OPINION: Where did everyone go when they hopped off public transport during the pandemic? The answer, which may surprise some, is not cars.
While life returned to normal after pandemic lockdowns, the number of trips taken on buses, trains, ferries and trams in south-east Queensland is still only 84 per cent of what it was in January 2020.That equates to about 2.1 million fewer trips taken on public transport in January 2023 versus January 2020.
Authorities on Tuesday, February 28 celebrated the busiest day on public transport since COVID-19, with more than 620,000 trips taken.- with tens of thousands of fans travelling to the Gold Coast - total public transport trips were still just 83 per cent of what they were on the same day in 2019.
Ferry trips plummeted at the start of COVID but suffered a sharper downturn in February 2022 due to floods andFerry patronage was still at just 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in January 2023, and the final two CityCat terminals were reopened after repairs in late February. The failure to lure everyone back to public transport contrasts with Queensland’s increasing population, with the state recording the- up 107,500 people - in the five years before the 2021 Census.
However, people did not swap public transport for private vehicles. Road traffic also experienced lockdown drops and remains slightly down on three years ago.One theory to explain the shift away from public transport is that employees demanded flexibility after getting a taste for remote working.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Michael Jordan’s big score: why his NBA ownership tenure is far from a failureThe Charlotte Hornets have struggled to achieve on-court success under the Hall of Famer. But in business terms, his achievements are nothing but net
Read more »
Why this Japanese tourist is travelling 3500km across Australia on a scooterSBS Japanese has been closely following the journey of Uni, 23, who is travelling from Melbourne to Cairns on a kick scooter.
Read more »
Why the next bank run risk is from digital moneyThe exodus of depositors from Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse exposes a looming risk from new digital currencies being developed by central banks, writes Johnkehoe23.
Read more »
Why Princess Diana’s hairdresser loves gardening (but not hedges)Sam McKnight famously chopped off the royal’s Sloane Ranger bob for a slicked-back ’90s cut. These days he’s cutting a different path.
Read more »
Why the banking crisis is bigger than just banksThis week in The Fin podcast, senior reporter Jonathan Shapiro on how the latest financial crisis spread across the globe, what Australian banks and regulators are doing about it and where the next fire might start.
Read more »
Why bonuses are now less dependent on financial winsAustralian companies have been slow to include ESG metrics in leaders’ incentive plans, but remuneration experts say that is changing.
Read more »