Transport Mobility Research Articles

Navigating the challenges of public transport and urban mobility in Thohoyandou, South Africa

Background: Transport systems are an essential feature of functional urban settlements. Yet, almost all of South Africa’s secondary cities and small towns lack a true public transportation system. Because of this, quasi-public, privately operated mini-bus taxis are the main form of transport for most urban residents. Thohoyandou, Limpopo, a town of over 70 000 people, is a typical South African town in this regard.Objectives: The purpose of this research was to understand passenger experiences of mini-bus taxis in Thohoyandou, Limpopo province, South Africa.Method: This study used semi-structured interviews to explore the mobility challenges faced by the residents of Thohoyandou.Results: This study revealed several negative aspects impacting passenger experiences. Passengers consistently reported concerns regarding driver’s behaviour that compromised safety and security. This included overloading of vehicles and disregard for traffic regulations. Passengers also highlighted the challenges posed by poor transport infrastructure and a lack of reliable service. Collectively, these factors contribute to limited mobility options, increased transportation costs and a reduced quality of life. Furthermore, the shortcomings of mini-bus taxi services disproportionately affect people with disability, who already face significant societal barriers, further marginalising them within the transportation system.Conclusion: The government should increase investment in transport infrastructure, the enforcement of traffic laws and better driver training. However, a strong government combined with much political will is required if passengers and safety are to be the main priorities of the mini-bus taxi industry.Contribution: This study highlights challenges faced by public transport users in Thohoyandou, where mini-bus taxis serve as the main mode of transport. The challenges experienced by transport users not only reduce their mobility but also contribute to marginalisation of vulnerable groups, especially people with disability.

Students' Satisfaction with the Choice of Public Transport Mobility in UiTM Puncak Alam

Transportation is essential for facilitating movement and contributing to economic development. This study aims to measure student satisfaction with public transportation mobility at UiTM Puncak Alam. Understanding the level of satisfaction derived from transportation services is crucial for enhancing student experiences. The main focus of this research is to identify the factors influencing student satisfaction with public transport services, specifically examining reliability, convenience, frequency, and safety in UiTM Puncak Alam. A correlation study was conducted to explore the relationships between these factors and student satisfaction. The research utilized a non-probability convenience sampling method, distributing a questionnaire to 217 students from the Faculty of Business and Management. Data collection occurred over three months, from October 2022 to December 2022, using online questionnaires. The findings indicate that comfort, frequency, and safety significantly influenced student satisfaction. Numerous students expressed their dissatisfaction with the old buses, inconsistent service schedules, and safety issues. These elements were discovered to influence students' selection of public transportation and their overall contentment. The research also highlighted concerns like bus conditions, driver behavior, and punctuality, all of which affect student satisfaction and academic achievement. Based on these findings, the study suggests increasing the bus fleet, enhancing service frequency, and strengthening safety measures to better address student needs and boost their overall satisfaction with public transportation at UiTM Puncak Alam.

Enhancing last mile connectivity using shared mobility: A stated preference survey of business park commuters

An important step towards more sustainable transport is to reduce the use of private cars. There is a significant unrealized potential of replacing car-based commute with public transportation, especially to and from business parks where many people are co-located, and where the use of private cars are quite common. This study examines the potential of shared mobility solutions to enhance the appeal of public transportation by addressing the last mile challenge. Various types of shared mobility are evaluated and compared in a stated preference survey conducted at the Sluppen business park in Trondheim. Results show that more people may choose the bus if there is a shared mobility solution available to complete the last mile of the commute. The respondents prefer e-scooters if there is no extra cost, but to a lesser degree if they must pay 20NOK. Car commuters who are willing to shift to from car to public transport and shared mobility, are also more willing to both wait and pay extra for a shuttle.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Autonomous Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) represent a paradigm shift in transportation, promising safer, more efficient, and convenient mobility. Central to the realization of AVs are advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, enabling vehicles to perceive their environment, make decisions, and navigate autonomously. This paper examines the multifaceted role of AI in AVs, focusing on the challenges and opportunities it presents. The discussion encompasses the application of AI techniques such as machine learning, computer vision, and sensor fusion in enabling autonomous driving systems. Furthermore, it addresses the technical, regulatory, and ethical challenges associated with AI implementation in AVs, including sensor limitations, data privacy concerns, and legal frameworks. Despite these challenges, AI-enabled AVs offer significant opportunities, including improved road safety, enhanced mobility, and reduced environmental impact. Recent innovations and advancements in AI technologies pave the way for overcoming existing barriers and accelerating the adoption of AVs. Through case studies and real-world applications, this paper highlights the transformative potential of AI-driven AVs across various sectors, from transportation and logistics to urban planning. Looking ahead, future research and development efforts must focus on addressing remaining challenges and maximizing the societal benefits of AI in autonomous vehicles.

