Sustainable Urban Mobility System Research Articles

A Sustainable Solution for Urban Transport Using Photovoltaic Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: A Case Study of the City of Hail in Saudi Arabia

As the global shift toward sustainable transportation gains momentum, the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) becomes imperative, necessitating a robust and environmentally friendly charging infrastructure. Leveraging the abundant solar potential in the region, this study examines the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of deploying photovoltaic electric vehicle charging stations (PV-EVCSs) in Hail City, Saudi Arabia, as a case study. This study examines factors such as the energy demand, grid integration, and user accessibility, aiming to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the urban fabric. The proposed solar charging station network seeks to catalyze a paradigm shift toward a cleaner and more sustainable transportation ecosystem, embodying a forward-thinking approach to meeting the evolving needs of urban mobility in the 21st century. The analysis encompasses many scenarios, encompassing a range of car battery sizes, charger powers, and car slots per station. Zone 4 is identified as the most crucial area, where seven charging stations are needed to fulfill the expected demand in the absence of any private charging alternatives. The economic evaluation of the 1047.35 kWp PV system reveals an estimated conventional payback time of 11.69 years, accompanied by a return on assets of 10.17%. The system generates accumulated cash flows amounting to SR 7,169,294.62 over 30 years, while the estimated operational and maintenance expenses are predicted to be SR 50,000 per year. The overall investment cost for the solar PV and EV charging stations is SR 4,487,982. This cost is offset by the yearly electricity savings from solar and grid sources, which can reach up to SR 396,465.26 by year 30. This work presents a detailed plan for the future of sustainable transport. It combines technical, environmental, and economic aspects to promote a cleaner and more sustainable urban mobility system.

A phase-based perspective on urban demand responsive transport: A case study of Viavan pilot in Helsinki Capital Region

Despite decade-long efforts, real-time demand-responsive transport (DRT) services are still struggling to be a part of sustainable urban mobility systems. Among various approaches to understand the changing nature of DRT service, a longitudinal perspective has been found very effective. This study presents the case of an urban DRT pilot operated by Viavan in the Helsinki Capital Region, Finland. Research develops and implements a framework for longitudinal analysis, while drawing from the multi-level perspective (MLP) on sustainability transitions. DRT trip data is used to understand the service trajectory longitudinally over specific phases, delineated through key changes in service design. In addition, the framework uses three-level analysis of service parameters, to provide in-depth analysis in studying inter-phase and intra-phase changes. Case study approach also provides a comprehensive service area background and service implementation context to support the analysis. Results shows the complementary role of the urban DRT to fixed public transport services and points out certain challenges for efficient coordination. In addition, the analysis points towards a set of regime factors that should be considered for further understanding of the service trajectory. In practice, special emphasis should be paid on developing the mobility ecosystem and managerial practices. Future DRT case studies should develop additional frameworks, indicators and methods by drawing from sustainability transitions theory, to further understand service trajectories over time.

Urban sustainable mobility indicators application in small cities: The case of Polykastro, Greece

The effective evaluation of the implementation of the strategies, policies, and actions toward a sustainable urban mobility system is based, among others, on the use of appropriate indicators that reflect the elements and dimensions of sustainable mobility (economic, social, and environmental). These indicators should be measurable, relevant to the target, and adapted to the scale of the city. In addition, this system of indicators should be equipped with valid and compatible data sets on transport in order to provide an effective tool for assessing the conditions of sustainable mobility in the study city. The methodology used was based on the integration of international experience in the sustainable urban mobility sector in the study area. Concluding, this paper examines the assumptions and perspectives of achieving a sustainable urban transport system in small cities, focusing on this methodology in the city of Polykastro. The paper can be used as an implementation guide for assessing the level of sustainable urban mobility in other small-sized provincial cities, such as Polykastro.

Overview of the bus network characteristics in the Italian medium size urban areas

Public transport services represent one of the main solutions for promoting a more sustainable urban mobility system but, in many Italian urban areas, there are still many critical issues about the level and quality of offered services. Starting from such issues, amplified by the pandemic condition, the present paper deals with the systematic analysis of the bus network characteristics and riderships in many Italian cities and towns, characterized by a supply of public transport services mainly based on buses. The database built for the study is related to 54 municipalities, with a population from 80,000 to 360,000 inhabitants, and it is composed by a large set of indicators about supply and demand of the bus services network and of the territorial characteristics of the municipalities. The results of the analysis permit to underline the existence of very different condition about level of provided services, impacting on the level of demand using the public transport. These differences are not only related to the territorial characteristics but are also due to completely different characteristics of the supply. The urban areas of Northern Italy, seem to present, in almost all of the analyzes carried out, both a quantity and quality level of the supply provided, as well as the level of demand satisfied, clearly superior to both urban areas of Central and Southern Italy. Finally, the study proposes a new method for the estimation of the overall annual level of bus services, for overcoming the limits of the existing models, hardly dependent on the historical expenditure criterion. The new method is based on the identification of the effective transport needs and the robustness and availability of the input data.

