Special Issue "Transport Systems for Sustainability: Policy, Planning and Exploitation"

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Rosário Macário
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
2. C-MAT, TPR, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium
Interests: transport policy and planning
Dr. Vasco Reis
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: mobility and transport systems; agent based modelling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sharing a common global vision for the improvement of the world, accompanied by a framework that operationalizes this vision, is a crucial step for the long-term sustainability of the planet and its people. Transport needs are created by the territorial activities undertaken by societies, being also influenced by the degree of freedom in transactions between countries and/or regions. Movements of both freight and people are a direct result of how societies operate.

This Special Issue aims to gather contributions from transport policy and planning to the sustainability of the world. Looking to past decades, several societal changes can be observed. Their consequences have implications for how transport can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as defined by the United Nations. The SDGs do not explicitly state that transport is a main contributor to that endeavor; however, this sector is present in all of the 17 SDG goals. Thus, this Special Issue aims to address these issues and collect the output of different high quality studies..

The papers to be included in this issue should reflect policies and measures taken at different decision levels (i.e., strategic decisions, tactical planning, and operational outcomes) and cover passengers and freight, as well as services, infrastructure, and third party providers.

The ultimate goal of this Special Issue is to provide a set of measures, policies, and actions toward sustainability.

We look forward to receiving your papers.

Prof. Dr. Rosário Macário
Dr. Vasco Reis
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 papers will be 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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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 1900 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

  • Sustainability
  • Environment
  • Policy
  • Planning
  • Decision making
  • Infrastructures Urban
  • Interurban
  • Passengers
  • Freight
  • Intelligent systems