Impact of Dual Functionalities of Mo‐Doped BiFeO3 Decorated with Bi4MoO9 Heteroatoms for Piezo‐Photocatalytic Activity

AbstractPiezocatalysts have shown great promise for effcient hydrogen generation. However, their application is limited by the rapid charge recombination and sluggish charge transfer rate of piezo‐induced charge carriers. This work aims to address the preceding limitations by controlled synthesis of a representative piezocatalyst, BiFeO3 doped with Mo atoms and decorated with Bi4MoO9 (BMO) heteroatoms using sol‐gel method. The substitutional doping of Mo on BFO (BFMO) was shown to induce a shallow energy level near the conduction band that acted as a trapping state, to suppress recombination of charge carriers, enhance charge mobility for transport to the surface, modulate band alignment, and lower the energy barrier for surface reaction. The formation of BFMO/BMO heterostructures induced electrical band bending, leading to the electric potential gradient, hence promoting charge carrier separation and transfer. The BFMO/BMO with 0.5 mol % Mo (Mo‐5) demonstrated four times faster piezocatalytic Rhodamine B (RhB) dye degradation rate (k of 0.032 min−1) compared to pristine BFO (0.009 min−1). Further, the Mo‐5 exhibited a 45% higher piezocatalytic H2 production rate (14.4 µmol/g/h) compared to pristine BFO (9.8 µmol/g/h) while being cocatalyst‐free. Coupling piezocatalysis with photocatalysis was found to reduceperformance relative to the individual processes, which is attributed to Auger recombination which impedes any potential synergistic effect.

Quantum oscillation study of the large magnetoresistance in Mo substituted WTe2 single crystals

The list of interesting electrical properties exhibited by transition metal dichalcogenides has grown with the discovery of extremely large magnetoresistance (MR) and type-II Weyl semimetal behavior in WTe2 and MoTe2. The extremely large MR in WTe2 is still not adequately understood. Here, we systematically study the effect of Mo substitution on the quantum oscillations in the MR in WTe2. The MR decreases with Mo substitution, however, the carrier concentrations extracted from the quantum oscillations show that the charge compensation improves. We believe that earlier interpretations based on the two-band theory, which attribute the decrease in MR to charge imbalance, could be incorrect due to overparametrization. We attribute the decrease in MR in the presence of charge compensation to a fall in transport mobility, which is evident from the residual resistivity ratio data. The quantum scattering time and the effective masses do not change within experimental errors upon substitution. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Investigating the Future of Freight Transport Low Carbon Technologies Market Acceptance across Different Regions

