Understanding Socioeconomic Disparities in Travel Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract We document the magnitudes of and mechanisms behind socioeconomic differences in travel behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic We focus on King County, Washington, one of the first places in North America where COVID-19 was detected We leverage novel and rich administrative and survey data on travel volumes, modes, and preferences for different demographic groups Large average declines in travel and public transit use due to the pandemic and related policy responses mask substantial heterogeneity across socioeconomic groups Travel declined considerably less among less-educated and lower-income individuals, even after accounting for mode substitution and variation across neighborhoods in the impacts of public transit service reductions As policy became less restrictive and travel increased, the size of the socioeconomic gap in travel behavior remained stable, and remote work capabilities became increasingly important in explaining this gap Our results imply that disparities in travel behavior across socioeconomic groups may become an enduring feature of the urban landscape This article is protected by copyright All rights reserved