Published Papers (13 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

Article
Cross-Regional Highway Built through a City Centre as an Example of the Sustainable Development of Urban Transport
Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10403; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410403 - 12 Dec 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 650
Abstract
Sustainable development requires ensuring the mobility of residents and must not cause deterioration of the quality of the environment in the selected area. The purpose of this study is to verify if the construction of a cross-regional highway through the city centre affected [...] Read more.
Sustainable development requires ensuring the mobility of residents and must not cause deterioration of the quality of the environment in the selected area. The purpose of this study is to verify if the construction of a cross-regional highway through the city centre affected air quality in the neighbourhood of a newly built road. Air quality was assessed based on measurements of concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, which is considered to be typical for automotive sources air pollution. The spectrophotometric method with passive sampling was used in the 24 h NO2 measurements. The calculated mean NO2 concentrations in the periods before and after road construction were within the ranges of 23.2–31.9 μg/m3 and 22.3–28.9 μg/m3, respectively. The relative NO2 concentrations determined in the study for 10 out of 11 sampling points were lower than the unity, including 5 points markedly lower (0.82–0.89). The obtained results indicate that the construction of the new artery by the city centre, using appropriate technical solutions and traffic organization (tunnel, noise barriers, roundabouts, speed limit) likely contributed to an overall reduction in NO2 concentrations. The presented solution may serve as an example for other cities struggling with problems of low air quality associated with inefficient transportation systems. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
TRIMIS: Modular Development of an Integrated Policy-Support Tool for Forward-Oriented Transport Research and Innovation Analysis
Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 10194; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122310194 - 06 Dec 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 892
Abstract
The European Commission’s Strategic Transport Research and Innovation Agenda (STRIA) outlines future transport research and innovation (R&I) priorities towards the decarbonization of European transport. Seven STRIA roadmaps focus on crosscutting research areas. In order to support and monitor their implementation, the Transport Research [...] Read more.
The European Commission’s Strategic Transport Research and Innovation Agenda (STRIA) outlines future transport research and innovation (R&I) priorities towards the decarbonization of European transport. Seven STRIA roadmaps focus on crosscutting research areas. In order to support and monitor their implementation, the Transport Research and Innovation Monitoring and Information System (TRIMIS) was developed. It is an integrated transport policy-support tool with a modular design, serving as a knowledge management system that offers open-access information, as well as an inventory of transport technologies and innovations. TRIMIS provides a holistic assessment of current and emerging technologies and trends and R&I capacities in the European transport sector incorporating foresight capabilities based on transport R&I data collection, innovation capacity mapping, technological status assessment, horizon scanning, and identification of new and emerging technologies and trends. This paper presents an overview of TRIMIS and its benefits as an integrated analytical tool that provides support to sustainable transport governance and decision-making. Moreover, it provides insights on current technology trends in the road transport domain with a focus on smart innovation and identifies emerging trends with a potential future impact through a dedicated case study, combining a techno-economic assessment with findings of a horizon scanning exercise. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
Port Cooperation and Bundling: A Way to Reduce the External Costs of Hinterland Transport
Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 9983; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239983 - 29 Nov 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1181
Abstract
The present paper studies the bundling of road cargo flows of neighbouring seaports to a common hinterland. In specific cases, some hinterland flows can be too small to make bundling in a sufficient frequency possible. By combining the road freight flows of neighbouring [...] Read more.
The present paper studies the bundling of road cargo flows of neighbouring seaports to a common hinterland. In specific cases, some hinterland flows can be too small to make bundling in a sufficient frequency possible. By combining the road freight flows of neighbouring ports, this problem can be solved. However, the additional cost of bundling and the loss of time need to be compensated for by a lower transport cost. The paper presents an empirical model for the 104 core Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) ports of the European Union (EU) and their 271 NUTS2 (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) hinterland regions that allows identifying opportunities for bundling as well as the direct and external cost effects. By including the value of time (VOT) of each transport mode, the generalised cost is also calculated. The result is a business model that helps port authorities, and other port actors, to identify bundling projects that will lower the direct, generalised and external costs of the hinterland connectivity, thus increasing the port attractiveness for port users as well as lowering potential aversion by the surrounding community to port operations that create hinterland nuisance. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
CO2 Emissions from Fuel Consumption in the Logistic Stages of the Brazilian Bioethanol Supply Chain
Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 9979; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239979 - 29 Nov 2020
Viewed by 674
Abstract
The study reports the CO2 emissions from diesel combustion in the following stages of the Brazilian ethanol supply chain: (a) agricultural operations (management), (b) sugarcane transportation to the mill, and (c) biofuel transportation to the destination. To assess the sensitivity of the [...] Read more.
The study reports the CO2 emissions from diesel combustion in the following stages of the Brazilian ethanol supply chain: (a) agricultural operations (management), (b) sugarcane transportation to the mill, and (c) biofuel transportation to the destination. To assess the sensitivity of the results to different origins, five regions representative of ethanol production were selected, and the final destination was the port of Santos. The transportation stage from the mill to the port included the possible effects of using multimodal alternatives, such as road–rail and road–pipeline. The results indicate that diesel consumption varies greatly by region of origin, and agricultural management, such as tilling, planting, and harvesting operations, accounts for about 70% of total diesel emissions to the ethanol supply chain. Rail and pipeline transportation are ultimately important for mitigating emissions from fuel consumption in logistics corridors for exporting ethanol. It is a valuable contribution to supporting private actions and public policies related to the mitigation of emissions in the logistic stages of bioethanol, especially related to the optimization of the agricultural management process and improvement of the multimodal transport infrastructure, respectively. It is also a lesson to countries intending to produce ethanol from sugarcane. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