Fighting climate change has become a major task worldwide. One of the key energy sectors to emit greenhouse gases is transportation. Therefore, long term strategies all over the world have been set up to reduce on-road combustion emissions. In this context, the road freight sector faces significant challenges in decarbonization, driven by its limited availability of low-emission fuels and commercialized zero-emission vehicles compared with its high energy demand. In this work, we develop the Mobility and Energy Transportation Analysis (META) Model, a python-based optimization model to quantify the impact of transportation projected policies on freight transport by projecting conventional and alternative fuel technologies market acceptance as well as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Along with introducing e-fuels as an alternative refueling option for conventional vehicles, META investigates the market opportunities of Mobile Carbon Capture (MCC) until 2050. To accurately assess this technology, a techno-economic analysis is essential to compare MCC abatement cost to alternative decarbonization technologies such as electric trucks. The novelty of this work comes from the detailed cost categories taken into consideration in the analysis, including intangible costs associated with heavy-duty technologies, such as recharging/refueling time, cargo capacity limitations, and consumer acceptance towards emerging technologies across different regions. Based on the study results, the competitive total cost of ownership (TCO) and marginal abatement cost (MAC) values of MCC make it an economically promising alternative option to decarbonize the freight transport sector. Both in the KSA and EU, MCC options could reach greater than 50% market shares of all ICE vehicle sales, equivalent to a combined 35% of all new sales shares by 2035.

Incorporation of Gold Nanoparticle into ZnO Electron Transport Layer to Improve Performance of Hybrid Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cell

Abstract We have investigated the effect of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) from gold nanoparticles incorporated into the electron transport layer (ETL) of zinc oxide (ZnO) on charge carrier transport in order to improve the performance of inverted hybrid bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Synthesis of gold nanoparticles capped by 3-mercaptopropionic acid (AuMPA) and oleylamine (AuOA) was carried out by use of the reduction method and the fabrication of solar cell device with the configuration of ITO/ZnO:AuNPs/P3HT:PCBM/PEDOT:PSS/Ag was done by spin coating and thermal evaporation techniques. The absorbance spectra show a plasmonic peak of AuMPA in solution at 521 nm, while AuOA has a plasmonic peak at 531 nm, with both solutions showing a red-wine color. In our investigation, the incorporation of AuMPA about 2.65wt% or AuOA about 3.5 wt% in the ZnAc solution is quite stable. With the addition of 1.77 wt% AuMPA, the fabricated devices show a significant improvement at short circuit condition (JSC) from 46.67 mA/cm2 to 83.11 mA/cm2, resulting in an increase in power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 5.64% to 9.00% under the illumination of 100 mW/cm2 simulated solar irradiation. While the AuOA addition of 2.65 wt%, the JSC increased from 22.67 mA/cm2 to 44.12 mA/cm2 along with an improvement of PCE from 2.71% to 5.32%. The experiment results suggest that the electron mobility or charge carrier transport to the indium tin oxide (ITO) cathode is improved by the local electric field enhancement around the zinc oxide (ZnO) electron transport layer due to the effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs).

Analysis of Customer’s Continuous Use of Maritime Transportation Mobile Ticketing Application

With the rise of smartphones and internet connectivity, travellers have been increasingly seeking quicker and smoother purchasing processes. To address this behaviour, a passenger shipping company, launched their mobile ticketing app in 2018. However, despite closing offline ticketing booths in late 2023, the app adoption remains low. This research investigates factors influencing user adoption and usage of the app, employing a modified UTAUT model. A mixed-method approach utilizes questionnaires, data analysis using SPSS and PLS-SEM, and cluster analysis to identify user segments and pain points. The research analysis finds that only performance expectancy, social influence, voluntariness of use, system quality, and system quality with a moderating variable frequency of app use impact the user’s intention to continue using the app. These results are further clustered into four categories based on the DOI theory. These findings can be used by the company and other maritime transportation companies seeking to leverage mobile technology for improved customer experience and ticketing efficiency.

ERGONOMIC AND LOGISTIC ENSURING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COMFORT DURING THE ORGANIZATION OF PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION IN A SMALL-CAPACITY BUS

