published journal article

Examining Shifts in the Balance of Riders and Bus Service Before and During the Pandemic in Boston, Houston, and Los Angeles

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic reduced and shifted transit demand. Bus service also shifted due to shifts in demand and fiscal uncertainties. We examined bus ridership and service in Boston, Houston, and Los Angeles and find: (1) Houston has the most equal match between riders and service in all time periods; (2) In all three cities the distribution of riders and service grew more unequal in April 2020; (3) Boston did the most to shift service to match demand between April and October of 2020; and (4) LA was the only one to increase ridership/service equity in the mid- versus pre-pandemic.