Examining Pre- and Post-Pandemic Cross-Border Trips Using Crowdsourced Data at the Second-Busiest US-Mexico Border Community

Abstract

The US-Mexico border witnesses frequent cross-border travels for educational, recreational, healthcare, and work purposes, with millions of passenger and commercial vehicles crossing the international border each year. In 2020, pandemic-related travel restrictions were applied to non-US citizens at the US-Mexico border and reshaped cross-border trips. Using crowdsourced data, we explored the mobility changes that the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the second-busiest border region between the United States and Mexico. Results showed that although some patterns remained similar, overall mobility decreased significantly.