Urban Mobility Systems Research Articles

Autonomous Generation of a Public Transportation Network by an Agent-Based Model: Mutual Enrichment with Knowledge Graphs for Sustainable Urban Mobility

Sound planning for urban mobility is a key facet of securing a sustainable future for our urban systems, and requires the careful and comprehensive assessment of its components, such as the status of the cities’ public transportation network, and how urban planners should invest in developing it. We use agent-based modelling, a tried and true method for such endeavours, for studying the history, planned future works and possible evolution of the tram line network in the Greater Geneva region. We couple these models with knowledge graphs, in a way that both are able to mutually enrich each other. Results show that the information organisation powers of knowledge graphs are highly relevant for effortlessly recounting past events and designing scenarios to be directly incorporated inside the agent-based model. The model features all 5 tram lines from the current real-world network, servicing a total of 15 communes. In turn, the model is capable of replaying past events, predicting future developments and exploring user-defined scenarios. It also harnesses its self-organisation properties to autonomously reconstruct an artificial public transportation network for the region based on two different initial networks, servicing up to 29 communes depending on the scenario. The data gathered from the simulation is effortlessly imported back into the initial knowledge graphs. The artificial networks closely resemble their real-world counterparts and demonstrate the predictive and prescriptive powers of our agent-based model. They constitute valuable assets towards a comprehensive assessment of urban mobility systems, compelling progress for the agent-based modelling field, and a convincing demonstration of its technical capabilities.

Visual Analytics for Sustainable Mobility: Usability Evaluation and Knowledge Acquisition for Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) Data Exploration

Urban mobility systems generate a massive volume of real-time data, providing an exceptional opportunity to understand and optimize transportation networks. To harness this potential, we developed UrbanFlow Milano, an interactive map-based dashboard designed to explore the intricate patterns of shared mobility use within the city of Milan. By placing users at the center of the analysis, UrbanFlow empowers them to visualize, filter, and interact with data to uncover valuable insights. Through a comprehensive user study, we observed how individuals interact with the dashboard, gaining critical feedback to refine its design and enhance its effectiveness. Our research contributes to the advancement of user-centric visual analytics tools that facilitate data-driven decision-making in urban planning and transportation management.

Potentials of Green Hydrogen Production in P2G Systems Based on FPV Installations Deployed on Pit Lakes in Former Mining Sites by 2050 in Poland

Green hydrogen production is expected to play a major role in the context of the shift towards sustainable energy stipulated in the Fit for 55 package. Green hydrogen and its derivatives have the capacity to act as effective energy storage vectors, while fuel cell-powered vehicles will foster net-zero emission mobility. This study evaluates the potential of green hydrogen production in Power-to-Gas (P2G) systems operated in former mining sites where sand and gravel aggregate has been extracted from lakes and rivers under wet conditions (below the water table). The potential of hydrogen production was assessed for the selected administrative unit in Poland, the West Pomerania province. Attention is given to the legal and organisational aspects of operating mining companies to identify the sites suitable for the installation of floating photovoltaic facilities by 2050. The method relies on the use of GIS tools, which utilise geospatial data to identify potential sites for investments. Basing on the geospatial model and considering technical and organisational constraints, the schedule was developed, showing the potential availability of the site over time. Knowing the surface area of the water reservoir, the installed power of the floating photovoltaic plant, and the production capacity of the power generation facility and electrolysers, the capacity of hydrogen production in the P2G system can be evaluated. It appears that by 2050 it should be feasible to produce green fuel in the P2G system to support a fleet of city buses for two of the largest urban agglomerations in the West Pomerania province. Simulations revealed that with a water coverage ratio increase and the planned growth of green hydrogen generation, it should be feasible to produce fuel for net-zero emission urban mobility systems to power 200 buses by 2030, 550 buses by 2040, and 900 buses by 2050 (for the bus models Maxi (40 seats) and Mega (60 seats)). The results of the research can significantly contribute to the development of projects focused on the production of green hydrogen in a decentralised system. The disclosure of potential and available locations over time can be compared with competitive solutions in terms of spatial planning, environmental and societal impact, and the economics of the undertaking.

