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US road traffic is back to pre-COVID levels while public transit lags

Our Data Snack series takes a visual approach to the world’s most important transportation insights. Understand the newest trends so that you can make your next transit decision with confidence.

Via Transportation •
🚗 Cars are back. New data reveals that US road traffic has already rebounded to its pre-pandemic level, suggesting that even as travel patterns may have changed — with fewer workers commuting to offices full-time — travel volume remains high, especially as cities reopen, vaccination efforts ramp up, and the economy regains its strength. 

Meanwhile, public transportation use is still lagging. Ridership in the first quarter dropped 58% compared to the before-pandemic level. With transit ridership falling and vehicle miles climbing up, transportation emissions — already representing 29% of total emissions in the US in 2019 — are poised to climb as well. 

To foster a greener post-pandemic future, city planners and community leaders are increasingly turning to tech-enabled shared transit solutions that increase network efficiency, reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions, while also improving quality of life for their communities. 

As of 2020, Via has partnered with 500+ partners in more than 35 countries to upgrade their public transit networks. In each of our deployments, our technology enables convenient, efficient shared rides as an alternative to single-occupancy-vehicle (SOV) travel, reducing congestion and emissions along the way. Read how we achieve this.