Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104034
Seungil Yum
This study examines differences in travel patterns, purposes, mode choices, time, and distance between low- and high-income minority groups compared with whites, considering factors such as ethnic enclaves, neighborhood characteristics, and socio-demographic variables. The findings reveal that low-income minority groups engage in less solo driving (SD) than their high-income counterparts, while low-income whites show the opposite pattern. Low-income individuals are also more likely to use carpooling (both household and inter-household) regardless of race or ethnicity. Moreover, their travel mode choices, time, and distance are influenced differently by racial, neighborhood, and locational factors than those of high-income groups. These results suggest that transportation policies should account for the complex interactions among income, ethnicity, and spatial context to better support mobility equity for low-income and minority populations.
{"title":"Different travel behavior between low-income and high-income minority groups","authors":"Seungil Yum","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104034","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104034","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines differences in travel patterns, purposes, mode choices, time, and distance between low- and high-income minority groups compared with whites, considering factors such as ethnic enclaves, neighborhood characteristics, and socio-demographic variables. The findings reveal that low-income minority groups engage in less solo driving (SD) than their high-income counterparts, while low-income whites show the opposite pattern. Low-income individuals are also more likely to use carpooling (both household and inter-household) regardless of race or ethnicity. Moreover, their travel mode choices, time, and distance are influenced differently by racial, neighborhood, and locational factors than those of high-income groups. These results suggest that transportation policies should account for the complex interactions among income, ethnicity, and spatial context to better support mobility equity for low-income and minority populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 104034"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-28DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104041
Sultan Büşra Artaş , Hüseyin Yağlı , Ali Kahraman
Increasing energy demand brings environmental challenges, especially due to the dependence on fossil fuels. Despite importance of energy supply, they cause damage to the environment. For sustainability, the transition to alternative energy sources is accelerating. The transport sector that is heavily dependent on fossil fuels consumes a large portion of energy. Efficient engines, lightweight materials and alternative fuels are required to reduce emissions. Promoting advanced vehicle technologies and clean fuels helps to reduce urban pollution. While electric vehicles are key to this transition, their environmental benefits are highly dependent on a country's electricity mix. A comprehensive assessment of energy and emissions is essential. This study conducts a comprehensive Wheel-to-Wheel analysis to assess the energy efficiency of EVs compared to diesel and petrol vehicles in eight countries with different electricity generation profiles, encompassing both the upstream well-to-tank fuel cycle processes and the downstream tank-to-wheel conversion stages within the full energy pathway. The analysis shows that diesels exhibit the highest average WTW efficiency among internal combustion engines at 25.37 %, while petrol vehicles lag behind at 18.20 %. However, EV-WTW efficiency ranges widely, from 36.54 % in the Netherlands, where renewable energy dominates, to only 21.26 % in Saudi Arabia that is heavily dependent on fossil fuels. The real world energy consumption of EVs also varies significantly. The findings emphasize that although EVs are a promising solution for sustainable mobility, their actual environmental performance is conditional. Countries should prioritize grid decarbonization to realize the full potential of EVs. The novelty of this study lies in integrating real-world vehicle data with country-specific WTW modelling, providing a critical lens for policymakers to align transport electrification with clean energy transitions.
