Changes in public transport markets due to disruptive events – A case study of Taiwan Taoyuan airport mass rapid transit in the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic was a disruptive event for public transport. Many case studies have reported large decreases in patronage, and this has caused serious financial problems for operators. This study uses Taiwan Taoyuan Airport Mass Rapid Transit as the case study to investigate the influence of COVID-19 as a disruptive event. This study investigates COVID-19 impacts from the perspective of changes in key markets for public transport, verifying significance using beta regression. Other than a decrease in patronage, the model results confirmed a significant shift in the target market from tourists using the airport to local residents and in service areas from the international airport to residential areas. The findings of the study can help policymakers reconsider the roles of particular public transport systems in the light of disruptive events. This study suggests that during disruptive events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers should move beyond simply subsidizing essential public transport services. Instead, they should identify alternative demand sources and leverage the competitive attributes of public transport to maintain and enhance patronage.