Browsing by Author "Beck, Matthew J."

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    Characterising public transport shifting to active and private modes in South American capitals during the COVID-19 pandemic
    (2022) Vallejo-Borda, Jose Agustin; Giesen, Ricardo; Basnak, Paul; Reyes, Jose P.; Lira, Beatriz Mella; Beck, Matthew J.; Hensher, David A.; Ortuzar Salas, Juan De Dios
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    Determinants of mode changes in times of COVID-19: A study of 11 main Latin American cities
    (Elsevier B.V., 2025) Basnak Klajn, Paul Alexander; Balbontín Tanhnuz, Camila; Vallejo-Borda, Jose Agustin; Feres Torreblanca, Fernando David; Reyes Saldías, José Patricio; Beck, Matthew J.; Hensher, David A.; Giesen Encina, Ricardo
    Although most activities have returned to business as usual after the critical phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are long-lasting impacts, particularly on mobility. Based on a survey conducted in 11 major cities in Latin America between July and September 2022, we analysed which factors influence the modes people choose to travel to their primary activity at the time of the survey, compared to the mode they used before the pandemic. Through a hybrid model with two latent variables, associated with the risk of travelling by public transport and private modes, we identified that, in addition to the level of service of the alternatives represented by travel time coefficients, moving residential location and/or changing their main activity played a decisive role in mode changes. Higher crowding in public transport was associated with a higher probability of moving to other modes of transport. Our results also suggest that participants with high income were more likely to migrate to private modes, and women were more likely to move out of using public transport.
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    Impact of COVID-19 on the number of days working from home and commuting travel: A cross-cultural comparison between Australia, South America and South Africa
    (2021) Balbontin Tahnuz, Camila; Hensher, David A.; Beck, Matthew J.; Giesen, Ricardo; Basnak, Paul; Vallejo Borda, Jose Agustin; Venter, Christoffel
    The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we go about our daily lives in ways that are unlikely to return to the pre-COVID-19 levels. A key feature of the COVID-19 era is likely to be a rethink of the way we work and the implications on commuting activity. Working from home (WFH) has been the 'new normal' during the period of lockdown, except for essential services that require commuting. In recognition of the new normal as represented by an increasing amount of WFH, this paper develops a model to identify the incidence of WFH and what impact this could have on the number of weekly commuting trips. Using data collected in eight countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and South Africa), we developed a Poisson regression model for the number of days individuals worked from home during the pandemic. Simulated scenarios quantify the impact of the different variables on the probability of WFH by country. The findings provide a reference point as we continue to undertake similar analysis at different points through time during the pandemic and after when restrictions are effectively removed.
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    Working from home 22 months on from the beginning of COVID-19: What have we learned for the future provision of transport services
    (2023) Hensher, David A.; Beck, Matthew J.; Balbontin Tahnuz, Camila
    COVID-19 has delivered an unintended positive consequence through working from home (WFH). While it may be some time until we are able to indicate, with some confidence, the impact that WFH will have on traffic congestion and crowding on public transport, there is a sense already that it is a game changer, and indeed is one of the most effective policy levers that the transport sector has had for many years in 'managing' the performance of the transport network. This paper draws on multiple ways of survey data that have been collected since March 2020 when the pandemic first resulted in severe restrictions in Australia. We present the evidence up to December 2021 on the incidence of WFH in two geographical jurisdiction - the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Area (GSMA) and South-East Queensland (SEQ) -and how it has been received by employees and employers from the height of restrictions up to a period when restrictions were relaxed, followed by further lockdowns throughout Australia. We show what this might mean for work productivity, lifestyle, and the changing pref-erences for passenger modes. With a growing preference, within some occupation classes, to WFH 1-2 days a week, and a good spread through the weekdays, we discuss what this means for the way we analyse the impact of transport initiatives on the performance of the transport network with a particular emphasis on the growth in suburbanisation of transport improvements, less costly service and infrastructure improvements, and the changing role of public transport.