Cyber-Physical Urban Mobility Systems

Rapid population growth and the number of vehicles in cities have complicated urban mobility management. Digitalization supported by the internet of things and wireless communication has allowed some cities to mitigate the problem by taking advantage of the multiple benefits offered. These are cyber-physical systems (CPS), which are systems where a number of devices collaborate for the control of physical entities. This recent technology finds its application in urban mobility. However, in the context of developing countries, there are many local specificities one needs to consider. How could the integration of cyber-physical systems help urban decision makers to design sustainable urban mobility systems that meet the needs of the population? The paper proposed not only a recent review of the literature, but also a framework of CPS of urban mobility to guide decision makers. The challenges, opportunities, and barriers to innovation of CPS in urban environments in developing countries have also been identified.

Multi-Sensor Fusion Technology, Spatial Simulation and Environment Mapping Algorithms, and Real-World Connected Vehicle Data in Smart Sustainable Urban Mobility Systems

Multi-Sensor Fusion Technology, Spatial Simulation and Environment Mapping Algorithms, and Real-World Connected Vehicle Data in Smart Sustainable Urban Mobility Systems

Intelligent Transportation Applications, Autonomous Vehicle Perception Sensor Data, and Decision-Making Self-Driving Car Control Algorithms in Smart Sustainable Urban Mobility Systems

Intelligent Transportation Applications, Autonomous Vehicle Perception Sensor Data, and Decision-Making Self-Driving Car Control Algorithms in Smart Sustainable Urban Mobility Systems

Analysis of Potential Shift to Low-Carbon Urban Travel Modes: A Computational Framework Based on High-Resolution Smartphone Data

Given the necessity to understand the modal shift potentials at the level of individual travel times, emissions, and physically active travel distances, there is a need for accurately computing such potentials from disaggregated data collection. Despite significant development in data collection technology, especially by utilizing smartphones, there are limited efforts in developing useful computational frameworks for this purpose. First, development of a computational framework requires longitudinal data collection of revealed travel behavior of individuals. Second, such a computational framework should enable scalable analysis of time-relevant low-carbon travel alternatives in the target region. To this end, this research presents an open-source computational framework, developed to explore the potential for shifting from private car to lower-carbon travel alternatives. In comparison to previous development, our computational framework estimates and illustrates the changes in travel time in relation to the potential reductions in emission and increases in physically active travel, as well as daily weather conditions. The potential usefulness of the framework was evaluated using long-term travel data of around a hundred travelers within the Helsinki Metropolitan Region, Finland. The case study outcomes also suggest that in several cases traveling by public transport or bike would not increase travel time compared to the observed car travel. Based on the case study results, we discuss potentially acceptable travel times for mode shift, and usefulness of the computational framework for decisions regarding transition to sustainable urban mobility systems. Finally, we discuss limitations and lessons learned for data collection and further development of similar computational frameworks.

Transferring sustainable urban mobility policies: An institutional perspective

This study develops an institutional framework for the transfer of the sustainable urban mobility policies from developed to developing institutional settings. Drawing on new institutional economics approach, the study investigates the institutional structure of the urban mobility field with a view to propose a policy transfer framework. The framework is then used in transferring sustainable urban mobility policies from London to Istanbul. On its way to establish a more sustainable urban mobility system, the city of Istanbul, which is the economic capital of Turkey, grapples with many urban mobility problems such as rapid motorization, chronic traffic congestion, air and noise pollution and a fragmented governance structure. London's recent Mayor's Transport Strategy published in March, 2018 which sets out a comprehensive set of policies aiming towards a more sustainable urban mobility is used as a benchmark document for transferring policies to Istanbul. The policy transfer study, commissioned by the local transport authority of Istanbul, is undertaken by a team of experts, consultants and academics which include the author of this study as well. The transfer process is carried out by translating policies into the institutional structure of the policy borrowing city, namely Istanbul. The fragmentation in the policy and governance levels in Istanbul, acting as a major barrier for direct transfer, is addressed by the proposed institutional policy transfer framework. Overall, the study aims to open up new avenues for an institutionally-informed transport policy research. More specifically, the study provides novel conceptual tools for the analysis of the policy transfer studies involving disparate institutional settings.

Processes of civic participation in the implementation of sustainable urban mobility systems

The quality of urban life is based on sustainable mobility plans, and the bicycle is becoming increasingly important. This way of transport and its use result from a combination of urban policies, local movements, singularities of the context and social configurations. This article shows the extent to which mobility policy development and implementation models give room to pro-bike urban movements and to those who influence its promotion. It also shows the importance of citizen participation in decisions on bicycle mobility systems. In this way a methodological framework is proposed in order to know the processes of implementation of sustainable mobility policies, the evolution and effects of urban pro-bike movements, to determine their relation of interaction and to analyse civic participation mechanisms in the development of these cycling systems of mobility. Therefore a two decade long (1990–2010) case study about two Spanish cities in the process of cycling transition, Madrid and Seville, is carried out.

