The ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic has been brutal. There have already been over 30,500 COVID-related deaths in California. In addition to managing this crisis and developing better strategies to get vaccines out more quickly, policymakers need to also examine the long-term impact the pandemic will have on important issues and vexing problems related to the economy, climate change, infrastructure, and homelessness.
Transportation accounts for about 40 percent of California’s greenhouse gas emissions. The pandemic has shown workers and companies that many of us can work from home and a lot of in-person meetings and conferences can be effectively replaced with group calls and webinars. The need to reduce in-person contact has dramatically accelerated the adoption of these technologies, which should continue to improve and evolve as demand increases.