Enhancement of the impacts 2050 model to enable a whole system sustainability assessment of rideshare

Emerging concepts, such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS), could evolve to provide sustainable mobility, especially in densely populated urban areas. However, recent studies highlight the challenge of evaluating how the complex interactions of user demographics, mode choice, vehicle automation, governance, and efficiency will impact the sustainability of future mobility. Given this challenge, this research identifies a whole system (STEEP - social, technical, economic, environmental, and political) framework as essential to assess the overall sustainability of emergent urban mobility systems such as rideshare. The need is a single tool that can rapidly explore the long-range sustainability impact of such alternative future mobility scenarios for a given city region. This paper documents enhancements made to Impacts 2050, a strategic-level model of urban mobility, to address this need, including updates to the statistical travel behavior model and the addition of rideshare including trip occupancy. Results obtained with the enhanced Impacts 2050 showed that, while rideshare use increased significantly for some scenarios, its overall mode share remained limited. In addition, though rideshare enabled users to shed car ownership, the overall percentage increase of “no car ownership” was low. An urban mobility sustainability scorecard based on STEEP and generated by output from the enhanced Impacts 2050 is presented.

Assessing Road Users’ Preferences for Various Travel Demand Management Strategies for Adoption in Accra, Ghana

The rise in population density, vehicle ownership, and urban development has significantly influenced travel demand and altered travel patterns, leading to traffic congestion in rapidly growing urban centers such as Accra, Ghana. The traditional approach of expanding roadways to accommodate rising traffic is no longer environmentally sustainable. Instead, the emphasis has shifted toward travel demand management (TDM) strategies as a more sustainable solution. This study aimed to investigate a range of TDM strategies that can be adopted in Accra to improve traffic flow through the lenses of everyday road users. The study employed a questionnaire survey and a stratified sampling technique to gather data from 615 respondents for relative importance index (RII) ranking and Chi-square statistical analysis. The findings revealed that the topmost preferred strategies were mass transit improvements, walking and cycling improvements, and alternative work schedules. Notably, mass transit improvements emerged as the most preferred strategy. Conversely, strategies like efficient parking pricing, congestion pricing, and higher fuel and road taxes for private vehicles ranked lowest, garnering minimal preference. The study also revealed a statistically significant correlation between variables such as age, education level, marital status, income level, and mode of transportation and all the selected TDM preferences. However, no significant relationship was found between gender or car ownership and any of the selected TDM preferences. The study provides valuable insights into road users’ preferences for TDM strategies that can aid in planning future urban mobility systems to proactively manage travel demand, alleviate congestion, and promote sustainable transportation options for the city’s residents.

MANAGEMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN A COOPERATIVE OF URBAN TRANSPORT OPERATORS

The urban mobility systems of municipalities are made up of various transport, passenger and freight services and subsystems. The mode of public passenger transport, the main one, in many cases, is operated by buses belonging to urban transport companies, and by the complementary service, operated by small vehicles. The great challenge of this format is to establish the corporate culture in the associations of operators of small vehicles, accustomed to an almost artisanal model, practically an extension of the informal or clandestine operation previously carried out. This challenge can be overcome through the actions of the Government, encouraging the formation of cooperatives, formed by these permittees. It must be considered that a cooperative has different specificities from a capital company. The management bodies of transport systems should encourage the assimilation of the management culture, more precisely the Management ® Excellence Model, which is desirable for cooperatives to have the necessary conditions to operate properly in transport systems. Hence, the general objective of this work is to provide the technical, economic, financial and structural conditions for cooperatives to have sustainability as an economic activity. The methodology used was based on an empirical, inductive and exploratory study, with the presentation of a strategic business management model. With this, it is intended to establish a management model to be followed by any entity that has delegation of operation by the Government, which, without a doubt, will constitute a great innovation in the institutional relationship with these individual operators

The Challenge of Data Analytics with Climate-neutral Urban Mobility (Vision Paper)

Urban mobility is a major contributor to human-induced climate change, a challenge that urban and transport planning and spatial computing academic communities have been actively addressing. In this article we argue, however, that the common data analytics research into incremental efficiency improvements of originally non-sustainable urban mobility systems will never be able to help reach climate neutrality —the goal we must achieve by 2050 as per the Paris Agreement. This imperative is exacerbated by the observation that improvements, by data analytics, in one segment of urban mobility typically have unintended and often adverse consequences in other segments. In this vision paper we argue for a data analytics agenda to advance climate action at the core of urban mobility research. This agenda must disrupt the way we think and operate, as much as it is disrupting the accessibility issues of society in cities.