{"title":"A country-based well-to-wheel efficiency comparison of electric and fossil-fuelled vehicles: A comprehensive study considering fuel sources and policy implications","authors":"Sultan Büşra Artaş , Hüseyin Yağlı , Ali Kahraman","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104041","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104041","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Increasing energy demand brings environmental challenges, especially due to the dependence on fossil fuels. Despite importance of energy supply, they cause damage to the environment. For sustainability, the transition to alternative energy sources is accelerating. The transport sector that is heavily dependent on fossil fuels consumes a large portion of energy. Efficient engines, lightweight materials and alternative fuels are required to reduce emissions. Promoting advanced vehicle technologies and clean fuels helps to reduce urban pollution. While electric vehicles are key to this transition, their environmental benefits are highly dependent on a country's electricity mix. A comprehensive assessment of energy and emissions is essential. This study conducts a comprehensive Wheel-to-Wheel analysis to assess the energy efficiency of EVs compared to diesel and petrol vehicles in eight countries with different electricity generation profiles, encompassing both the upstream well-to-tank fuel cycle processes and the downstream tank-to-wheel conversion stages within the full energy pathway. The analysis shows that diesels exhibit the highest average WTW efficiency among internal combustion engines at 25.37 %, while petrol vehicles lag behind at 18.20 %. However, EV-WTW efficiency ranges widely, from 36.54 % in the Netherlands, where renewable energy dominates, to only 21.26 % in Saudi Arabia that is heavily dependent on fossil fuels. The real world energy consumption of EVs also varies significantly. The findings emphasize that although EVs are a promising solution for sustainable mobility, their actual environmental performance is conditional. Countries should prioritize grid decarbonization to realize the full potential of EVs. The novelty of this study lies in integrating real-world vehicle data with country-specific WTW modelling, providing a critical lens for policymakers to align transport electrification with clean energy transitions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 104041"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104042
Christos Gkartzonikas , Loukas Dimitriou
Shared transportation services are becoming progressively prominent in cities and urban environments, where shared micro-mobility services such as shared bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters increase their uptake, especially among young people. However, the majority of the previous studies evaluated the shared micro-mobility services distinctly, overlooking their potential interdependencies. Hence, understanding these interrelationships and examining how the trip frequency of shared micro-mobility services is associated for different trip purposes is essential for designing tailored policy interventions addressing specific user needs. What is more, previous research often treats young people as a homogeneous demographic group, thereby neglecting the heterogeneity in behaviors and preferences within this demographic group. Therefore, to address these gaps, this study evaluates a large sample of university-affiliated young individuals with the goal of uncovering heterogeneity in their adoption and use of shared micro-mobility services. Particularly, three latent class models are developed to classify distinct user groups based on different trip purposes – intra-university trips, commuting trips, and trips regardless of trip purpose – with the objective of contributing to the state-of-the-art by yielding heterogeneous user behaviors in an empirical setting, where people predominantly rely on their private vehicles. Lastly, the findings could highlight diverse user patterns and provide recommendations for policymakers and transportation service providers. These insights aim to support the heterogeneous travel needs of the younger demographic, while also fostering the broader adoption of shared micro-mobility services.
{"title":"Assessment of travel behavior dynamics among young demographic for different trip purposes of shared micro-mobility services","authors":"Christos Gkartzonikas , Loukas Dimitriou","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104042","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104042","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shared transportation services are becoming progressively prominent in cities and urban environments, where shared micro-mobility services such as shared bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters increase their uptake, especially among young people. However, the majority of the previous studies evaluated the shared micro-mobility services distinctly, overlooking their potential interdependencies. Hence, understanding these interrelationships and examining how the trip frequency of shared micro-mobility services is associated for different trip purposes is essential for designing tailored policy interventions addressing specific user needs. What is more, previous research often treats young people as a homogeneous demographic group, thereby neglecting the heterogeneity in behaviors and preferences within this demographic group. Therefore, to address these gaps, this study evaluates a large sample of university-affiliated young individuals with the goal of uncovering heterogeneity in their adoption and use of shared micro-mobility services. Particularly, three latent class models are developed to classify distinct user groups based on different trip purposes – intra-university trips, commuting trips, and trips regardless of trip purpose – with the objective of contributing to the state-of-the-art by yielding heterogeneous user behaviors in an empirical setting, where people predominantly rely on their private vehicles. Lastly, the findings could highlight diverse user patterns and provide recommendations for policymakers and transportation service providers. These insights aim to support the heterogeneous travel needs of the younger demographic, while also fostering the broader adoption of shared micro-mobility services.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 104042"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104040
Liyuan Zhao , Mengzhao Yang , Chudan Chen , Liyang Huang , Zhi-Chun Li
Urban emissions remain a critical global challenge, yet the role of spatial planning in mitigation is poorly quantified. This study aims to clarify how urban form and transportation networks influence carbon emissions by introducing a new metric — the Bidirectional Carbon-Emission Discrepancy Coefficient (BCDC) — which captures the difference between ground-based and satellite-observed emissions to reveal spatial impacts. Focusing on the Wuhan Metropolitan Area, we combined a Bayesian-optimized LightGBM model with SHAP analysis to identify nonlinear effects and thresholds. We find that urban compactness improves emissions up to a threshold of 0.23, beyond which benefits diminish. A U-shaped relationship emerges between carbon efficiency and both ecological land share and average travel distance, indicating optimal ranges for mitigation. Spatial analysis shows distinct patterns: emission hotspots need targeted industrial relocation, while coldspots benefit most from expanding blue-green infrastructure (>30 %) and decentralizing transport networks (15–20 % centrality reduction). These results provide actionable, location-specific strategies for urban decarbonization. By linking carbon data with spatial analytics, this framework advances climate-responsive urban planning, offering a scalable toolkit for tailored, evidence-based interventions that move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches.
