The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Public Transportation System of Montevideo, Uruguay: A Urban Data Analysis Approach

Abstract

Urban mobility and strategies for public transportation play a vital role in promoting a more sustainable, accessible, and livable urban environment in smart cities. Data-driven decision making, multi-modal integration, and innovative means are key elements in developing effective public transportation. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on public transportation worldwide, including decreased travel, health and security concerns, and a shift in travel patterns. In particular, the use of public transportation reduced by up to 90% in developed countries. This article studies the mobility demands and patterns related to public transportation in Montevideo, Uruguay, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The study follows an urban data analysis approach, using open data from various sources, including citizen mobility, the public transportation system, COVID-19 case records, and economic indicators. The urban data methodology allows the deriving of significant findings, encompassing the assessment of trip reductions in Montevideo in March 2020 (71.4%, lower than similar cities in the world), the correlation between trip numbers and COVID-19 cases during the different pandemic waves, the recovery of public transportation usage, and the correlation with socio-economic indicators. These results offer valuable insights for quantifying and comprehending the behavior of citizens concerning public transportation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, providing valuable understandings for policymakers and researchers to elaborate mobility strategies and policies.