Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Denver news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Des Moines news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Minneapolis-St. Paul news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Tampa Bay news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Charlotte news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
One thing that will affect post-pandemic oil demand and carbon emissions is how quickly — and how much — driving ultimately bounces back compared to other modes of moving around.
Driving the news: Rough proxy data via Apple provides early signs that driving is starting to come back in a number of U.S. cities, while light rail and bus use basically isn't (yet).
- The chart above shows a few cities I looked at using this interactive online tool from Apple that shows the results of changes in the number of requests for directions to Apple Maps.
Why it matters: Shelter-in-place restrictions worldwide have radically cut down on travel during the pandemic, but it's not yet clear if post-crisis travel patterns and decisions will ever be completely the same.
Where it stands: A much clearer picture will emerge in the months and years ahead. But already there are other signs that car travel is beginning to come back.
- Data provided to Axios by the Google-owned navigation app Waze is another proxy for driving levels in the same cities charted above.
- The reductions on April 22 were less severe in all the cities than peak declines from a February baseline. (Peak declines occurred from late March through mid-April, depending on the city.)
The intrigue: There's all kinds of variable and uncertainties. We're in the early stages. But the future could mean...
- Some people avoiding mass transit, at least for a time, which adds to vehicle use and traffic.
- Yet working from home and other behaviors that put downward pressure on car travel could remain post-crisis.
- Some cityscapes in Europe and elsewhere are becoming more walking- and bike-friendly during the crisis, and I'm watching to see if those changes could stick around too.
Go deeper: The post-pandemic landscape may favor cars