{"title":"How does urban land use and transportation spatial configuration affect carbon exacerbation and mitigation?","authors":"Liyuan Zhao , Mengzhao Yang , Chudan Chen , Liyang Huang , Zhi-Chun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104040","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban emissions remain a critical global challenge, yet the role of spatial planning in mitigation is poorly quantified. This study aims to clarify how urban form and transportation networks influence carbon emissions by introducing a new metric — the Bidirectional Carbon-Emission Discrepancy Coefficient (BCDC) — which captures the difference between ground-based and satellite-observed emissions to reveal spatial impacts. Focusing on the Wuhan Metropolitan Area, we combined a Bayesian-optimized LightGBM model with SHAP analysis to identify nonlinear effects and thresholds. We find that urban compactness improves emissions up to a threshold of 0.23, beyond which benefits diminish. A U-shaped relationship emerges between carbon efficiency and both ecological land share and average travel distance, indicating optimal ranges for mitigation. Spatial analysis shows distinct patterns: emission hotspots need targeted industrial relocation, while coldspots benefit most from expanding blue-green infrastructure (>30 %) and decentralizing transport networks (15–20 % centrality reduction). These results provide actionable, location-specific strategies for urban decarbonization. By linking carbon data with spatial analytics, this framework advances climate-responsive urban planning, offering a scalable toolkit for tailored, evidence-based interventions that move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 104040"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104036
Mingming Guan, Yuting Hou
Knowledge complexity is a key determinant of regional competitiveness, yet the mechanisms and micro-level carriers through which transportation infrastructure shapes it remains insufficiently understood. This study examines the impact of high-speed rail (HSR) on knowledge complexity using patent and socio-economic data from 268 Chinese cities over 2005–2020, applying a multi-period difference-in-differences approach. Results show that HSR significantly enhances urban knowledge complexity, and the findings remain robust after addressing endogeneity concerns. Mechanism analysis reveals that HSR promotes complexity primarily through diversified agglomeration and network externalities, while specialized agglomeration has no significant effect. Moreover, HSR reshapes the relationship between agglomeration and network effects by substituting localized specialization with networked knowledge flows and enhancing the innovative potential of diversification through cross-regional complementarities. At the micro level, HSR triggers knowledge combination through two channels: a sharing mechanism that emphasizes collaborative interactions and collective knowledge externalities, and a matching mechanism that facilitates the strategic acquisition and recombination of external knowledge via technology transfers. By integrating agglomeration and network externality frameworks, this study provides empirical evidence on how HSR shapes urban knowledge complexity. The findings offer China-specific policy implications and transferable insights for regions pursuing innovation-driven growth through improved connectivity.
