The World Health Organization announced lockdown as well as social and physical distancing and urged citizens to follow WHO health guidelines in different countries to minimize the spread of covid-19 after observing the situation in an attempt to protect public health. Considering the heightened possibility of virus contraction, all modes of public transportation were directed to continue operation below full-capacity and by adhering to health guidelines in our country. 

Recently a report on a privately conducted research on the change in the transportation scenario in Bangladesh post Covid-19 was published. P.H.D Researcher Shayla Jamal conducting her studies on “Intergenerational perspective of travel behavior” in the McMaster University in Ontario, Canada has published this report. After recording results from over 300 samples, this research concluded that motorcycles are the safest mode of transportation during the pandemic. 

According to the Google Covid-19 community mobility report, the use of public transportation including busses and trains has reduced by 36% during the pandemic. After the lockdown, people have been skewing towards private transportation such as: private cars, motorcycles and bicycles over public transportation. But majority of the population cannot afford to buy private cars in a developing country like Bangladesh. They naturally skew towards motorcycles, cycles and walking. 

The report has two key findings: 
- As the pandemic spread, the number of students and other citizens walking as well as riding on motorcycles and bicycles increased heavily. 
- The varying possibility of the rate of coronavirus transmission in different modes of transportation is heavily discussed as well. 

Service holders, teachers and general citizens from different social-economic classes participated in the survey. People from all spheres nominated motorcycles as the safest mode of transportation during the pandemic.
 
According to the results of the survey, 75% of Dhaka’s population believes that it is not possible to travel in public transportation and maintain physical/social distancing at the same time. On the other hand, very few individuals can afford a private car. And in the covid-19 situation, it is also dangerous to use Uber or any other ride sharing services. 

The virus can be present on seats, door handles, and can be transmitted from the driver as well. On top of that, Bangladesh’s humid and dusty weather coupled with rain makes it difficult for office goers and students to use bicycles. In which case, motorcycles/scooters/scooties have gained the most amount of acceptance in terms of safe transportation to use during the pandemic. 

More than 80% of the participants of the survey believe that it is possible to maintain social distancing and adhere to health guidelines while riding on motorcycles. 79% of the participants believe motorcycles are relatively safe and risk-free vehicles to travel on during the pandemic. 84% of the participants feel that motorcycles are convenient vehicles. 69% people feel that motorcycles are an economic choice. 33% of the participants have also expressed their interests in buying a motorcycle by next year. 

According to regular citizens, health experts, transportation planners and experts, motorcycles are the ultimate safest mode of transportation for travelling purposes during the pandemic.