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Sustainable Transportation Strategies for Urban and Regional Mobility
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Sustainable Transportation Strategies for Urban and Regional Mobility

A Special Issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050) belonging to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 2871

Editor

Prof. Dr. Khaled Shaaban

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland, FL 33805, USA
Interests: sustainable transportation; public transportation; active transportation; urban mobility
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As cities continue to grow and evolve, the demand for resilient and environmentally responsible mobility systems has never been greater. This Special Issue, “Sustainable Transportation Strategies for Urban and Regional Mobility”, invites contributions that examine transformative innovations, emerging practices, and forward-thinking policies that are reshaping transportation engineering.

The focus of this Special Issue is on developing inclusive and sustainable solutions—from technology-driven mobility systems to the revitalization of non-motorized transport options—that reduce environmental burdens while improving accessibility and quality of life. This collection seeks to highlight original research, case studies, and policy analyses that demonstrate how engineering and governance can intersect to deliver smarter, safer, and greener mobility.

Themes of Interest include:

  • Smart and low-emission vehicle technologies: Investigating breakthroughs in electric, automated, and connected vehicle systems, as well as the integration of shared mobility concepts into urban transportation networks.
  • Walkability and pedestrian-oriented design: Evaluating urban design strategies that prioritize pedestrians, enhance accessibility, and create healthier, more livable communities.
  • Cycling infrastructure and policy innovations: Analyzing cycling networks, safety measures, and planning approaches that promote bicycle use as a mainstream mode of transport.
  • Transformations in transit service delivery: Examining methods for improving operational efficiency, service reliability, accessibility, and user satisfaction in bus, rail, and other mass transit systems.
  • Integration of active modes with public transportation: Exploring first-mile/last-mile solutions, intermodal hubs, and digital tools that connect walking, cycling, and transit seamlessly.
  • Policies for climate-friendly mobility: Evaluating policy mechanisms that target reductions in energy consumption and emissions, including fuel alternatives, demand management approaches, and incentives for sustainable travel behavior.
  • Traffic flow and safety management: Presenting tools and interventions aimed at mitigating congestion, improving system efficiency, and reducing crashes through design, planning, and intelligent transport solutions.

 I look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Prof. Dr. Khaled Shaaban
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable mobility systems
  • walkability and pedestrian planning
  • cycling networks and policies
  • public transportation performance
  • connected and automated vehicles
  • electric and shared mobility
  • active and multimodal travel integration
  • low-emission policy frameworks
  • congestion reduction strategies
  • road safety solutions

