Smart, sustainable, and resilient: The triple imperative of urban transport transformation

Abstract

Among the major trends currently reshaping the organization and functioning of modern cities are the concepts of sustainable development, digital transformation, and urban resilience. The rapid advancement of these concepts in recent years is reflected in the growing volume of scientific publications across all three areas. This article aims to analyze these key research trends related to the development of contemporary cities and to identify their impact on urban public transport systems, which constitute a critical element of citizen services. Two complementary literature review methods were applied: a systematic review and a narrative review. The systematic review was designed to identify publications associated with each of the analyzed research trends, while the narrative review provided the basis for evaluating the influence of these developmental concepts on public transport systems in cities. The findings indicate strong interconnections between the notions of smart cities and sustainable cities, while the concept of resilience, as the most recent approach, draws upon selected assumptions of both. All three concepts exert a considerable influence on urban mobility. Sustainable development alters residents’ transport behaviors, smart mobility enhances the implementation and efficiency of transport processes, and well-functioning public transport systems play a crucial role in urban crisis management. Based on the analysis of research trends in public transport and ongoing technological transformations, the study identifies the main challenges and potential directions for the future development of urban public transport.