Purpose. The most important advantage of passenger transport by road is the high quality of transport service, which depends on the organization of the transport process, structural features and technical condition of the rolling stock used and the route, the development of the route network and other factors. Comfort reflects the properties of bus passenger transportation, which lead to the creation of the necessary service conditions and convenience for passengers in the bus, at the start-end and transit points on the basis of regulatory documents approved in the prescribed manner. Features of the design of small-capacity buses in terms of comfort and safety of passenger transportation and provision of proper travel conditions mostly determine the scope of use of buses of this class by types of connections and length of routes. The purpose of the paper is the development of a structural model, based on the analysis of the main factors affecting the determination of the comfort of a small-capacity bus for urban transportation during the transportation of passengers. Methods. The analysis of literary sources showed that indicators of comfort (as well as indicators of information service, speed, timeliness, safety of cargo, safety), which refer to indicators of the quality of passenger transportation, are decisive in this group of indicators. From the point of view of Ukrainian legislation and regulatory framework, the concepts of passenger bus capacity and comfort are analyzed. The main factors that determine the comfort of small-capacity buses for urban transportation during the transportation of passengers are determined. Ensuring the comfort of passenger transportation in a small-capacity city bus is determined by compliance with ergonomic requirements, which, in turn, depends on the design features of the arrangement of the area intended for passengers. Scientific novelty. It is proposed to evaluate the comfort category in the urban public road transport system using a structural model that combines two sets of factors – logistic and ergonomic. The logistic set of factors includes characteristics in time and space, that is, characteristics of comfort outside the means of urban public road transport. The ergonomic set of factors includes characteristics that describe comfort in vehicles. Practical significance. On the basis of this model, possible ways of ensuring ergonomic requirements for the layout of the interior and interior of small-capacity buses for urban passenger transportation are proposed. It was established that the main factors of the redistribution of transport mobility between urban passenger transport and transport for individual use are the insufficient comfort of passenger transport or the insufficient density of the route network.

Detection of Mobile and Immobile Solute Transport and Their Residence Time in Saturated Low and High Permeability Soil Layers

Detection of Mobile and Immobile Solute Transport and Their Residence Time in Saturated Low and High Permeability Soil Layers

A Study of Library Mobile Robot Book Classification and Transportation by Integrating DA and RMM

As the complexity of modern library management tasks increases, it is difficult for traditional mobile robots to meet the task of moving and classifying books. In order to design a mobile robot that can autonomously classify and transport books, the study realizes the tasks of book classification and transportation in libraries by fusing the differential speed algorithm and the robot motion model algorithm. First, the robot operating system is utilized to scan the books, classify the books, and obtain the category information of the books. Then, the differential speed algorithm is used to control the motion of the robot to ensure that the robot can accurately transport the books to the designated location. At the same time, combined with the robot motion model algorithm, the motion trajectory of the robot is planned to ensure that the robot can avoid obstacles and stably complete the book transportation task. Finally, the deep reinforcement learning algorithm is used to train the decision-making model of the robot to improve the intelligence level of the robot. The results of simulation experiments show that the research method has the highest accuracy, with an average accuracy of 99.98%, and the robot is able to accurately categorize the books and quickly avoid obstacles with strong stability. The results of the application experiments show that the research method has the shortest moving distance, with an average moving distance of 132 m and an average completion time of 34 seconds, which are lower than the remaining three types of robots. The research robot showed high accuracy in the task of returning books in four time periods within 10 days in the library, with an average accuracy of 99.58%. The experimental results validate the superiority of the research methodology and show that the robots are capable of accurately recognizing and classifying books and can autonomously perform transportation tasks in libraries. The research results help to improve the automation level and management efficiency of libraries and have important application value.

Exploring the Relationship Between COVID-19 Transmission and Population Mobility over Time

This study explores the dynamic relationship between COVID-19 transmission and transportation mobility, with an emphasis on understanding the time-varying bidirectional interplay across the different phases of the pandemic. To gain insight into this relationship, we analyzed county-level data on transmission and mobility patterns from the United States over a 74-week period using a comprehensive list of factors including: temporal factors, socio-demographics, health indicators, health care infrastructure attributes, and spatial factors. For our analysis, we proposed a simultaneous econometric model system that explicitly accounts for the bidirectional relationship between COVID-19 transmission and mobility patterns while also accounting for the influence of common unobserved factors on the two variables. The model results strongly support our hypothesis that COVID-19 transmission and mobility patterns are interconnected. Further, our findings show distinct phases of the bidirectional relationship influenced by behavior changes, vaccine availability, and the emergence of new variants. Additionally, we conducted a validation exercise on a hold-out sample to assess the robustness of our model. The results confirm the superiority of the simultaneous model system with enhanced interpretability and prediction capability. By analyzing data from several weeks for the COVID-19 pandemic, our study provides valuable insights into the evolving dynamics and potential strategies for future pandemics.