A Sustainable Evaluation Processes for Investments in the Transport Sector: A Combined Multi-Criteria and Cost–Benefit Analysis for a New Highway in Italy
Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 9854; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239854 - 25 Nov 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 523
Abstract
In the transport sector, a rational and shared planning process is commonly based on the comparison of different design alternatives through quantitative evaluations and stakeholders’ engagement. Among the most adopted evaluation methods, there are cost–benefit analysis (CBA) and multi-criteria analysis (MCA). Both these [...] Read more.
In the transport sector, a rational and shared planning process is commonly based on the comparison of different design alternatives through quantitative evaluations and stakeholders’ engagement. Among the most adopted evaluation methods, there are cost–benefit analysis (CBA) and multi-criteria analysis (MCA). Both these methods have strengths and weaknesses, which do not allow the conclusion that one technique is dominant over the other. Starting from these considerations, the aim of this paper is to propose a sustainable evaluation process for investments in the transport sector, based on the combined use of both CBA and MCA analysis and a stakeholders’ engagement. The proposed evaluation method was also applied to a real case study: the decision-making process for a new highway in a high naturalistic and touristic area in north of Italy. Furthermore, a “weighted criteria process definition” based on the Delphi method was also performed within a public engagement process. Research results show that the application of both the evaluation analyses (CBA and MCA) allows the selection of the most rational althernative from a sustainable, shared and technical point of view. Precisely, the estimations performed underline that the CBA analysis significantly underestimated the non-users’ benefits, while the opposite occurred for the MCA analysis. The incidence of the non-users’ benefits is only the 14% of the total for the CBA, while it reaches more than the 79% for the MCA. This result is very relevant underling how, for a decision-making processes aimed in comparing different design alternatives for which non-users impacts are expected as relevant against the users ones, the unique application of the most consolidated CBA analyses are not always adequate, while the joint use of the two evaluation methods ensures robust and rational choices for a sustainable development. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
Digitalization in Developing Maritime Business Environments towards Ensuring Sustainability
Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9235; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219235 - 06 Nov 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 759
Abstract
The paper focuses on assessing the level of digitalization in several developing maritime business environments in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia. The assessment has been done in reference to Holtham’s and Courtney’s Intelligent Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Exploiter Model. The [...] Read more.
The paper focuses on assessing the level of digitalization in several developing maritime business environments in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia. The assessment has been done in reference to Holtham’s and Courtney’s Intelligent Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Exploiter Model. The dimensions as maritime business system effectiveness, roles, and skills of information technology personnel, ladders of knowledge, ICT strategy, organizational culture, and manager’s mindset are analyzed. In addition, benchmarking with findings from developed maritime business environments in Croatia, Greece, Italy, and Slovenia, which belong to the European Union (EU), by using the same model, has been conducted. This is done with the aim to outline directions for improving the quality and speed of digitalization in non-EU countries, which have been functioning for decades in transitional conditions. The maritime ecosystem naturally has a tendency to be unique and to function smoothly as such. Alleviating the differences in the level and effectiveness of digitalization in developed and developing European countries is a path towards achieving this goal. By sharing their own expertise in the rational and intelligent use of ICT, developed EU countries can support developing non-EU countries towards ensuring sustainability in the entire European and worldwide maritime business ecosystem. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
Attractiveness of Bike-Sharing Stations from a Multi-Modal Perspective: The Role of Objective and Subjective Features
Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9062; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219062 - 31 Oct 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 602
Abstract
When analysing the performance of bike-sharing scheme (BSS) stations, it is common to find stations that are located in specific points that capture the interest of users, whereas nearby stations are clearly underused. This uneven behaviour is not totally understood. This paper discusses [...] Read more.
When analysing the performance of bike-sharing scheme (BSS) stations, it is common to find stations that are located in specific points that capture the interest of users, whereas nearby stations are clearly underused. This uneven behaviour is not totally understood. This paper discusses the potential factors influencing station attractiveness, supported by the related literature on cyclists’ and pedestrians’ preferences and the characteristics of the stations themselves. The existing literature addresses these topics independently, while this work unites them by proposing a non data-extensive methodology that allows the attractiveness of BSS stations to be assessed. Attractiveness in this context is understood as the set of physical, environmental and service-related features of a bike station that make it more appealing for BSS users than nearby stations. Special attention is paid to differentiating objective features, based on facts, from subjective features, those influenced by personal perceptions. This classification becomes important in this context because subjective aspects can change from one geographical location to another, making the findings related to these aspects difficult to apply to other regions. Moreover, the assessment of the stations’ levels of safety and security is included. Thus, the proposed measure of attractiveness of BSS stations provides a balanced overview of several features. The consideration of station attractiveness when designing BSS layouts will help to refine the design of new layouts and will assist in conducting an appropriate diagnostic evaluation of the existing ones. This tool will allow urban and transportation planners to reduce re-balancing costs and to maximise user satisfaction at a low cost, which have a direct impact on improving the urban sustainability. The proposed method is applied to the Dublin bike sharing scheme, Dublinbikes, with good performance results. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
Modelling as a Tool for the Planning of the Transport System Performance in the Conditions of a Raw Material Mining
Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 8051; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198051 - 29 Sep 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 646
Abstract
