Cross-Border Transportation as a Disease Vector in COVID-19

The objective of this study was to conduct an extensive literature review on the COVID-19 pandemic from a transportation perspective, with a particular emphasis on binational metropolitan areas, such as El Paso-Juarez, and to develop an understanding of the relationship between cross-border transportation and the speed of spread. Topics in the review included government control measures and public reaction behavior, innovative technology applications to screen people, and contact tracing. Transportation- and border-crossing-related statistics were gathered to develop macro- and micro-level econometric models that helped researchers explore the relationship between transportation and the speed of spread. A more thorough understanding of the links between transportation and the pandemic will allow researchers to recognize which transportation measures have the most potential to help mitigate the impact and preserve cross-border mobility during a potential second wave or a future pandemic. This study helps expand the understanding of cross-border transportation as a disease vector and enable researchers to develop technology applications with potential to mitigate the impact of a second COVID-19 wave on cross-border transportation. This report presents a literature review, model development, model results, and the researchers' findings.