Factors impacting bus selection: Differences between the middle and later stages of COVID-19

As one of the most important modes of transportation, buses play an essential part in people's journeys. However, less has been known about whether and under what circumstances people will choose to travel by bus during the COVID-19 epidemic. Based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), the study examined how the impact of the different stages of COVID-19 (middle stage and later stage), the quality of public transport services and the fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19) are associated with individual choices.

An online survey of 404 participants from Anhui Province, China was conducted. We collected data on demography information, together with related TPB constructs (behavioural intentions, self-reported bus use, attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, fear of COVID-19 and bus passenger satisfaction). After verifying the scales and the basic TPB model, we established a structural equation model (SEM).

Our analysis of the survey data yielded the following results: 1) In the middle stage of the COVID-19 epidemic, fear of COVID-19 was significantly related to the intention to take the bus, and passenger satisfaction was insignificantly related to travel by bus. 2) In the later stage of the COVID-19 epidemic, passenger satisfaction was significantly related to the decision to take the bus, and fear of COVID-19 was significantly related to the intention to travel by bus.

These research results not only reveal the internal mechanism of passengers choosing to take the bus but also provide important information for future disaster emergency management. On this basis, some feasible suggestions are made to avoid the decrease of bus ridership and help the public transportation system recover from the crisis.