RESIDENTS OF SMALL TOWNS AS USERS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT DURING COVID-19 – PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY MANAGERS

The research results presented in the paper are devoted to the mobility of small-town residents in Poland under pandemic conditions. It aims to identify and evaluate public transport user behaviour with particular reference to determinants of urban public transport development. The subject is embedded in the COVID-19 pandemic situation. In the article, the query about the pandemic's impact on changing travel demand is posed. The research was performed among the residents of small towns using an online survey questionnaire. Results indicate that respondents' mobility was accomplished through a narrow range of transport means, most often walking. Effects of the pandemic appeared to be felt most strongly for travel related to cultural life and the pursuit of hobbies, including physical activities. Studies show that the development of urban transport requires numerous investments. The city managers, within the framework of interventions undertaken, in accordance with the principle of a system approach, should take into account three interrelated areas of activity, i.e. improvement of accessibility of the transport offer, modernisation of passenger services and investment in rolling stock and nodal elements of road infrastructure. © 2022, Czestochowa University of Technology. All rights reserved.