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Travel Demand Management Implications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case Study of Tehran

Author

Listed:
  • Amirhossein Baghestani

    (Faculty of Civil, Water and Environmental Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 19839, Iran)

  • Mohammad Tayarani

    (School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

  • Amir Reza Mamdoohi

    (Faculty of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 14115, Iran)

  • Meeghat Habibian

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran 15875, Iran)

  • Oliver Gao

    (School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the transportation sector, with changes expected to last for a long time. Following the reopening phases, increased use of private vehicles and continued avoidance of exposure to the infectious virus in public transportation exacerbated urban traffic and environmental problems. The paper aims to evaluate the impact of travel demand management strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tehran, Iran. That city provided a unique case study because of its high COVID-19 contagion and death rates, traffic congestion, and lack of government restriction plans, which are common in developing countries. Four scenarios combining various travel demand management strategies were considered during the pandemic. The findings highlight the importance of considering the tradeoffs between different performance measures when selecting a suitable travel demand management strategy. Depending on the goals that decision-makers have set, the strategies may not be additive. While teleworking, e-learning, and rescheduling working hours all help reduce traffic congestion, the pricing strategy contributes significantly to meeting environmental and health goals. The findings also highlight the nonlinear pattern of change associated with each strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Amirhossein Baghestani & Mohammad Tayarani & Amir Reza Mamdoohi & Meeghat Habibian & Oliver Gao, 2023. "Travel Demand Management Implications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case Study of Tehran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:1209-:d:1029701
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    References listed on IDEAS

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