This article is devoted to modelling of the extracted raw material removal from a mining area to the entry point for the next technological process. Two approaches were chosen for the process modelling. The first approach is regarded to traffic modelling by using [...] Read more.
This article is devoted to modelling of the extracted raw material removal from a mining area to the entry point for the next technological process. Two approaches were chosen for the process modelling. The first approach is regarded to traffic modelling by using available mathematical equations, based on capacity conversion and calculation of loading equipment efficiency. The second approach of modelling is computer simulation within the simulation system ExtendSim8. The modelling of the transport system and the determination of its efficiency were performed at the same conditions. The examined transport system was consisted of two lorries and one loader. The article presents the results of calculations and the results of simulation experiments, which also verified the results obtained by calculations. Calculations of the transport system performance and simulation experiments were performed for two time periods, for a time of 1 h and 6 h during a shift from three different loading places, which were 500, 1100 and 1450 m away from a place of unloading. The results obtained by both approaches are comparable. The main contribution, novelty, of this article is the modelling of the process in a quarry operation (loading and removal of mineral resources) not only on the basis of available mathematical formulas but also the application of simulation in the simulation tool EXTENDSim8, performing simulation experiments for specified conditions and their comparison with calculated values. Simulation is a suitable tool for determining and subsequently planning of the performance of both existing and projected transport systems. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
MetroScan: A Quick Scan Appraisal Capability to Identify Value Adding Sustainable Transport Initiatives
Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 7861; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12197861 - 23 Sep 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 883
Abstract
One of the most important features of comprehensive land use and transport planning is an ability to identify candidate projects and policies that are adding value to the sustainable performance of transport networks and to the economy as a whole. Standard methods of [...] Read more.
One of the most important features of comprehensive land use and transport planning is an ability to identify candidate projects and policies that are adding value to the sustainable performance of transport networks and to the economy as a whole. Standard methods of identifying a shortlist of projects to assess are often qualitative in nature and/or influenced by prejudices of elected officials or their advisers without a systematic way of narrowing the many potential options to evaluate, in sufficient detail, a truly value-adding set. There is a case to be made for having a capability to undertake, in a timely manner, a scan of a large number of potentially worthy projects and policies that can offer forecasts of passenger and freight demand, benefit–costs ratios and economy-wide outcomes. Such a framework would then be meaningful in the sense of offering outputs that are similar to those that are the focus of assessments that are typically spread over many months, if not years, on very few projects, which may exclude those which have the greatest merit. This paper introduces MetroScan, a strategic-level transport and land use planning application system that allows for mapping of passenger and freight activity, as well as an endogenous treatment of the location of households and firms. We summarise the analytical framework of MetroScan and show its capability (including the many useful outputs) with a case study for a 25 percent reduction in public transport fares across the entire network. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
Eliminating Barriers for Sustainable Transport Systems on Maritime Silk Road and Baltic–Adriatic Corridor under BRI
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7412; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187412 - 09 Sep 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 697
Abstract
Infrastructure elements are a crucial factor in accommodating larger ships, organizing longer trains, and ensuring the higher flow of goods in intermodal hubs. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) supports the development of infrastructure on the defined transport routes—the Maritime Silk Road (MSR), [...] Read more.
Infrastructure elements are a crucial factor in accommodating larger ships, organizing longer trains, and ensuring the higher flow of goods in intermodal hubs. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) supports the development of infrastructure on the defined transport routes—the Maritime Silk Road (MSR), which includes the European southern transport route through the northern Adriatic. The research emphasizes the importance of the port, and railway infrastructure development on the Baltic–Adriatic Corridor (BAC) by analyzing the pollution level produced from transport means currently employed. The results of SO2, NOx, PM10, and the energy efficiency of intermodal transport chains prove that the current transport route to the northern leg of the BAC via the port of Gdansk is more environmentally friendly, even if it is about 3000 NM longer. The article provides a scientific contribution by pollution data elaboration for demonstrating the need and justification for high investment in BAC in order to establish sustainable transport chains. The study shows that pollution values from supply chains on the Asia–Central Europe axis could be reduced by up to 30% by eliminating infrastructural barriers in the port of Koper and on the railway network at BAC, which is one of the primary goals of BRI. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
Integral Index of Traffic Planning: Case-Study of Moscow City’s Transportation System
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7395; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187395 - 09 Sep 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 865
Abstract
The integral indexes are used to measure trends and monitor progress in transportation complex development. The selection of the indicators, included in indexes, is related to the data availability (depends on existence of a specific data sources). The aim of this paper is [...] Read more.
The integral indexes are used to measure trends and monitor progress in transportation complex development. The selection of the indicators, included in indexes, is related to the data availability (depends on existence of a specific data sources). The aim of this paper is to provide a development methodology of Integral Index of Traffic Planning (Integral TP Index), which is based on the primary data on vehicle speeds, traffic volumes, number of accidents, etc., for Moscow and allows for basic assessment of transport situation in Russian’s capital. The proposed methodology is a combination of economic and urban approaches to analyze the key indicators of transportation planning efficiency in the metropolis. Four groups of indicators are considered: traffic management efficiency, traffic management quality, transit efficiency and road safety. The integral index considers traffic volumes for various roads and their contributions to the overall transportation system. Division of streets by type (highways, rings, center) makes it possible to take into account specifications the radial-ring streets structure of Moscow. The constructed index is applied to the analysis of Moscow transportation statistics in 2012–2017 provided by the Moscow Traffic Management Center, Yandex and TomTom. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