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.

Toward Sustainable Urban Mobility: A Multidimensional Ontology-Based Framework for Assessment and Consensus Decision-Making Using DS-AHP

Urban mobility is a critical aspect of sustainable urban development, with significant environmental, social, and economic implications. Assessing the sustainability of urban mobility systems in order to create more carbon neutral, liveable, healthier, and sustainable cities and neighborhoods for the future requires a multidimensional approach that integrates diverse factors. However, the lack of a unified assessment framework poses challenges in comparing and evaluating different urban mobility projects. This article proposes an ontology for assessing the sustainability of urban mobility systems. This ontology is based on a multidimensional approach that integrates knowledge from experts in transportation engineering, urban planning, environmental science, and social sciences to incorporate existing sustainability indicators and frameworks, as well as domain-specific knowledge. A consensus approach based on Dempster–Shäfer (DS) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods is proposed to account for uncertainties and to allow for the consideration of preferences and ill judgment. Through a case study in Romania, the authors demonstrated the applicability of the proposal to provide a comprehensive and flexible framework for assessing urban mobility sustainability. The proposed ontology provides a valuable tool for policymakers, urban planners, and transportation engineers to make informed decisions towards sustainable urban mobility, and the sensitivity analysis is carried out to demonstrate the robustness of the proposed framework. It has potential for iterative validation and feedback from domain experts, and can serve as a foundation for future research.

Exploring the Role of IOT Sensors in Enhancing Urban Mobility

Cities now function completely differently thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT) sensors integrated into their surroundings, especially when it comes to mobility and transportation management. This article includes in-depth analysis of the uses, advantages, difficulties, and potential implications of IoT sensors for urban mobility systems. The present study delves into the complex function of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors in augmenting urban mobility. It enumerates their many uses, revolutionary advantages, intrinsic difficulties, and auspicious prospects. IoT sensors are changing how cities handle transportation issues, from maximizing traffic flow and boosting public transit efficiency to encouraging environmental sustainability and raising user experiences. This essay seeks to shed light on the complex relationship between IoT sensors and urban mobility in order to create more intelligent, sustainable cities of the future.

Working of E-Ticketing for Public Buses

The transition from manual, cash-based ticketing procedures to a cutting-edge digital system represents a pivotal advancement in modernizing India's public bus transportation. This research paper delves into the working model of e-ticketing for public buses, aimed at addressing long-standing challenges of wait times, operational hurdles, and inefficiencies inherent in traditional systems. By leveraging state-of-the-art digital technology, this initiative aims to revolutionize the public transportation experience, enhancing security, convenience, and operational efficiency for both administrators and passengers. Thus, to provide an agile and smooth ticketing experience, we have proposed the smart application. [4] Key objectives of this research include the elimination of manual cash transactions, reduction of wait times, and mitigation of operational inefficiencies. Through the implementation of a digital ticketing system, the paper explores how transaction processes are streamlined, providing passengers with a seamless interface for ticket purchases. Not only does this innovation enhance transaction security, but it also fosters a more agile and responsive public bus transportation system. The research assesses the tangible benefits of the digital ticketing solution, highlighting its role in increasing passenger flexibility and reducing congestion through shorter wait times and improved traffic flow. Real-time data analytics are examined as a critical tool for administrators, enabling enhanced resource allocation and informed decision-making processes. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the working model of e-ticketing for public buses, offering insights into its functionality, implementation challenges, and the transformative impact it has on India's public transport sector. By promoting a more sophisticated and user-friendly framework, the research underscores the potential of digital ticketing solutions to redefine the landscape of public transportation, paving the way for a more efficient and accessible urban mobility system in India. Key Word: E-ticketing, Public buses, Digital technology, Operational efficiency, Urban mobility

Integrated optimisation of strategic planning and service operations for urban air mobility systems

