AccScience Publishing / JCAU / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/jcau.6561
REVIEW ARTICLE

Microtransportation: A sustainable solution for urban mobility challenges

Yuriy Vovk1* Oleg Tson1 Marcin Kicinski2 Iryna Vovk3 Volodymyr Dzyura1 Yaroslav Vovk4
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1 Department of Automobiles, Faculty of Mechanical, Structural and Technological Engineering, Ternopil Ivan Puluj National Technical University, Ternopil, Ternopil, Ukraine
2 Division of Transport Systems, Institute of Transport, Faculty of Civil and Transport Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Poznan, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland
3 Department of Innovation Activity and Services Management, Faculty of Economics and Management, Ternopil Ivan Puluj National Technical University, Ternopil, Ternopil, Ukraine
4 Department of Automation of Technological Processes and Production, Faculty of Applied Information Technologies and Electrical Engineering, Ternopil Ivan Puluj National Technical University, Ternopil, Ternopil, Ukraine
Journal of Chinese Architecture and Urbanism, 6561 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.6561
Submitted: 26 November 2024 | Revised: 19 January 2025 | Accepted: 5 February 2025 | Published: 5 March 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design of Eco-Cities and Transportation Systems)
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
Abstract

Microtransportation, including e-bikes and e-scooters, has experienced rapid global growth due to increasing demand for sustainable urban mobility solutions. Despite its potential to reduce environmental impact and promote social equity, challenges remain in its implementation, such as regulatory frameworks, infrastructure, and user behavior. This paper explores the opportunities and challenges of microtransportation within the context of sustainable development, offering a comprehensive overview of present research and identifying potential areas for future investigation and practice. A systematic literature review was conducted, analyzing recent scientific articles and case studies on microtransportation’s definition and types, along with its environmental, social, and economic implications. The findings highlight microtransportation’s potential to contribute to sustainable development goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving accessibility, and promoting social equity. However, the implementation of microtransportation faces various challenges, including technological limitations, regulatory barriers, and cultural and behavioral resistance. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature on sustainable transportation by providing a comprehensive review of microtransportation and its potential role in achieving sustainable development goals. It emphasizes the need for further research on the social and cultural dimensions of microtransportation adoption, as well as the development of supportive policies and infrastructure. The findings have important implications for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers working to promote sustainable transportation. Successful implementation of microtransportation requires collaboration among stakeholders, including governments, private sector actors, and local communities. The paper also provides recommendations for overcoming the identified challenges and realizing the full potential of microtransportation for sustainable development.

Keywords
Microtransportation
Sustainable development
Urban mobility
Electric vehicles
Shared mobility
Transportation policy
Sustainable transportation
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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