Review
Review and Meta-Analysis of EVs: Embodied Emissions and Environmental Breakeven
Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9390; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229390 - 11 Nov 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2343 | Correction
Abstract
Electric vehicles (EVs) are often considered a potential solution to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions originating from personal transport vehicles, but this has also been questioned due to their high production emissions. In this study, we performed an extensive literature review of existing [...] Read more.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are often considered a potential solution to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions originating from personal transport vehicles, but this has also been questioned due to their high production emissions. In this study, we performed an extensive literature review of existing EV life-cycle assessments (LCAs) and a meta-analysis of the studies in the review, extracting life-cycle GHG emission data combined with a standardized methodology for estimating GHG electrical grid intensities across the European Economic Area (EEA), which were used to estimate a set of environmental breakeven points for each EEA country. A Monte Carlo simulation was performed to provide sensitivity analysis. The results of the review suggest a need for greater methodological and data transparency within EV LCA research. The meta-analysis found a subset of countries across the EEA where there is a potential that EVs could lead to greater life-cycle GHG emissions than a comparable diesel counterpart. A policy discussion highlights how EV policies in countries with contrasting GHG electric grid intensities may not reflect the current techno-environmental reality. This paper emphasizes the importance for researchers to accurately depict life-cycle vehicle emissions and the need for EEA countries to enact policies corresponding to their respective contextual conditions to avoid potentially enacting policies that could lead to greater GHG emissions. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

Correction
Correction: Dillman et al. Review and Meta-Analysis of EVs: Embodied Emissions and Environmental Breakeven. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9390
Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5195; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095195 - 06 May 2021
Viewed by 451
Abstract
The authors would like to make the following corrections about the published paper [...] Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop