Impact of COVID-19 on Users’ Social Perception of Public Transport in Madrid

The aim of this present study is to analyze how the health crisis caused by pandemic has impacted on public transport users’ social perception, on their mobility decisions and whether the policies implemented have generated a greater safety for them. In order to achieve the objective, 1159 public transport users have been surveyed in Madrid. For the methodology, Bitner’s Servicescape Model has been used, because through this model, it is possible to analyze the physical environment in which a service is provided. This directly affects the assessment, perception, and user’s satisfaction, since the service is produced and consumed simultaneously. To complete the study, a regression model has been carried out. This study is an important contribution to academic literature, as it is the first to examine how the health crisis caused by COVID-19 has impacted on mobility decisions in the biggest city of Spain.