(Yicai Global) April 30 -- China’s passenger volume slumped 58 percent to 1.9 billion travelers in the virus-hit first quarter from a year ago, according to data that the Ministry of Transport released today.

The number of people using public transportation in 36 cities was 6.7 billion, 57 percent lower from a year earlier. But railway cargo and express delivery bucked the downward trend, growing at 2 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

Fixed-asset investment in transportation was down 23 percent to CNY379.2 billion (USD53.7 billion), after slumping 58 percent in February from a year ago.

Editor: Emmi Laine