Changes in Trip and Modal Choice Importance Before and During COVID-19 in Metro Manila, Philippines

Abstract

In order to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19, commuters have since prioritized trips and carefully considered transport mode. This research aims to identify the change in trip and transport mode importance before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Metro Manila, Philippines. Data collected from an online questionnaire survey is used in a multinomial logit model in order to find the importance of each trip and transport mode. Then, the model parameters were calibrated by maximizing the likelihood function. Results showed that trips to work increased in importance during COVID-19. Such results highlight the necessity of traveling for work in order to generate income to support basic needs, specially during a pandemic when global economies are uncertain. Moreover, the use of both public and private transport modes also increased in importance. These results further emphasize the importance of transportation in order to support and continue economic activities during a pandemic.