With the rapid development of novel vehicle technologies, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles are becoming a new transport servicing model to achieve better urban air mobility (UAM) systems. The UAM systems can efficiently utilise low-altitude airspace resources, providing a solution to alleviate congestion in urban ground traffic. This paper delves into an integrated optimisation problem aimed at addressing decision-making processes related to the strategic planning and service operation of UAM systems, considering both demand uncertainty and spatial equity. The problem encompasses various decision components, including parking stand numbers at vertiports and vertistops, eVTOL fleet sizing as well as eVTOL fleet allocation and operations. Additionally, we introduce a spatial equity metric and establish a bi-objective optimisation model to balance the trade-off between service profitability and spatial equity considerations. We transform the bi-objective optimisation model to a tractable single-objective formulation using ε-constraint approach and linearisation technique. In this paper, we employ a scenario-based robust optimisation framework that incorporates the interval robust method to capture the demand uncertainty, enhancing resilience against uncertain factors. We evaluate the model performance using a small-scale example and further validate the proposed model through a real-world case study. Numerical analysis results demonstrate that the scenario-based robust optimisation framework can ensure the robustness of decision-making against the effect of uncertain conditions. Furthermore, numerical experiments reveal a trade-off between profitability and spatial equity, potentially requiring a partial sacrifice of profit to attain a desired equity level. Finally, we propose valuable policy recommendations to guide the decision-making processes of UAM service providers.

The complex web of land use planning, legislation and urban mobility in Maseru, Lesotho

Applying an exploratory case study design, the study analyses urban mobility along the Main North 1 Road. We argue that urban mobility in Maseru, Lesotho is compromised by a complex web of issues including inconsistent urban transport policies, inadequate road infrastructure, and land use activities along some roads. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources, including key informant interviews, direct observations, and a review of policy documents on urban mobility. We show that urban mobility along the Main North 1 Road is jeopardised by outdated land use planning schemes and legislation that are out of sync with local realities as they support vehicular movement while neglecting pedestrians’ needs, compromising their safety. The state of the infrastructure also contributes to urban mobility inefficiencies. The study concludes that the urban mobility system needs to be understood holistically to identify leverage points critical for interventions and planning for sustainable urban mobility.

Robust optimisation for vertiport location problem considering travel mode choice behaviour in urban air mobility systems

With the rapid development of novel vehicle technologies, air taxis are becoming a new transport servicing model to achieve better urban air mobility (UAM) systems. The UAM system can mitigate severe traffic congestion problems on the ground in many metropolitan areas effectively. This research aims to design a robust UAM network to serve broader mobility needs in the future. In this study, we consider the two main competition transportation modes of air taxis (luxury ground taxis and ordinary ground taxis) and establish a travel mode choice behaviour model based on the multinomial logit choice approach to determine the aggregate air taxi demand flow. Furthermore, we account for the varying temporal preferences of different UAM passengers by incorporating different time values for heterogeneous passengers, such as leisure and business passengers, into the travel mode choice behaviour model. Additionally, to address uncertainties in user demand, we introduce a robust optimisation model for vertiport location under a budget uncertainty set. This model is then reformulated as a mixed-integer linear programming model to address computational challenges. Ultimately, we conduct a series of numerical experiments to showcase the effectiveness of our proposed mathematical model. The outcomes of this research offer valuable managerial insights and implications, aiding governments and UAM operators in scientifically designing UAM networks and making strategic decisions regarding infrastructure investments.

Moving towards Sustainable Mobility: A Comparative Analysis of Smart Urban Mobility in Croatian Cities

Most modern urban areas strive to realize a sustainable and smart urban mobility system. In the Republic of Croatia, no study has provided an analysis of the state of urban mobility therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to determine the level of smart urban mobility in the cities of the Republic of Croatia. Based on the indicators provided by ISO standards (ISO 37120:2018 and ISO 37122:2019), the state of smart urban mobility in the Republic of Croatia was evaluated and a comparative analysis of small, medium-sized, and large cities was conducted. Moreover, correlations were found between individual indicators, within the categories of small, medium, and large cities, to determine whether there is a connection between individual indicators. The obtained results show that the state of smart urban mobility in the territory of the Republic of Croatia is at a very low level. The highest level of smart urban mobility was achieved by large cities, but it was not significantly different from the level in small and medium-sized cities. The correlation between the indicators also highlights the strong links between individual elements in the city. Therefore, to achieve smart urban mobility, it is necessary to manage all elements in an integrated manner.

