What will it take to secure the future of bus transport?

The public transport sector has been hit particularly hard by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. With lockdown orders, remote working and persistent health concerns, ridership on buses and coaches has plunged. In the UK, plans are underway for operators to run at just 10% capacity. Parts of the US saw rider numbers plummet up to 95% at the height of the pandemic. An April poll by Ipsos found that 72% of US respondents planned to reduce their use of public transport or wait until they thought it was safe enough again. That could take time. Figures from China show that ridership in large cities remains down by around 35% even two months after lockdown restrictions were lifted.