Smart Socially Sustainable Transport System
The implementation of smart technologies in the city expected to promote connectivity and accessibility to public services for everyone. However, in reality, there is a disparity of accessibility to digital infrastructure for various socio-economic groups. In a study of 60 transport apps, there is still limited effort to provide more inclusive service for different needs. Mobile transport apps have shown great initiative in featuring the cost saving options and language options, but still lacks the information and support for groups such as people with visual impairment or mobility limitation. Gebresselassie and Sanchez (2018) advocates six principles that may improve the social sustainability in smart urban transport system. These are the principles that ensures the inclusion of transport options for any segment of populations of any ages, which includes:
- Affordability: smart services should provide options for travel cost, support vibrant economy and operates efficiently
- Inclusivity: smart services should provide options for people of various physical, financial and linguistic capabilities
- Public involvement: the transportation planning process must provide meaningful engagement, particularly for those communities that most directly feel the impact of projects or funding choices
- Equity: distributes the benefits and burdens from transportation projects equally across all income levels and communities
- High quality services: emphasizing access to economic opportunity and basic mobility to all communities
- Equality: prioritizes efforts both to revitalize poor and minority communities and to expand transportation infrastructure.
Reference
Gebresselassie, M., & Sanchez, T. W. (2018). “Smart” tools for socially sustainable transport: A review of mobility apps. Urban Science, 2(2), 45.