{"title":"From connectivity to complexity: The influence of high-speed rail on urban knowledge complexity","authors":"Mingming Guan, Yuting Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104036","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104036","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Knowledge complexity is a key determinant of regional competitiveness, yet the mechanisms and micro-level carriers through which transportation infrastructure shapes it remains insufficiently understood. This study examines the impact of high-speed rail (HSR) on knowledge complexity using patent and socio-economic data from 268 Chinese cities over 2005–2020, applying a multi-period difference-in-differences approach. Results show that HSR significantly enhances urban knowledge complexity, and the findings remain robust after addressing endogeneity concerns. Mechanism analysis reveals that HSR promotes complexity primarily through diversified agglomeration and network externalities, while specialized agglomeration has no significant effect. Moreover, HSR reshapes the relationship between agglomeration and network effects by substituting localized specialization with networked knowledge flows and enhancing the innovative potential of diversification through cross-regional complementarities. At the micro level, HSR triggers knowledge combination through two channels: a sharing mechanism that emphasizes collaborative interactions and collective knowledge externalities, and a matching mechanism that facilitates the strategic acquisition and recombination of external knowledge via technology transfers. By integrating agglomeration and network externality frameworks, this study provides empirical evidence on how HSR shapes urban knowledge complexity. The findings offer China-specific policy implications and transferable insights for regions pursuing innovation-driven growth through improved connectivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 104036"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104033
Zeying Wen , Xin Dou , Xiaowen Fu , Tao Feng
Relay transport is an emerging collaborative approach that divides traditional long-haul shipments into multiple shorter segments, each handled by a different truck driver. By jointly completing shipments and enabling the shared use of transportation resources, this approach has the potential to alleviate operational inefficiencies, environmental pollution, and poor driver working conditions in the trucking industry. However, existing studies on relay transport network design primarily concentrate on the operational perspective of private companies. To address environmental and social issues in the trucking sector, this study proposes a bi-level programming model to develop a sustainable relay transport network that accounts for carbon reduction targets, carbon tax policies, driver work regulations, relay point capacity limits, and investment budgets. The upper-level government agency aims to minimize carbon emissions, driver overtime hours, driver overnight stays, and infrastructure construction costs by determining the number, location, and capacity of relay points. The lower-level trucking companies select freight transport routes based on the given network configuration, influenced by transport costs, cargo transit times, and carbon taxes. The model is solved using a genetic algorithm integrated with the method of successive averages. A case study in Japan identifies 22 relay points (14 small, 7 medium, 1 large). The optimized relay transport network offers substantial improvements compared to the traditional direct transport network, achieving reductions of 40.48 % in carbon emissions, 53.21 % in driver overtime hours, 70.38 % in driver overnight stays, 20.07 % in operational costs, and 5.13 % in total cargo transit times. Sensitivity analyses highlight the positive impact of appropriate relay point capacity and higher carbon tax on the network's sustainability performance. These findings offer valuable insights for government agencies to configure relay transport networks and support policymaking for sustainable freight transport planning.
{"title":"Relay transport network design for sustainable trucking industry considering carbon emissions and driver working conditions","authors":"Zeying Wen , Xin Dou , Xiaowen Fu , Tao Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104033","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104033","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Relay transport is an emerging collaborative approach that divides traditional long-haul shipments into multiple shorter segments, each handled by a different truck driver. By jointly completing shipments and enabling the shared use of transportation resources, this approach has the potential to alleviate operational inefficiencies, environmental pollution, and poor driver working conditions in the trucking industry. However, existing studies on relay transport network design primarily concentrate on the operational perspective of private companies. To address environmental and social issues in the trucking sector, this study proposes a bi-level programming model to develop a sustainable relay transport network that accounts for carbon reduction targets, carbon tax policies, driver work regulations, relay point capacity limits, and investment budgets. The upper-level government agency aims to minimize carbon emissions, driver overtime hours, driver overnight stays, and infrastructure construction costs by determining the number, location, and capacity of relay points. The lower-level trucking companies select freight transport routes based on the given network configuration, influenced by transport costs, cargo transit times, and carbon taxes. The model is solved using a genetic algorithm integrated with the method of successive averages. A case study in Japan identifies 22 relay points (14 small, 7 medium, 1 large). The optimized relay transport network offers substantial improvements compared to the traditional direct transport network, achieving reductions of 40.48 % in carbon emissions, 53.21 % in driver overtime hours, 70.38 % in driver overnight stays, 20.07 % in operational costs, and 5.13 % in total cargo transit times. Sensitivity analyses highlight the positive impact of appropriate relay point capacity and higher carbon tax on the network's sustainability performance. These findings offer valuable insights for government agencies to configure relay transport networks and support policymaking for sustainable freight transport planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 104033"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104022
