behavioral control had a significant positive influence on perceived passenger behavior. Lastly, the intention to use PUB developed a substantial and positive influence on perceived passenger behavior. PUB companies and policymakers can utilize these findings to develop additional PUB reforms for the benefit of passengers, drivers, operators, companies, and the government during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among public transport workers in Sweden

INTRODUCTION

Public transportation is an essential societal function in crisis situations like the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Bus drivers and other public transport workers are essential workers that need to keep working despite the risk of contagion. The SARS-CoV-2 virus may pose an occupational health risk to public transport workers and especially to bus drivers as they interact with passengers in a confined area. By analyzing antibodies towards SARS-CoV-2 proteins in blood samples it is possible to measure if an individual has been infected by COVID-19. Here, we report the prevalence of antibodies among bus drivers and other public transport employees in Stockholm, Sweden and relate it to socio-demographic factors.

METHODS

Seroprevalence of IgG antibodies towards SARS-CoV-2 proteins was investigated in a sample of 262 non-vaccinated public transport workers (182 men and 40 women) recruited between April 26 and May 7, 2021. Most of the participants were bus drivers (n = 222). The relationship between socio-demographic factors and seroprevalence was investigated with logistic regression.

RESULTS

The seroprevalence was 50% in the total sample of public transport workers. Among bus drivers, 51% were seropositive compared to 44% seropositive among the other public transport workers. The difference was not significant. The seroprevalence was higher than the national seroprevalence in Sweden during the same period (18.3% in non-vaccinated people aged 20-64 years). The logistic regression model using Wald forward selection showed that men had a higher risk of being seropositive (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.3 - 5.8) and there was a higher risk with increasing number of people in the household (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1 - 1.6).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings could imply an occupational risk for COVID-19 infection among public transport workers. Infection control measures are warranted during virus epidemics to assure bus drives' safety and reduce transmission in public transport.

Analysis of the Face Mask Use by Public Transport Passengers and Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

(1) Background: The use of face masks and gloves in public places directly shows the commitment of the population to the established regulations. Public transport is one of the most-at-risk places of contamination. The aim of the study was to analyze the face mask use by public transport passengers and workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: Public transport passengers and workers were surveyed. Periodic intermittent selective observation was used to gauge the level of adherence to the established regulations among public transport passengers. Factor analysis was used to identify factors determining the face-mask-wearing comfort. (3) Results: The majority of passengers (87.5%) and all transport workers (100%) used face masks and gloves. Most of the users wore only face masks. Only 41.6% of passengers and 74.7% of transport workers wore face masks correctly. Motivational attitudes at the implementation of preventive measures were determined: established regulations in the public place (55.8%) and the protection of one's own health and the health of family members (44.2%). Only 22.5% of those wearing face masks believed that doing so will have any effect on the spread of an infectious disease, and 10.8% wore masks to maintain the health of people around themselves. A low level of social responsibility was demonstrated. For 53.4% of workers, face mask wearing was uncomfortable. The majority of workers had adverse reactions to mask wearing: feeling short of breath (52.8%), hyperemia of face skin (33.8%), and facial hyperhidrosis (67.4%). (4) Conclusions: The comfort of wearing a mask is determined by adverse reactions occurrence, the properties of the mask, working conditions, and the duration of wearing the face mask. It is necessary to develop recommendations to reduce wearing discomfort. These recommendations, along with methods of raising the social responsibility of the population, can contribute to a greater commitment of the population to non-specific prevention measures.