A Survey of Image Enhancement and Dehazing Algorithms to Improving Autonomous Navigation in Fog and Dust.

Video captured during sand-dust weather conditions indicates significant degradation, diminished contrast, and pronounced color distortion. The reason behind this phenomenon is the impact of sand-dust particles, which result in the dispersion and assimilating of light. Consequently, resultant image seems blurred and lacks contrast. Additionally, the alteration in color is attributed to the swift reduction of blue light. Adverse weather circumstances, such as fog, sand, and dust storms, cause problems with vision for deploying self-driving automobiles. To guarantee secure and seamless operations during frequent adverse weather conditions, video enhancement plays a vital role in facilitating vehicular mobility and navigational in both road and air transportation. To improve the safety and efficiency of operation, it is imperative to employ video dehazing techniques, particularly in adverse weather conditions. The purpose of our overview is to offer interested researchers a thorough and methodical examination of image enhancement approaches, serving as an important point of reference for their work. The text explored different image enhancement methods, along with the challenges, constraints, advantages, and drawbacks associated with using these techniques throughout the past five years. Specifically, it focused on three aspects: supervised algorithms, unsupervised algorithms, and quality evaluation.

Urban Odyssey: “Pioneering multimodal routes for Tomorrow's smart cities”

Getting around in modern cities has become a daily puzzle for both residents and travelers. As cities increasingly evolve into complex hubs of innovation and development, the demand for efficient transportation solutions has never been higher. In the multifaceted field of urban transportation, cost-effective and efficient mobility remains a high priority. This paper looks at how cities are planning better ways for people to travel and move within the growing scope of multimodal transportation, a paradigm shift beyond traditional single-mode transit systems. Our approach to improving urban transport revolves around a few key principles: integration, innovation, and collaboration. Integration means bringing together different modes of transportation – like buses, trains, bikes, and even new technologies like ride-sharing services to make it easier for people to switch between them. This transformative approach not only aims to reduce congestion and reduce environmental footprints but also prioritizes user experience while ensuring a harmonious blend of convenience, sustainability, and accessibility. We use new technology and ideas to ensure that travel is easy, quick, and good for the environment. Looking at new trends and examples from around the world, this overview shows how cities are shaping a better future for everyone's daily commute. In this paper, we use Lingo software to solve a numerical example related to multi-modal transportation, demonstrating practical solutions for real-world implementation. Through innovation, we can find creative solutions to urban transportation challenges. Additionally, public transportation enhancements, such as the introduction of synchronized bus routes and electric vehicle charging stations, underline the commitment to sustainability and inclusivity. In the dynamic urban transportation landscape, cities will revolutionize our approach to providing cost-effective and efficient mobility solutions.

Towards development of a roadway flood severity index

Flooding is among the costliest and deadliest weather disasters. Moreover, different types of flooding have significant impacts on the transportation network and infrastructure including flash, riverine, urban, coastal, and storm surge. The variety of flooding scenarios makes it challenging to quantify the impacts of flooding on transportation across spatial scales; however, such metrics would be beneficial both prior to and after the event. Pre-flood metrics can promote enhanced impact-based decision-support guidance and hazard communication, while post-flood metrics may include larger regional disruptions located away from the most inundated areas and their associated secondary societal impacts. This study developed a retrospective Roadway Flood-Severity Index (RFSI) from 1982 to 2020 capable of integrating geo-located hydrometeorological data and transportation mobility information across localized and multi-state, sub-national regions to (1) categorize larger-scale, flood-related transportation disruptions, (2) understand the origins of those disruptions, and (3) identify severity risk levels of individual road segments and broader regions of transportation disruption during flood events. The fundamental question is, as flooding events unfold, can past hydrometeorological inundation information be coupled with transportation system network and mobility data to identify the most vulnerable roadway segments and regions? The overall mobility impacts of flooding on transportation were highly variable and relatively uncommon throughout the study period. Given this variability in other mobility data (e.g., vehicle speeds), hydrometeorological parameters were used exclusively as model inputs and crowdsourced Waze flood reports were used as the target response variable. A logistic regression based RFSI was found to best align with the dataset providing a “no flood” or “flood” classification. Eventually, this retrospective analysis will be extended to provide predictive capability as well. The RFSI is intended to provide transportation agencies with a quantitative metric to classify, categorize, and communicate the potential impacts of flood events throughout the transportation network.

