Public Transport Policy through Gender Lens in the Post-Pandemic World

Abstract

This research explored the impacts of COVID-19 on travel behaviour by gender in public in the pandemic world, the current state of personal safety in general, and sexual harassment on public transport over the last three years, and recommended public policies to encourage residents to use more buses. An online questionnaire investigated 311 respondents’ demographic characteristics, feelings of safety, experience with sexual harassment, and reactions to acts of sexual harassment in public transport. The results showed that females and LGBT people were facing sexual harassment when heading to the bus stations, waiting at the bus stations, and using buses, especially after dark before COVID-19; COVID-19 changed respondents’ travel. A gender safety audit was a recommendation to include LGBT and females in all phases of public transport system development, aiming for a safer public transport system for females and LGBT and satisfying all users’ needs.