The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on travel preferences by students in Padang City

¹ Civil Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Universitas Andalas, Indonesia
² Graduate of Civil Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Universitas Andalas, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: titi@eng.unand.ac.id

Abstract

The use of public transportation after implementing the Level 3 Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) policy during the COVID-19 pandemic has become a challenge for students. This study aims to determine the effect of applying PPKM rules in using public transportation among students using descriptive statistics compared to conditions before the pandemic and determining the probability of high school students in Padang using public transportation during PPKM rules. Data were obtained from 425 respondents using a web-based questionnaire survey. The pandemic had an impact on reducing student allowances per week by 26% because school lasted three days out of 6 days per week; there was a decrease in the frequency of using public transportation 4-9 times/more per week by 22.4% The opposite occurs in the use of private vehicles. Travel with a frequency of >7 times/week increased by 31.4% during the pandemic. The resulting utility model is expressed in multiple linear regression equations. The utility model of using public transportation for high school students in Padang: Y(AUK-AUO) = 0.577 + (-0.039) Δtime + (- 0.072) Δcost +0.848 health protocols applied; (R²=0.26). Furthermore, the travel fare difference attribute was the most influential attribute of students’ probability to use conventional public transportation.