Smart Cities and Sustainable Urban Mobility: An Analysis of Urban Indicators of Marau/RS

The increasing problems related to urban mobility in Brazilian municipalities, caused mainly by uncontrolled urbanization and constant growth in the automotive vehicle fleet, is directly related to the difficulties presented in the public management of Brazilian cities, mainly with regard to urban planning. The objective of this article is to analyze users’ satisfaction of the urban mobility system in a small municipality, as well as the condition of the city's physical characteristics, mainly identifying those that interfere with urban mobility, checking the most used modes in each sector of the city of Marau/RS and the mobility situation by age group and income, finding existing problems in each of the modes. To this end, a documentary survey was carried out on the object of study, a physical survey of the characteristics of the municipality, and a questionnaire with 84 respondents. The results obtained reveal the use of private cars as the main means of daily transport, correlated with low incentives and accessibility to sustainable modes of transport.

Optimal planning of urban air mobility systems accounting for ground access trips

The concept of Urban Air Mobility (UAM), an on-demand aviation service using air vehicles for urban short-distance trips, such as electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL), has recently drawn public attention as one of possible solutions to traffic congestion in metropolitan areas. We present an optimal planning framework for fleet size and vertiport numbers using generalized cost models of UAM trip chains with two different ground access modes for first and last mile trips, including taxis and robotaxis (i.e. autonomous taxis or shared autonomous vehicles). As it is a relatively new and untested mode of transportation, our research aims to provide a decision-making tool for initial UAM system planning and analysis of its economic feasibility, appropriately considering its unique characteristics, such as high free-flow speed, low circuity, needs for ground access, and specific cost factors, such as vertiport and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft costs. Through a parametric study, we quantitatively examine the necessary conditions for UAM, with or without ridesharing, to become more economically viable than other ground-only modes. The study confirms that UAM can have potential economic benefits especially in large cities with longer average trip lengths and severe traffic congestion, where the average ground vehicle speed is low.

A novel scenario planning approach considering criteria interaction in multi-criteria evaluation: An application to urban mobility

This study proposes a new scenario planning approach which consists of two main stages: evaluating scenarios under multiple criteria and selecting a manageable number of representative scenarios covering a wide range of future developments. In the evaluation stage, the interaction between criteria has been considered, which offers a significant contribution both to the scenario literature and practice. In the selection stage, a mathematical programming model has been developed to ensure the selection of distinct scenarios with high evaluation values. The approach is applied to an urban mobility system in a metropolitan area. The selected scenarios provide valuable insights into the future of urban mobility, serving as a basis for identifying strategies. The proposed approach does not offer a solution only for scenario planning problems, it can be effectively applied to similar problems in different areas.

Problems of financing urban mobility resilience in Poland

Motivation: The efficient functioning of transportation systems is subject to various types of disruptions and risks. Transportation systems are strongly affected by all kinds of local, regional, national, or global crises. The European Union’s transport policy indicates the need to build sustainable, intelligent, and resilient urban mobility systems based on public mass transit. The paradigm of resilience has gained particular importance in the context of the global crises of the last five years. Resilient urban mobility systems are intended to provide the ability to respond quickly to disruptions that occur, allowing urban organisms to achieve operational stability.Aim: The purpose of the study is to identify the main problems with financing the resilience of public mass transit systems in Polish cities. The specific aims are the identification of the factors determining the resilience of urban mobility systems and tools supporting it, measures of resilience and ways of financing it. The study sought to verify whether the mobility systems of Polish regional cities can be considered resilient from a financial point of view.Results: Financing urban public mass transport in Poland is based on two key sources of income: fees from ticket sales and payments (compensations) made by local governments. The economic and energy crisis contributed to a significant increase in the operating costs of public mass transportation providers. In this context, the key to building resilient public mass transport systems in urban areas is to make changes to existing models to ensure a stable PTA financing system.

External effects of urban automated vehicles on sustainability

The transport sector is responsible for an important share of pollutant emissions, and urban mobility systems are facing major challenges, such as congestion and parking needs. Automated vehicles are expected to mitigate effects of this kind, and may positively affect the sustainability of the mobility sector. We quantify the external effects of human-driven battery electric vehicles in comparison to automated ones, regarding external costs for urban areas in Germany. In our analysis we focus on environmental, social and economic external cost components. We find that vehicle automation can lower external costs by 34%, suggesting savings of 51.6 billion euros per year for Germany alone, with congestion and parking space costs accounting for the largest share of costs and savings. Our results provide an understanding of the magnitude of the external effects of automated vehicles, conducting sensitivity analyses and additionally discussing the impact of travel behavior.