Short-Term and Long-Term Impacts of COVID-19 on E-Commerce and Transport Modes: A Synthesis Based on Recent Literature

This review paper aims to summarize the short-term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on e-commerce and various forms of transportation modes, followed by a highlight of areas that need further research to make more accurate planning and policy recommendations. This paper also analyzes some of the benefits and obstacles of current and impending changes. In the short term, e-commerce could reduce roadway traffic, air pollution, accidents, and fatalities due to the reduction of shoppers on the road. In the long term, the increase in e-commerce would mean more freight vehicles would need to be in service to accommodate the shipping demands. Eventually, this increase in freight vehicle use can increase so much that it may counterbalance the effects of the reduction in shoppers on the road. In the short term, an increase in online orders led to issues in supply chains and assorting the products, ultimately leading to a significant delay in delivery times. In the long term, if it can be established and made known that the transition to e-commerce will reduce traffic, road damage, accident rates, and air pollution, along with other benefits, governments will lean toward policies that support the transition to e-commerce. Therefore, nations, especially developed ones, may experience even more significant increases in e-commerce demand. Despite the reduction in car trips due to telecommuting and widespread business closures, traveling by car remains higher than any form of public transportation. In addition to the fear of infectious disease, transit ridership will face many challenges due to the increasing use of micromobility and ride-hailing services. This paper discusses a few scenarios based on different levels of vaccination status in different countries. This paper presents a few recommendations for future research, which will guide transportation planners and professionals to be better prepared for future pandemic scenarios.