COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has spread rapidly across the globe, causing a complete halt in daily routines, ripping through our global resources, and in some extreme cases, taking lives. The whole world is in crisis mode, but for what may be the first time in history, we’re fighting a common enemy.

In the public transport community, each of us has a different role to play to prevent the spread, and keep essential services running.

With a focus on rebuilding public transport, UITP is has developed a manifesto to promote and ensure our sector has a bright future. With this in mind, we’re working with our global membership to achieve #BetterMobility for all.

Back to Better Mobility

Join us and keep reading!

Public transport is the backbone of cities, providing an essential service to keep cities moving, particularly in times of pandemics.

Extensive evidence has repeatedly shown that with the correct measures in place, public transport is COVID-safe. In order to bring this knowledge to the sector and beyond, UITP has produced our latest coronavirus publication showcasing this detailed insight.

Learn more in our Policy Brief now in several languages

Refresh your knowledge on how the sector responded to the pandemic in English and other languages

With key sector workers in our cities relying on their local mobility options we must always advocate for the basic continuity and survival of our public transport services.

What is clear during these difficult times is that the public transport sector is recognisable by its strength of community. UITP is proud to be part of that international community as we join forces on both the European and global level.

UITP joined together with ITF, UIC and UCLG to call for the continuity of passenger transport services during these unprecedented times and beyond.

Read our joint statement here

On the European level, we teamed up with IRU, Polis, EuroCities, and CER to issue an Open Letter to the European institutions calling for the ongoing support of our sector now, and in the times that lie ahead.

Read the full EU Open Letter here

We have continued our engagement with the European institutions by issuing two more Open Letters focusing on the next stages for public transport and engaging with more than 80 CEOs and city representatives from almost 20 countries calling for public transport to be a key sector in the European Union’s strategy plans. 

And now as Europe considers the European institutions Recovery Package, UITP is responding to this strategy based on our previous engagement detailed above.

Public transport contributes to clean and sustainable urban mobility and we have now issued a Statement on the package.

Read our full statement here

Our world is more interconnected than ever before in its history. This allows for close collaborations, fruitful partnerships and joint efforts to advance essential services.

It also brings new and continued risks: few as serious as climate change. 

Continuing our collaborations during COVID-19, UITP has released a Joint Statement with UNIFE and UIC. Climate action is required by all of us and by working together we can give public transport a central role in the world of tomorrow. 

Read our joint statement here

The discussion over cleanliness and disinfection in public transport has become an important talking point…public transport employees have worked tirelessly to implement extra cleaning procedures on board and at stations to make sure that the safety, comfort and needs of passengers continue to be met.

Now by joining forces with ISSA – the worldwide cleaning industry association and GBAC, its Global Biorisk Advisory Council™, we can continue to strengthen our responses to the ongoing situation. This new partnership will provide recommendations for the public transport sector to adjust their cleaning and disinfecting practices to ensure continued service excellence and safety of their services, and offer the GBAC STAR™ accreditation for transport providers.

Are you a UITP member? Login to MyLibrary and browse our full list of case studies submitted from our members all over the world in an exchange of best practice and know-how on various implementations of this UITP Policy Brief.

View the latest expert advice

You can also join in on the exchange and discussions on our members-only LinkedIn group that we’ve dubbed our ‘Coronavirus Exchange Platform’.Check it out!

Interested in becoming a UITP member? Then find outhow here!

UITP has developed a series of webinars (held in different languages) to assist public transport operators in tailoring business continuity plans responding to the specific challenges of a pandemic.

Across the next few months, we will be bringing global voices to the conversation with our ‘Leaders in Urban Transport Council‘ series. We will be collaborating with the Moscow Department for Transport to discuss urban mobility strategies and innovation around the world.

Head to our events calendar to register for our next available webinar. Don’t see a webinar coming up that suits your needs? Contact us at academy@uitp.org.

In addition to that, the UITP Academy can assist with an e-peer review on preparing for pandemics, managing the response, and developing integrated action plans for the public transport sector. See how it works and the topics we can offer here.

Please contact Emre Kiran, Head of Training, emre.kiran@uitp.org for more information.

In 2021, UITP will be busy speaking to public transport authorities and operators in different Asian cities.

Our dedicated podcast series will work to restore trust in the sector led by voices from the region.

Listen to the podcast here

UITP is participating in the latest EU project, gathering eight partners to develop a mobile application to help manage density in public transport and public spaces.

CO-APS is developed for passengers by passengers to create a full and real-time picture of the situation in public transport. Funded by EIT Urban Mobility, find out more here!

Public transport helps you bring groceries to your grandparents, get you to your work as health care professionals, or access health care facilities in times of need. Public transport workers, our ‘Guardians of Mobility’, are an integral part of the front liners keeping essential services available.

Throughout 2020, we are shared stories from our own community on what was being done to keep public transport services running around the world, during the initial outbreak. This gave us the wonderful opportunity to shed a little light on our sector’s contribution to fighting this pandemic.

Catch up on their stories in our newsroom, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for more!

Now that global vaccination strategies are being carried out around the world, UITP has taken a closer look at how, as essential workers, public transport employees fit in to this. Who is receiving their dose and where?

Take a closer look at public transport and COVID vaccinations

Where is UITP’s response to the coronavirus pandemic featuring in the global press?

Stay connected to our press office for regular media news!

*Acting on behalf of Mohamed Mezghani SARL