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Sustainability
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Sustainable Urban Transport Planning: Challenges and Solutions
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Sustainable Urban Transport Planning: Challenges and Solutions

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 3991

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sergio Maria Patella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering and Sciences, Universitas Mercatorum, Piazza Mattei 10, 00186 Rome, Italy
Interests: transportation engineering; public transport; sustainable transport; transport planning; transport policy; urban mobility
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Filippo Carrese

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Interests: transportation engineering; sustainable mobility; transport planning; urban mobility; city logistics; traffic modelling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable urban transport planning is essential to modern urban development, as cities worldwide struggle with the challenges of balancing mobility needs and environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Rapid urbanization, along with the growing demand for efficient, inclusive, and green transportation systems, has highlighted the pressing need to address congestion, air pollution, inequity, and resource consumption. Innovations in technology, policy-making, and infrastructure design offer promising solutions; however, their effective implementation and integration through a coherent, multidisciplinary, and holistic approach remains a formidable challenge.

This Special Issue aims to explore innovative solutions, best practices, and interdisciplinary approaches that can help cities transition toward sustainable mobility systems. This aligns with the journal’s commitment to promote research that supports sustainable urban development, providing insights and tools for planners, policymakers, and researchers.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Integrating multimodal transport systems for sustainable mobility;
  • Challenges and strategies for implementing low-carbon urban transport solutions;
  • Shared mobility services;
  • Mobility as a service (Maas);
  • Electric vehicles and electric micro-mobility modes;
  • Connected and Autonomous vehicles;
  • Intermodal urban mobility;
  • Cycling;
  • Walkability;
  • Equity and accessibility in urban transport planning;
  • Sustainable urban freight and logistics. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions.  

Prof. Dr. Sergio Maria Patella
Dr. Filippo Carrese
Guest Editors

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-blind 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
  • urban transport planning
  • urban mobility
  • shared mobility
  • transport equity
  • smart transport technologies
  • city logistics
  • multimodal transport

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 1319 KB  
Article
Multi-Criteria Assessment of Vehicle Powertrain Options for Car-Sharing Fleets Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process: A Case Study from Poland
by Ewelina Sendek-Matysiak, Wojciech Lewicki and Zbigniew Łosiewicz
Sustainability 2026, 18(1), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18010429 - 1 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 641
Abstract
The transition to environmentally friendly mobility inevitably requires users to use sustainable modes of transport. Rapid urbanization, along with the growing demand for efficient, inclusive, and ecological transport systems, has highlighted the urgent need for research and analysis into the acceptability and experiences [...] Read more.
The transition to environmentally friendly mobility inevitably requires users to use sustainable modes of transport. Rapid urbanization, along with the growing demand for efficient, inclusive, and ecological transport systems, has highlighted the urgent need for research and analysis into the acceptability and experiences of transitioning to sustainable modes of transport. This article proposes a six-step procedure to support the selection of vehicles for car-sharing fleets in cities. The analysis utilizes the Analytic Hierarchy Process method, which allows for the comparison and evaluation of five vehicle variants with different powertrains, taking into account various evaluation criteria: ecological and economic. To refine the research, criterion weights were determined based on original surveys among six car-sharing operators and eighty-seven experts in the field of decarbonization of urban transport. The results indicated that plug-in hybrid vehicles are the most advantageous option for car-sharing fleets, providing a balance between emissions, cost-effectiveness and operational flexibility. The solution obtained is in line with expectations, confirming that the proposed analytical approach is a reliable decision support tool that reduces the risk of making the wrong decision regarding the choice of powertrains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Transport Planning: Challenges and Solutions)
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21 pages, 1282 KB  
Article
Assessing Service Quality and User Satisfaction in University Transit: Evidence from the SERVQUAL Approach
by Sirima Kruadsungnoen and Auttawit Upayokin
Sustainability 2025, 17(24), 11118; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172411118 - 11 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1306
Abstract
Sustainable urban transport planning requires inclusive, high-quality mobility systems that address both user needs and broader environmental objectives. This study examines the service quality and user satisfaction of Chiang Mai University Transit using the SERVQUAL framework and structural equation modeling, based on survey [...] Read more.
Sustainable urban transport planning requires inclusive, high-quality mobility systems that address both user needs and broader environmental objectives. This study examines the service quality and user satisfaction of Chiang Mai University Transit using the SERVQUAL framework and structural equation modeling, based on survey data from 384 student respondents. Seven service quality dimensions—Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy, Environmental Performance, and Respiratory Disease Prevention—were systematically analyzed. The results indicate that Responsiveness has the strongest positive influence on perceived service quality, while Tangibles most significantly shape user expectations. Overall, higher service quality is found to enhance user satisfaction substantially. Nevertheless, a measurable service quality gap persists, especially in the areas of Responsiveness (gap = −0.34) and Respiratory Disease Prevention (gap = −0.26), which are identified as priority areas for targeted improvement. In contrast, Environmental Performance surpasses user expectations (gap = +0.12). These empirical insights underscore the importance of strategically investing in university transit systems to encourage modal shift away from private vehicles, reduce congestion, and improve air quality. The study provides an evidence-based foundation for policymakers and planners seeking to implement integrated and environmentally sustainable mobility strategies within both university and broader urban contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Transport Planning: Challenges and Solutions)
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23 pages, 5368 KB  
Article
Equity in Urban Parking Distribution: A Spatial Statistical Framework for Sustainable Transport Planning
by Ali Reza Sadeghi, Zahra Maktabifard, Mina Ramezani, Giovanni Tesoriere and Tiziana Campisi
Sustainability 2025, 17(23), 10774; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310774 - 1 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 914
Abstract
Rapid urbanization has increased private vehicle usage, generating intense parking demand in congested cities like Shiraz, Iran. The spatial distribution of parking is thus critical to sustainable urban transport, as a misalignment with local demand leads to prolonged travel times, higher fuel consumption [...] Read more.
Rapid urbanization has increased private vehicle usage, generating intense parking demand in congested cities like Shiraz, Iran. The spatial distribution of parking is thus critical to sustainable urban transport, as a misalignment with local demand leads to prolonged travel times, higher fuel consumption costs, and elevated pollution, thereby impeding sustainable transportation planning. In this study, we aim to develop a statistical framework to assess equity in parking distribution in an urban context and address two core questions: how parking supply correlates with local demand and what the equity implications of this distribution are. To achieve this, we employ spatial statistical methods (ANNI, Kernel Density, and Moran’s I) and correlation analysis to examine parking supply and demand across 56 districts of Shiraz. Our analysis reveals statistically significant yet weak correlations between parking capacity and demand, indicating supply-demand mismatches across city zones that result in extended search times, increased congestion, higher fuel consumption, and amplified environmental impacts, thereby perpetuating socio-economic inequities. Overall, the innovation of this article lies in integrating spatial statistical methods with supplementary analyses as a framework to evaluate parking distribution, bridging the gap between quantitative descriptive analysis and justice-based assessments in the context of parking planning in an Iranian city. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Transport Planning: Challenges and Solutions)
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