Private Car Use Increased by 11 Percent in Mexico
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Private Car Use Increased by 11 Percent in Mexico

Photo by:   Why Kei, Unsplash
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Jorge Ramos Zwanziger By Jorge Ramos Zwanziger | Junior Journalist and Industry Analyst - Tue, 05/18/2021 - 17:27

While the use of public transport fell by 50 percent in Mexico due to the pandemic, transportation by private car has increased by 11 percent, indicates Moovit.

Mexico has undergone many mobility ups and downs since its first pandemic lockdown. In Mexico City, mobility fell by a whopping 82 percent in the first month of confinement, according to Waze’s COVID-19 Mobility Report. Since then, people in Mexico have changed considerably the ways in which they move. For example, the use of public transport fell by 50 percent in the country, according to Moovit’s data, reports LATAM Mobility. However, mobility by private car increased since then.

The Continental Mobility Study 2020 highlights that there was a clear increase in the use of private transportation as a result of the pandemic. “The results of the Continental Mobility Study show that there is a global need for personal mobility. During the coronavirus pandemic, this demand has increased even more,” said Ariane Reinhart, Continental Executive Board member for Human Relations and Sustainability. “Modern vehicles with predictive software on board are now an important part of the solution to people’s mobility needs. Cars that bring their occupants safely and efficiently to their destination,” said Reinhart. 

Continental’s report surveyed mainly people living in large urban cities, where public transportation alternatives are often available. In Mexico, 13 percent of individuals used their own cars, a figure that has increased by 11 percent since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to LATAM Mobility.

During the past 10 years, private car ownership in Mexico increased by 5.4 percent,  reports SEDATU. Moreover, 40 percent of the country’s infrastructure focuses this type of mobility. While the use of private cars increased, this mobility solution does not reflect the needs of the majority of Mexicans as about 85 percent of them use a combination of public transport, biking and walking to move around, explains SEDATU. 

Continental’s study also reports an increase in bike mobility worldwide, arguing that both bikes and private cars are the preferred transportation methods. In Mexico, bike mobility is also increasing, particularly in Mexico City, which is seeing a push for public policies that promote and incentivize the use of bicycles as means of transportation due to their non-polluting nature, reported MBN. SEDATU explains that Quintana Roo and Yucatan are the two states where bike mobility is the highest, despite the hot weather and the sun exposure.

Photo by:   Why Kei, Unsplash

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