page_title: Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
section_title: Public transportation
hierarchical_section_title: Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States / Public transportation
caption_attribution_description: On Wednesday, May 6, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority began its unprecedented 24/7 cleaning operation and new MTA Essential Plan Night Service during the subway closure from 1 – 5 a.m. The new cleaning and disinfecting regimen marks the most aggressive in the MTA’s history, and will include around-the-clock efforts at all facilities. Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit
context_page_description: The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States has had far-reaching consequences in the country that go beyond the spread of the disease itself and efforts to quarantine it, including political, cultural, and social implications.
context_section_description: Several of the largest mass transit operators in the U.S. have reduced service in response to lower demand caused by work from home policies and self-quarantines. The loss of fares and sales tax, a common source of operating revenue, is predicted to cause long-term effects on transit expansion and maintenance. The American Public Transportation Association issued a request for $13 billion in emergency funding from the federal government to cover lost revenue and other expenses incurred by the pandemic. USA Today reported in mid-April that demand for transit service was down by an average of 75 percent nationwide, with figures of 85% in San Francisco and 60% in Philadelphia. Many localities reported an increase in bicycling as residents sought socially distant means of getting around.
caption: May 5: The New York City Subway began planned overnight shutdowns, the first in its 115-year history, to conduct cleaning.
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