Yi-Shih Chung, Amy Chu
As urban populations age and accessibility concerns intensify, understanding the in-station experience of passengers with reduced mobility (PRM) has become increasingly important for equitable mass rapid transit (MRT) planning and operations. While prior studies have largely focused on station access, limited attention has been paid to mobility within station buildings, where design and operational factors directly affect passenger movement. This study addresses that gap by analyzing in-station dwell time using smart card transaction data from the Taipei Metro, with a particular focus on PRM passengers. A modified passenger-to-train assignment model (PTAM) is developed to decompose total dwell time into access, transfer, and egress components. Applied to the Green Line of Taipei Metro and validated using holdout data, the model is followed by multilevel regression analysis to assess how dwell time varies across traveler groups and station paths. Results show that, on average, PRM passengers experience 26.0 % longer access times, 12.9 % longer egress times, and 10.7 % longer transfer times compared with regular passengers, after controlling for station physical size, gate passenger volume, station design and accessibility features, and train headways. The probability of boarding the first arriving train was also consistently lower for PRM passengers, particularly during peak periods at congested stations. These disparities are most pronounced in spatially complex or crowded stations, suggesting targeted interventions such as optimizing transfer routes, managing peak-period passenger flows, and adjusting train dispatching strategies. By linking detailed behavioral insights to station- and system-level interventions, the study contributes a scalable, data-driven framework for inclusive transit planning and policy development.
{"title":"Understanding in-station mobility gaps in metro systems: Evidence from smart card data on passengers with reduced mobility","authors":"Yi-Shih Chung, Amy Chu","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As urban populations age and accessibility concerns intensify, understanding the in-station experience of passengers with reduced mobility (PRM) has become increasingly important for equitable mass rapid transit (MRT) planning and operations. While prior studies have largely focused on station access, limited attention has been paid to mobility within station buildings, where design and operational factors directly affect passenger movement. This study addresses that gap by analyzing in-station dwell time using smart card transaction data from the Taipei Metro, with a particular focus on PRM passengers. A modified passenger-to-train assignment model (PTAM) is developed to decompose total dwell time into access, transfer, and egress components. Applied to the Green Line of Taipei Metro and validated using holdout data, the model is followed by multilevel regression analysis to assess how dwell time varies across traveler groups and station paths. Results show that, on average, PRM passengers experience 26.0 % longer access times, 12.9 % longer egress times, and 10.7 % longer transfer times compared with regular passengers, after controlling for station physical size, gate passenger volume, station design and accessibility features, and train headways. The probability of boarding the first arriving train was also consistently lower for PRM passengers, particularly during peak periods at congested stations. These disparities are most pronounced in spatially complex or crowded stations, suggesting targeted interventions such as optimizing transfer routes, managing peak-period passenger flows, and adjusting train dispatching strategies. By linking detailed behavioral insights to station- and system-level interventions, the study contributes a scalable, data-driven framework for inclusive transit planning and policy development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 104022"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104026
Hisham Y. Makahleh , Rachel Johnson , Matthew Shelton , Emma J.S. Ferranti , Christopher D.F. Rogers
Autonomous shuttles (AS) are positioned as environmentally sustainable first/last-mile mobility solutions, but deployments in the UK have so far been limited to short-term pilots. Although the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 has set out a regulatory framework for the future, continuing public trust, safety, accessibility, and governance issues constrain their longer-term take-up. This study explores such issues through four focus group discussions (n = 25) with local people living in the West Midlands, UK. Focus groups were held with users during a real-world trial at the National Exhibition Centre. A hybrid framework–thematic analysis was employed to explore both anticipated and emergent accounts. Key barriers included safety and reliability, low awareness and visibility, current lack of range and performance, issues with accessibility, and data privacy concerns. Enablers included AS being seen as good for the environment, a fun and novel experience, and the influence of peers. Acceptance of AS was also reported to be conditional on an operator being on board to reassure passengers. This study is among the first to link UK public perceptions during an operational AS trial with the emerging regulatory environment under the Automated Vehicles Act 2024. The real-world trial setting and inclusion of underrepresented users, including disabled participants, offer insights that extend beyond hypothetical acceptance studies. This is one of the earliest UK focus-group studies explicitly connecting lived trial experience to emerging AS policy pathways, and shows public accounts are less about the technical readiness of AS and more about their governance, integration, and service design. These insights are exploratory and reflect depth rather than statistical generalisation due to the qualitative design and sample size.