Optimization of Logistics System with Fuzzy FMEA-AHP Methodology

The COVID-19 pandemic broke out and the global logistics industry suffered severe losses; therefore, the Fuzzy FMEA-AHP (Fuzzy Failure Mode and Effects Analysis-Analytic Hierarchy Process) method is proposed to analyze the failure reasons of the logistics system in the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, we have made an optimization on the basis of the FMEA method: the fuzzy is integrated into the FMEA algorithm, referred to as F-RPWN (fuzzy risk priority-weighted number). Meanwhile, the AHP is used to determine the weights of risk indicators. In this article, we consider new logistics failures, such as the failure modes and failure reasons of the logistics system under the COVID-19 pandemic. There are 12 failures that have been determined, and relevant preventive and corrective measures have been recommended to cut off the path of failure propagation and reduce the impact of failures. In addition, the proposed method can help logistics firms, their supply chain partners, and customers with risk management issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Can continued anti-epidemic measures help post-COVID-19 public transport recovery? Evidence from Taiwan

Introduction and objective

COVID-19 has transformed economic activities and travel behavior, especially for public transport use. When a pandemic ebbs, clarifying travel behavior changes and whether to continue public transport anti-epidemic measures is essential for a post-COVID-19 public transport renaissance. Therefore, this study investigated citizens' metro use behavior across the pre-, in-, and post-COVID-19 phases and post-COVID-19 mode choice in transit service and anti-epidemic policies.

Methods

Through face-to-face interviews, 235 citizens were systematically sampled in proportion to district populations in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, as respondents to conduct analysis of variance for metro use changes and mixed logit modeling for mode choice.

Results

Analysis of variance indicated an overall decrease in metro use from the pre- to in-COVID-19 phase and, for loyal-metro-user citizens, a recovery after entering the post-COVID-19 phase. Moreover, a mixed logit model illustrated that post-COVID-19 metro use was facilitated by mandatory mask wearing in the metro system, rather than transit service levels, and affected by age, number of household children, and pre-COVID-19 travel habits.

Conclusions

Continuing mandatory mask wearing within public transport in an early post-pandemic time and fostering transit use habits in non-pandemic times can help recover post-COVID-19 transit ridership. Moreover, a transit use promotion scheme may not need to target loyal users with original use before and no complete suspension after COVID-19.

Health and safety risks faced by delivery riders during the Covid-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES

Delivery riders have been front-line workers throughout the pandemic but little is known about their own health and safety during this time. This study explores the health and safety issues facing delivery riders in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, during the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular during the second lockdown (May-October 2021).

METHOD

A web-based survey of more than 800 riders was conducted in August-September 2021. Following descriptive statistics, four logit models were fitted to examine the factors associated with (a) sanitizing one's hands, (b) using a face shield, (c) contracting a new health issue, and (d) engaging in riskier traffic behaviors during the lockdown.

RESULTS

The riders who were less consistent in adopting health and safety measures tended to be male, older, less-educated, and vaccinated. Also, they were under greater financial pressure and had suffered a larger loss of income during the pandemic. To recover the loss, they worked longer hours and felt under more intense pressure at work. The job pressure, long working hours, and financial burdens led many drivers to adopt risky traffic behaviors, such as speeding. Conversely, where the companies and co-workers were more supportive, riders tended to adopt health prevention measures more often. Fear of Covid-19 also acted as a facilitator. Job and financial pressure combined with the fear of contracting the virus contributed to the occurrence of new heath issues during the pandemic. Again, support from the company and co-workers helped to reduce the risk of new health problems emerging.

CONCLUSION

In Ho Chi Minh City and other Global South megacities that employ tens of thousands of riders, ensuring their health and safety is important to support both private businesses and public health. Overall, companies should assume a much larger responsibility here.

The emergence of recreational cycling in Hanoi during the Covid-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES

This study examined recreational cycling in Hanoi, Vietnam, with a particular focus on changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. The research questions were: (1) Has recreational cycling increased during the Covid-19 pandemic?; (2) If so, what factors have led to the increase?; and (3) What are some of the typical traits and behaviors of recreational cyclists?

METHOD

Face-to-face surveys of 356 recreational cyclists were carried out in March-April 2021 in four areas of inner Hanoi. The survey data were modelled through two binary and one ordinal logit regression.

