Analysis of the effects of the first phase of COVID-19 pandemic on mobility choices in Italy by a multi-criteria approach


Campisi T., MOSLEM S., Duleba S., Tanbay N. A., Szmelter-Jarosz A., Tesoriere G.

Transactions on Transport Sciences, vol.13, no.3, pp.14-23, 2022 (Scopus) identifier

  • Nəşrin Növü: Article / Article
  • Cild: 13 Say: 3
  • Nəşr tarixi: 2022
  • Doi nömrəsi: 10.5507/tots.2022.013
  • jurnalın adı: Transactions on Transport Sciences
  • Jurnalın baxıldığı indekslər: Scopus
  • Səhifə sayı: pp.14-23
  • Açar sözlər: Analytic Hierarchy Process, COVID-19, Fuzzy set, Mobility patterns, Sustainable mobility
  • Açıq Arxiv Kolleksiyası: Məqalə
  • Adres: Bəli

Qısa məlumat

COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in logistics and mobility. Concerning Italian road mobility, between March and April 2020, there has been a reduction in traffic for both light vehicles and heavy goods vehicles. Italy was the first European country to implement a total lockdown, starting on March 9th, causing a deep contraction in road traffic. This paper explores the main differences in mobility choices before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. A multi-criteria decision-making method was selected for the analysis of questionnaire survey data. The fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process was applied, considering eight mobility types: bus, tram, taxi, train, shared vehicles, multiple modes, walking and car. An evaluation process was adopted for the modal mobility choices of the residents of Sicily, Italy. The results show a significant decline in mobility demand during the first phase of the pandemic, especially in public transport mode. The findings provide a deeper understanding of the need to implement strategies to respect the constraints generated by the pandemic and revive the penalised transport and mobility-related sectors. Furthermore, the study’s findings provide valuable insights for the policymakers, both national and local, about the mobility results of the lockdown and can be used as a forecast benchmark for planning the restrictions in the future, in case of another unexpected phenomenon, e.g., pandemic.