Temporary versus Permanent Pandemic Transit Leavers: Findings from the 2022 US National Household Travel Survey

Abstract

Using data from the 2022 National Household Travel Survey, I explore the socio-demographic characteristics of Americans who reduced their use of public transit during the latter stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also examine differences between travelers whose reduced transit use was temporary versus permanent. Using adjusted Wald tests and multinomial logistic regression, I find significant differences between people who did not leave transit and those who did, as well as between temporary and permanent transit leavers. Notably, owning a vehicle, having a disability, and working from home were associated with leaving public transit permanently rather than temporarily.