The challenge of sustainability in public transport and urban mobility in face of the covid-19 pandemic in Brazilian reality

Abstract

Travel demand has reduced globally, with unprecedented impacts on public transport since the Covid-19 pandemic. The reasons are linked to measures to restrict agglomerations, to personal decisions to prevent travel to reduce risk exposure, and as a consequence the use of cars has increased. Brazil in a trend of demand reduction faces the pandemic as an additional problem that put the financial sustainability of services at risk. In this context of perplexity, a Discussion Forum was promoted to extract ideas to propose guidelines and strategic actions to support governments and operators to confront this challenge. To synthesize, structure and prioritize problems to overcome the unsustainability of the current model of public transport aggravated by the pandemic, combined instruments for the analysis of cause and effect by Ishikawa, Pareto analysis and strategic planning by Logical Framework were applied. It was established as a superior objective the supply of safe and economically sustainable transport and specific objectives of reducing risk to exposure, reformulating the networks with supply-demand adjustment, supporting active modes and making information available through apps. These strategies require a new role for the governments and new ways of transportation funding.