RESULTS

Recreational cycling has become much more popular in Hanoi during the Covid-19 pandemic, with early morning being the preferred time for this activity (to avoid heavy traffic). A quarter of the participants had starting cycling recreationally since the first lockdown in April 2020, and about three quarters reported having noticed an increase in cycling activity around them. Nearly half of the participants cycled regularly (more than four times per week). The groups that were most likely to have taken up cycling for recreations during the pandemic included men, those living with children in the home, and those not working or studying. Age and income were not significant. People have been embracing cycling as a way to maintain or increase physical activity levels, and to safely socialize at the time when social gatherings are limited, walking is prohibited in some zones, and social distancing rules apply everywhere.

CONCLUSION

To sustain the growth in recreational cycling and widen the time-window for this activity while ensuring everyone's safety, Hanoi's planning and public health sectors should join forces to adopt a combination of 'hard' and 'soft' measures. The authors recommend creating multi-use paths for micromobility modes, launching a public bikesharing scheme, regulating motorised modes, and social marketing that promotes recreational cycling as trendy.

Why are Hanoi students giving up on bus ridership?

University students are regarded as a readily available market segment for public transport. In Hanoi, as elsewhere, they constitute a large portion of bus passengers. However, one portion has been quitting buses, and the reasons were so far unknown. Nor was it clear whether they planned on retuning. Through a survey of more than 800 students in seven higher education institutions, this study aimed to find the answers to these questions. The study revealed that bus ridership was determined by socio-demographic variables (year of studies, household income, employment status, motorcycle ownership), environmental variables (home-university distance), and psychological variables (convenience, bus staff behaviour, risk of sexual harassment, reliability and health, image and status). A negative disruptor such as the fear of Covid-19 infection had little effect on the decision to continue riding buses. Meanwhile, the prospect of riding 'clean and green' electric buses, which were introduced in a pilot program, was a positive disruptor that may lead a portion of students to return to public transport.

Spatial Analysis of Environmental Impacts Linked to Changes in Urban Mobility Patterns during COVID-19: Lessons Learned from the Cartagena Case Study

The impact of the pandemic caused by COVID-19 on urban pollution in our cities is a proven fact, although its mechanisms are not known in great detail. The change in urban mobility patterns due to the restrictions imposed on the population during lockdown is a phenomenon that can be parameterized and studied from the perspective of spatial analysis. This study proposes an analysis of the guiding parameters of these changes from the perspective of spatial analysis. To do so, the case study of the city of Cartagena, a medium-sized city in Spain, has been analyzed throughout the period of mobility restrictions due to COVID-19. By means of a geostatistical analysis, changes in urban mobility patterns and the modal distribution of transport have been correlated with the evolution of environmental air quality indicators in the city. The results show that despite the positive effect of the pandemic in its beginnings on the environmental impact of urban mobility, the changes generated in the behavior patterns of current mobility users favor the most polluting modes of travel in cities.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on public bus occupancy and real-world tailpipe emissions of gaseous pollutants per passenger kilometer traveled

Public buses typically have less emission per passenger kilometer traveled (PKT) than private cars and motorcycles, and the emission benefit of public buses increases with ridership. However, the drop in public bus usage during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic could lead to an increase in air pollutant emissions per PKT, making the emission benefits of public buses questionable. This study investigated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on public bus occupancy rates in Taichung City, Taiwan, and also compared real-world emissions per PKT of carbon monoxide (CO), total hydrocarbons (THC), nitric oxide (NO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) of a public bus before and during the pandemic. Mean bus occupancy rates were 11–25% on different bus routes before the pandemic, indicating that only a fourth or less of the bus passenger capacity was utilized. During the pandemic, mean bus occupancy rates dropped to 4–15%. Moreover, the public bus was less polluting based on CO and THC emissions than the car and motorcycle, even at the low passenger occupancy rates observed during the pandemic. However, NO and CO₂ emissions per PKT of the bus were remarkably higher during the pandemic than those of the car and motorcycle. Furthermore, we estimated the break-even passenger occupancy rate for buses as 15%, which was the minimum threshold occupancy rate below which the buses would be more polluting than cars and motorcycles in terms of CO, THC, and CO₂ emissions per PKT. Our findings will help transport management authorities and policymakers to optimize bus route designs and frequencies and implement anti-pandemic measures to maximize the environmental benefits of the public bus transit systems.