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 3179 KB  
Article
Robustness Analysis and Optimization Strategy of Urban Bus Network Based on Complex Network
by Zhiguo Shao, Yixin Zhang and Kexin Li
Sustainability 2026, 18(12), 6320; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18126320 - 19 Jun 2026
Viewed by 591
Abstract
The bus system plays an important role in the urban public transportation infrastructure system, providing a convenient way for the masses to travel. However, the operational resilience and functional stability of urban transit systems are frequently jeopardized by a variety of internal disruptions [...] Read more.
The bus system plays an important role in the urban public transportation infrastructure system, providing a convenient way for the masses to travel. However, the operational resilience and functional stability of urban transit systems are frequently jeopardized by a variety of internal disruptions and external emergencies. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the robustness of urban bus networks. Based on the complex network theory, this research applies Space L and Space R methods to construct the bus stop network and bus line network models in Jinan, China. The topological characteristics of the two network models are studied, and the network robustness is analyzed using two attack strategies: random attack and deliberate attack. The robustness is optimized based on the network edge addition strategy. The results show that: (1) The bus stop network has a scale-free network property, but the bus stop network and the bus line network do not have the small-world network property. (2) The bus line network is more robust than the bus stop network when under attack, and the network under deliberate attack is more vulnerable than that under random attack. The maximum betweenness centrality node attack causes the most significant damage to the network. (3) Under random attack, both high betweenness centrality edge addition (HBA) and high degree edge addition (HDA) strategies are more effective at optimizing network robustness; under maximum degree node attack, both low betweenness centrality edge addition (LBA) and low degree edge addition (LDA) strategies are more effective on optimizing network robustness; under maximum betweenness centrality node attack, the LBA strategy has the best effect on optimizing network robustness. The research results can provide scientific guidance for the emergency scheduling and line optimization of urban public transportation system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation Strategies for Urban and Regional Mobility)
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19 pages, 1035 KB  
Article
Policy Evolution of Sustainable Urban Transport in Saudi Arabia (2000–2025)
by Saad AlQuhtani
Sustainability 2026, 18(11), 5339; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18115339 - 26 May 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 744
Abstract
This paper examines the evolution of urban transport policy in Saudi Arabia from a car-dependent paradigm toward sustainability-oriented planning and early implementation between 2000 and 2025. Using a longitudinal qualitative analysis of national strategies, municipal plans, and giga-project documents, this study traces shifts [...] Read more.
This paper examines the evolution of urban transport policy in Saudi Arabia from a car-dependent paradigm toward sustainability-oriented planning and early implementation between 2000 and 2025. Using a longitudinal qualitative analysis of national strategies, municipal plans, and giga-project documents, this study traces shifts in policy discourse, governance arrangements, and delivery evidence across three phases: an expansionist phase (2000–2015), a vision transition phase (2016–2020), and a sustainability implementation phase (2021–2025). These phases were selected to capture the transition from pre-Vision 2030 automobile-oriented planning to the early implementation of sustainability-oriented transportation reforms. The findings reveal a clear transition from road-expansion-oriented planning—characterized by highway development, fuel subsidies, and limited public transport—toward system performance, decarbonization, and multimodal integration. Recent years have seen the rollout of metro and bus networks, expansion of rail systems, early electrification of vehicles and public transport, and fuel price rationalization. However, persistent behavioral lock-in, low-density urban forms, climatic constraints, and complex multi-level governance arrangements continue to limit modal shift and equitable mobility outcomes. The findings suggest that infrastructure investment alone cannot achieve substantial modal shift without integrated land-use planning, feeder systems, and demand-management measures. By linking policy ambition to implementation pathways over time, this study provides transferable insights for sustainable mobility transitions in oil-dependent and arid urban contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation Strategies for Urban and Regional Mobility)
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24 pages, 2029 KB  
Article
Exploring Psychosocial Determinants of Young Adults E-Scooter Speeding: A TPB-Aligned SEM Study
by Ting Lei and Khaled Shaaban
Sustainability 2025, 17(23), 10645; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310645 - 27 Nov 2025
Viewed by 990
Abstract
This study explores the psychosocial factors that predispose young e-scooter users (18 to 24 years) to engage in illegal speeding by adopting a theory-driven approach across the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The study, based on survey data of 474 participants, and analyzed [...] Read more.
This study explores the psychosocial factors that predispose young e-scooter users (18 to 24 years) to engage in illegal speeding by adopting a theory-driven approach across the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The study, based on survey data of 474 participants, and analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), found that emotional regulation and internal locus of control predict speeding intention and behavior and are significantly negative (β = +0.66 and β = −0.52, respectively). Satisfactory robustness was assured by model fit indices (0.93 CFI, 0.91 TLI, 0.045 RMSEA, and 0.071 SRMR). Findings indicate that the effect of emotional regulation is more on attitude and perception of behavioral control, but the connection between self-regulation and speeding intention is mediated by internal control. The inclusion of psychosocial variables in the TPB contributes to the behavioral theory of micro-mobility contexts and the behavioral study of sustainable-mobility research to emotional and cognitive aspects of risk behavior. The policy suggestions include incorporating short emotion-management courses into rider-training applications, collaborating with scooter-sharing institutions on incentive-based safety interventions, and developing interventions that promote responsibility, self-control, and emotional sensitivity among young people. These results reiterate the fact that psychological antecedents of risky riding require attention to achieve socially and environmentally sustainable urban mobility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation Strategies for Urban and Regional Mobility)
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