{"title":"Policy pathways for autonomous shuttle adoption: Insights from UK focus groups","authors":"Hisham Y. Makahleh , Rachel Johnson , Matthew Shelton , Emma J.S. Ferranti , Christopher D.F. Rogers","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Autonomous shuttles (AS) are positioned as environmentally sustainable first/last-mile mobility solutions, but deployments in the UK have so far been limited to short-term pilots. Although the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 has set out a regulatory framework for the future, continuing public trust, safety, accessibility, and governance issues constrain their longer-term take-up. This study explores such issues through four focus group discussions (n = 25) with local people living in the West Midlands, UK. Focus groups were held with users during a real-world trial at the National Exhibition Centre. A hybrid framework–thematic analysis was employed to explore both anticipated and emergent accounts. Key barriers included safety and reliability, low awareness and visibility, current lack of range and performance, issues with accessibility, and data privacy concerns. Enablers included AS being seen as good for the environment, a fun and novel experience, and the influence of peers. Acceptance of AS was also reported to be conditional on an operator being on board to reassure passengers. This study is among the first to link UK public perceptions during an operational AS trial with the emerging regulatory environment under the Automated Vehicles Act 2024. The real-world trial setting and inclusion of underrepresented users, including disabled participants, offer insights that extend beyond hypothetical acceptance studies. This is one of the earliest UK focus-group studies explicitly connecting lived trial experience to emerging AS policy pathways, and shows public accounts are less about the technical readiness of AS and more about their governance, integration, and service design. These insights are exploratory and reflect depth rather than statistical generalisation due to the qualitative design and sample size.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 104026"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104029
Tianni Wang , Tina Ziting Xu , Haochen Feng , Zengjun Guo , Mark Ching-Pong Poo , Junqing Tang , Adolf K.Y. Ng
Extreme weather events driven by climate change increasingly disrupt port operations and maritime transport networks. This study investigates how post-disaster port recovery strategies influence economic losses and maritime network resilience under typhoon impacts. An integrated analytical framework is developed by combining a post-disaster port recovery model, an economic loss assessment model, and a network resilience evaluation approach. Two alternative maintenance personnel allocation schemes are proposed to optimize recovery time and resource utilization, and their effects on economic losses and network resilience are quantitatively compared. Using historical typhoon data affecting major Chinese ports since 1949, simulations are conducted to evaluate port disruption, recovery trajectories, and their impacts on shipping network performance. The results show that recovery efficiency is a key determinant of both economic loss reduction and maritime network resilience, with more efficient personnel allocation strategies leading to significantly shorter recovery durations and higher resilience levels. A case study of the Port of Shanghai validates the applicability of the proposed framework and identifies the optimal recovery strategy, while survey evidence reveals persistent gaps in container ports’ typhoon preparedness. The study contributes to the transportation resilience literature by offering a unified, data-driven framework that links recovery decisions, economic losses, and network-level resilience, and provides practical insights for port managers and policymakers to enhance disaster preparedness and post-disaster recovery planning.