Sustainable mobility as a result of peoples’ awareness on environmental problems generated by transport activity

The field of mobility and transport has undergone major changes in recent decades, being a close link between it and the general economic development. Taking into consideration that urban areas concentrate the most of inhabitants and socio-economic activities, the negative effects generated by the increased road traffic are present mainly in the cities, especially in their central areas. People’s involvement in awareness-raising actions on environmental issues caused by transport activity is a starting point for achieving a sustainable urban mobility system. Information and awareness of people about the link between travel behavior that they adopt and negative effects on the environment is a first step towards educating them in order to shift to sustainable mobility patterns. The paper highlights the awareness and participation component of people in the development and implementation of sustainable urban mobility plans, as an educational action for environmental protection and sustainable mobility. This concept of involving citizens is detailed within a case study.

Spatial contexts and firm strategies: applying the multilevel perspective to sustainable urban mobility transitions in Brazil

The Multilevel Perspective on Sustainable Transitions (MLP) has been widely used to explain different patterns of technological, societal, cultural and normative transitions in an integrated and systemic way. This framework has been used to analyze individual transportation based on internal combustion engine automobiles and to develop niches that can challenge the existing dominant regimes in favor of more sustainable urban mobility systems. In a recent and relevant work, Markard et al. (2012) thoroughly discussed MLP, highlighting gaps and research opportunities. One such gap is that much of the research developed using this framework was conducted primarily using European scenarios, omitting various aspects of regional or country diversity, or the role of firm strategies failed to be considered. Therefore, we propose to analyze and compare Brazilian and German case studies regarding sustainable urban mobility transitions. To accomplish this goal, we analyze the diffusion level and different characteristics that explain the current development level of four niches: electro mobility, car sharing schemes, intermodal transportation, and innovation in public transportation. Using the multiple case study method, we compare the sustainable mobility initiatives and innovations undertaken by two German automotive companies in Brazil and in Germany. The results of the research conducted with both companies show that mobility initiatives in Brazil remain very limited. Manufacturers remain much more concerned with selling traditional products (in a much faster growth market than in Germany) than with initiating more aggressive strategies oriented to mobility. Even in their mother countries, mobility innovations can be considered moderate. Our main conclusions are that mobility initiatives in Germany and in Brazil are very different for a number of reasons, such as different pre-existing infrastructures to support new mobility initiatives, public pressure for mobility solutions, different growth patterns concerning car sales and different institutional and legal conditions regarding public and private participation in mobility issues. Therefore, the MLP framework would generate different trajectories and outcomes; in addition, firm strategies should be considered in the framework, particularly in a sector such as the automotive industry, in which firms have considerable influence.

Energy management in metro-transit systems: An innovative proposal toward an integrated and sustainable urban mobility system including plug-in electric vehicles

The energy consumptions growth, the upward interest for environmental sustainability and the technological evolution carry to the necessity to review the planning criteria of urban mobility systems in large cities and metropolitan areas. With this aim, new studies and projects are in progress, especially dealing with the power systems for metro-transit lines and surface electric vehicles. In this framework, the authors perform a study that, from an overview about the main energy management issues connected to the city transport, provides an innovative proposal for the design of sustainable urban mobility system: the integration of the metro-lines with surface plug-in electric vehicles. The present paper includes the energy analysis results, obtained by an application on a real case study of an home-made simulation software, describes the proposal in terms of power systems architecture and business models, pointing out the potential advantages that its implementation could give in terms of energy saving, environmental sustainability and reduced economic impact, as a result of the maximum exploitation of existing electric power plant.

Looking for Sustainable Urban Mobility through Bayesian Networks

There is no formalised theory of sustainable urban mobility systems. Observed patterns of urban mobility are often considered unsustainable. But we don’t know what a city with sustainable mobility should look like. It is nevertheless increasingly apparent that the urban mobility system plays an important role in the achievement of the city’s wider sustainability objectives.In this paper we explore the characteristics of sustainable urban mobility systems through the technique of Bayesian networks. At the frontier between multivariate statistics and artificial intelligence, Bayesian networks provide powerful models of causal knowledge in an uncertain context. Using data on urban structure, transportation offer, mobility demand, resource consumption and environmental externalities from seventy-five world cities, we developed a systemic model of the city-transportation-environment interaction in the form of a Bayesian network. The network could then be used to infer the features of the city with sustainable mobility.The Bayesian model indicates that the city with sustainable mobility is most probably a dense city with highly efficient transit and multimodal mobility. It produces high levels of accessibility without relying on a fast road network. The achievement of sustainability objectives for urban mobility is probably compatible with all socioeconomic contexts.By measuring the distance of world cities from the inferred sustainability profile, we finally derive a geography of sustainability for mobility systems. The cities closest to the sustainability profile are in Central Europe as well as in affluent countries of the Far East. Car-dependent American cities are the farthest from the desired sustainability profile.