Aligning smart mobility with institutional capacity: Evidence-based transport policy strategies for sustainable urban mobility in developing cities
Abstract
Purpose. This study examines how urban transport policy in developing cities can align smart mobility initiatives with institutional and system capacity to support sustainable urban transportation. Using South Africa as an analytically representative context, it identifies strategic priorities and explores emerging patterns that may guide capacity-sensitive smart mobility implementation. Methodology. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 201 urban transport stakeholders. Descriptive statistics ranked 14 smart mobility strategies, while exploratory principal component analysis with oblique rotation examined potential strategic groupings. Given marginal factorability diagnostics, the component analysis was interpreted cautiously and used only for exploratory purposes. Results. Digital and ICT infrastructure, cybersecurity frameworks, smart mobility regulations, and unified data standards received the highest aggregate rankings. User-facing interventions, including Mobility-as-a-Service integration, electric vehicle charging networks, and behaviour-change programmes, received slightly lower ratings. The exploratory analysis suggested three provisional patterns: smart mobility infrastructure enablement, policy and institutional support, and collaborative data-driven mobility innovation. The findings indicate that institutional readiness may act as a gating condition for the effective adoption and scaling of smart mobility initiatives. Theoretical contribution. The study advances sustainable urban mobility and socio-technical perspectives by proposing a capacity-first sequencing proposition, whereby digital, regulatory, organisational, and data-governance capabilities should be developed before large-scale deployment of integrated mobility technologies. Practical implications. Policymakers and urban transport authorities should prioritise secure digital infrastructure, interoperable data standards, regulatory clarity, institutional coordination, and skills development before scaling MaaS platforms, advanced analytics, and electric mobility interventions. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; SDG 13: Climate Action