Interdomain-linkers control conformational transitions in the SLC23 elevator transporter UraA

Uptake of nucleobases and ascorbate is an essential process in all living organisms mediated by SLC23 transport proteins. These transmembrane carriers operate via the elevator alternating-access mechanism, and are composed of two rigid domains whose relative motion drives transport. The lack of large conformational changes within these domains suggests that the interdomain-linkers act as flexible tethers. Here, we show that interdomain-linkers are not mere tethers, but have a key regulatory role in dictating the conformational space of the transporter and defining the rotation axis of the mobile transport domain. By resolving a wide inward-open conformation of the SLC23 elevator transporter UraA and combining biochemical studies using a synthetic nanobody as conformational probe with hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that interdomain-linkers control the function of transport proteins by influencing substrate affinity and transport rate. These findings open the possibility to allosterically modulate the activity of elevator proteins by targeting their linkers.

Rethinking Transportation Mobility and Social Equity Policy in Lagos Metropolis

Rethinking Transportation Mobility and Social Equity Policy in Lagos Metropolis

Emerging Advanced Photo‐Rechargeable Batteries

AbstractThe depletion of fossil fuels necessitates the efficient utilization of solar energy and the urgent resolution of its instability, intermittency, and storage challenges. Photo‐rechargeable batteries, which integrate solar cells and energy storage batteries to convert solar energy into electricity and store it as chemical energy, have gradually emerged as a novel research direction to meet the energy demands of various standalone applications such as building facades, mobile transportation devices, and outdoor settings. This review elucidates the device structure, working principles, and key parameters of photo‐rechargeable batteries. Furthermore, various photo‐rechargeable battery systems such as lithium‐ion battery, lithium‐sulfur battery, sodium‐ion battery, zinc‐ion battery, and aluminum‐ion battery are categorized and summarized, detailing their composition, operational mechanisms, and photoelectric performance. Finally, the future research directions of photo‐rechargeable batteries are delineated, advocating for the exploration of dual‐functional materials that integrate light conversion and energy storage. Specifically, emphasis is placed on studying the compatibility between optical and energy storage materials, investigating new battery operation mechanisms under illumination conditions, considering the imperative of achieving high stability and overall efficiency to enhance device performance, and elucidating the future application pathways of these technologies.

The affects and emotions of everyday commutes in Kolkata: shaping women’s public transport mobility

Public transport inherently involves encounters with other people. For women, negotiating everyday overcrowded, unsafe, and unreliable conditions is a major barrier to accessing public transport mobility that triggers emotions. Using qualitative research methods – in-depth interviews and visual surveys – this study delves beyond understanding the barriers and looks at the affective realm to comprehend how affects and emotions shape accessibility, acceptability, and affordability of public transport for women in Kolkata. The disruptive affects of overcrowded, unsafe, and unreliable conditions produce emotional ordeals, increase travel time and costs, and restrict mobility. The sense of despair that emerges compels women to adjust, accept, and even opt out of overcrowded, unsafe, and unreliable public transport more often than not. This paper argues that affects, emotions, reactions, and consequences are entangled and impact the accessibility, acceptability, and affordability of public transport. The contribution of this paper lies in bringing to the fore the need for feminist inquiries into gendered mobility inequalities and the role of affects and emotions therein.