{"title":"Enhancing port resilience to typhoon disasters: A framework for recovery optimization and shipping network impact assessment","authors":"Tianni Wang , Tina Ziting Xu , Haochen Feng , Zengjun Guo , Mark Ching-Pong Poo , Junqing Tang , Adolf K.Y. Ng","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104029","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104029","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Extreme weather events driven by climate change increasingly disrupt port operations and maritime transport networks. This study investigates how post-disaster port recovery strategies influence economic losses and maritime network resilience under typhoon impacts. An integrated analytical framework is developed by combining a post-disaster port recovery model, an economic loss assessment model, and a network resilience evaluation approach. Two alternative maintenance personnel allocation schemes are proposed to optimize recovery time and resource utilization, and their effects on economic losses and network resilience are quantitatively compared. Using historical typhoon data affecting major Chinese ports since 1949, simulations are conducted to evaluate port disruption, recovery trajectories, and their impacts on shipping network performance. The results show that recovery efficiency is a key determinant of both economic loss reduction and maritime network resilience, with more efficient personnel allocation strategies leading to significantly shorter recovery durations and higher resilience levels. A case study of the Port of Shanghai validates the applicability of the proposed framework and identifies the optimal recovery strategy, while survey evidence reveals persistent gaps in container ports’ typhoon preparedness. The study contributes to the transportation resilience literature by offering a unified, data-driven framework that links recovery decisions, economic losses, and network-level resilience, and provides practical insights for port managers and policymakers to enhance disaster preparedness and post-disaster recovery planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 104029"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Variable Message Signs (VMS) play a critical role in communicating real-time information to drivers. In Malaysia, while VMS design guidelines exist, they are largely adapted from international standards, written for English language displays, and do not account for legibility, driver feedback or field validation. Moreover, significant variability exists in VMS display characteristics among in-use VMS across Malaysia. To address these gaps, this study conducted a structured survey involving expressway drivers in Malaysia to evaluate preferences for key VMS display characteristics, including character height, character width, spacing between characters, word spacing, line spacing, and colour. Drivers were presented with multiple scaled-down VMS configurations on a screen and asked to indicate their preference for each feature. The findings revealed that the current VMS design practices in Malaysia do not fully align with driver preferences. Drivers generally preferred greater height and width of characters than current site averages or what is currently recommended in Malaysian guidelines. Drivers also favoured narrower spacing between characters and lines than current design guidelines. Recommendations were also developed for key design features such as word spacing and text colour, which are currently not explicitly addressed in existing Malaysian VMS guidelines. This study offers evidence-based recommendations to revise and strengthen Malaysian VMS guidelines, ensuring improved legibility, comprehension, and ultimately, safer driving conditions.
{"title":"Enhancing variable message sign design policy in Malaysia through a stated driver preference survey","authors":"Megat-Usamah Megat-Johari , Nahvin Sangar , Nusayba Megat-Johari , Nischal Gupta , Teik Hua Law","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104032","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Variable Message Signs (VMS) play a critical role in communicating real-time information to drivers. In Malaysia, while VMS design guidelines exist, they are largely adapted from international standards, written for English language displays, and do not account for legibility, driver feedback or field validation. Moreover, significant variability exists in VMS display characteristics among in-use VMS across Malaysia. To address these gaps, this study conducted a structured survey involving expressway drivers in Malaysia to evaluate preferences for key VMS display characteristics, including character height, character width, spacing between characters, word spacing, line spacing, and colour. Drivers were presented with multiple scaled-down VMS configurations on a screen and asked to indicate their preference for each feature. The findings revealed that the current VMS design practices in Malaysia do not fully align with driver preferences. Drivers generally preferred greater height and width of characters than current site averages or what is currently recommended in Malaysian guidelines. Drivers also favoured narrower spacing between characters and lines than current design guidelines. Recommendations were also developed for key design features such as word spacing and text colour, which are currently not explicitly addressed in existing Malaysian VMS guidelines. This study offers evidence-based recommendations to revise and strengthen Malaysian VMS guidelines, ensuring improved legibility, comprehension, and ultimately, safer driving conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 104032"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146026274","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号