A Window for Change

The Pandemic’s Opportunity for Transit System Renewal

Abstract

This paper examines the recovery strategies adopted by 40 US public transit agencies following the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically, prior policy decisions limit the scope of future policy options. However, new solutions became available due to pandemic ridership, farebox, and political challenges. This study considers agencies’ pre-pandemic annual ridership as a primary factor in recovery patterns, classified as small (<25 million) and large (>30 million). Using a mixed-methods approach, this study benefits from data culled by the National Transit Database, American Public Transportation Association, and agency announcements. Those include the following variables: similarities between agencies that experienced transit system recovery; impacts of the pandemic on long-term funding patterns; and effects of fare-zero policy on transit recovery. Findings show that small-agency size and fare-zero policy have had positive impacts on ridership recovery. Concurrently, farebox recovery remains low overall, emphasizing the need to further commit to alternative-funding sources as agencies remain far from total recovery.