Impact of COVID-19 on TNCs, E-scooters, and Bike Share

Modern mobility has become more popular in recent years. E-scooters, bike share, and transportation network companies (TNCs), such as Uber and Lyft, have become more common. These systems allow people to travel with a higher level of privacy than public transit. The growth of TNCs, in particular, created jobs and allowed anyone who met certain requirements to use their car to provide service. E-scooters and bike shares have provided alternatives to public transit, allowing more people to get to where they are going at a quicker pace. Right when these systems were beginning to hit their peak, COVID-19 inhibited their growth and forced them to adapt. All of these modern systems had a reduction in use but have been steadily reopening. As these modern systems required less adaptation to social distancing requirements, they have come to be a large part of the transportation economy during COVID-19. Not only have they been able to adapt to COVID-19, but it is predicted they will continue to grow in the future.

E-scooter services were included in the mass closures during the beginning of COVID-19. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), 56.3% of E-scooter operations were suspended in April 2020 in the United States. There was not a schedule in place to sanitize the scooters, and during a time where sanitation was key, this reduced the system usage. This was done with the hope of increasing safety and reducing transmission of the virus. However, according to a case study done by MDPI, people began to purchase their personal E-scooter. This allowed for their usage to continue even when the majority of systems were suspended. Personal scooters had less risk of transmission than public ones. This allowed for E-scooters to be a growing form of transportation during the pandemic. Despite over half of the E-scooter systems being suspended at some point during 2020, only 1% closed permanently. Additionally, Seattle Washington gained an E-scooter system during the pandemic. Overall, even though COVID-19 did reduce the use of E-scooters systems, this transportation mode has bounced back, stronger than before. This could be due to the more private nature of the transportation or the growing popularity of the system. 

According to  a research article entitled, The Role of Shared E-Scooter Systems in Urban Sustainability and Resilience during the Covid-19 Mobility Restrictions, E-scooters originally were put into effect to increase sustainability, reduce traffic congestion, and lower emissions. When COVID-19 became more prevalent the use of crowded public transportation plummeted, and other methods of transportation, such as E-scooters, became more prevalent, according to Paul Stoubel who writes for eridehero. Usage increased in the cities around the world where the services were still in operation and many countries around the world invested in infrastructure to boost mobility through services such as E-scooters. The usage of E-scooters continues to expand in major cities across the world due to COVID-19 still being an issue and requiring social distancing. Ultimately, COVID-19 was the reason for a drastic downfall in transit ridership and E-scooters became the only reasonable alternative for public transportation. E-scooters are used now to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19 while providing mobility for public transit riders.

According to the MDPI research, the E-scooter industry is continuing to expand to other parts of the world and growing in size. The industry continues to receive government support not only for the aspects in relation to COVID-19 but also for the environmental and socioeconomic issues it may fix. Environmentally, E-scooters decrease air pollution, lower our carbon footprint, and reduce noise pollution by taking other methods of transportation off the road. Socioeconomically, E-scooters give people a new mode of transportation that is not based on schedules, which in turn brings communities together more effectively at a lower cost. The future for E-Scooters is bright and will continue to flourish because they are able to provide solutions to a myriad of issues.

According to the Wall Street Journal, in 2020, TNCs were heavily impacted. As the pandemic caused many social or non-essential businesses to close, demand to visit these places decreased, and with it went demand for TNCs. That demand decreased by as much as 80%, and, in turn, Lyft and Uber laid off 17% and 25% and their employees respectively. As the world moves out of the height of the pandemic, demand for TNCs rises. Further vaccinations, less anxiety, and increased safety measures have contributed to returning demand for TNC services.

In an article from the Journal of Urban Management Syed Ahnaf Morshed summarized the effects of COVID on ride sharing services. Like much of the rest of the world, the addition of COVID related safety measures became quite prevalent in the world of TNCs. Adding hand sanitizers, increasing cleaning and sanitization efforts, and introducing plexiglass barriers between drivers and riders made using ride-sharing services safer by reducing the likelihood of complications from COVID. This allows drivers, who are otherwise in a very high-risk position, to continue working in a safer way.

Since COVID-19 is still affecting the world, it is hard to definitively say what the future holds for TNCs. Nevertheless, trending demand says TNCs will continue to operate. However, unless the demand for this mode of transportation rises, more drivers may not be hired for some time. As well, people are more likely to use TNCs once COVID related mandates and precautions are less prevalent. It can be expected that demand for TNC services will increase as the prevalence of COVID decreases.

While bike sharing numbers initially decreased compared to pre-COVID numbers, this industry did not take as big of a hit when compared to mass transit systems like subways and buses. According to a research paper by Kyoungok Kim, bike sharing saw a decline of 47% to 71% in ridership, while subways declined by 68% to 90% in ridership. The initial decline was mostly due to public fears of exposure to COVID-19, but the lack of social interaction with a bike sharing system allowed for more trust in the platform. Most of the initial decline for ridership was a direct result of riders choosing not to leave their homes for fear of exposure in general, rather than fear of exposure due to the use of the bikes.

Since there is less fear of exposure to COVID-19 while using a bike, the system has not seen many drastic changes. The response has varied, according to The University of Texas at San Antonio. Depending on the owners of the system, bikes may be sanitized between riders. However, for systems that involve interaction only between the rider and an application, sanitization is less likely to occur. Riders must be wary of these systems, which will usually advise the rider to apply hand sanitizer after use. The biggest recent change has come in the way that people use the bikes. During the pandemic, many bike sharing systems have been used as a leisure activity. For many, it has been a way to get out of the house while maintaining minimal contact with others.

While bike sharing is projected to grow over the following years, it will likely not become a main mode of transportation for many outside of large urban centers. As people leave behind fears of social interaction and begin to use mass transit once again, bike sharing will revert to an alternate mode of transportation for most. Bikes are also exposed to the environment, so adverse weather can see a sharp drop in usage. Areas that experience cold and harsher climates will likely not adopt the system. All that said, bike sharing allows people to have another mode of transportation, and the use of bikes can cut down emissions caused by cars and other mass transit. As cities continue to grow and the need for long-distance transportation decreases, bike sharing is likely to prosper.

E-scooters, bike share, and transportation network companies (TNCs), like Uber and Lyft, continue to emerge as a modern addition to traditional transportation methods. All of these services offer a greater level of privacy and faster travel than public transit. COVID-19 inhibited their growth and required increased levels of sanitation. All of these systems had a reduction in use but have been steadily reopening. As these modern systems require less adaptation to social distancing requirements, they have come to be a large part of the transportation economy during COVID-19. These transportation systems have slowly cemented themselves as means of transportation, and as the pandemic comes to end, it is predicted they will be more prevalent in society.