Travel behaviour and mobility in smart cities: an interdisciplinary review of mass transit in a smart city in Malaysia

Sustainability agendas are inextricably linked to modern urban planning, and while such pursuits abound in today’s cities, their scale varies in scope and in effectiveness. This study provides a use-centric framework to assess the effectiveness of sustainable transportation services based on how readily they can be accessed/used (User Agency), how quickly they help commuters traverse distances (Performance), how well they maintain service levels over larger distances and/or volume (Scalability), and how affordable they are (Cost). Research is conducted on Sunway City, a Malaysian planned township, selected for its rapid developmental trajectory and diverse portfolio of sustainable transportation initiatives (referred to as ‘SITE’ projects). By analysing adoption and usage behaviour from 306 survey and 90 focus group participants, this study endeavours to summarize the effectiveness of major programs/facilities that support both inter- and intra-city travel. Finally, the authors will make recommendations on areas of improvements through use-centric ‘developmental profiles’ that direct potential intervening measures to priority commuter requirements. These intervening measures, in turn, are anchored by the 7i-Innovation model which outlines the application of seven attributes (i.e. Infra-infostructure, Institutions, Intellectual Capital, Interaction, Incentives, Integrity) to ultimately facilitate the creation of a sustainable, knowledge-based economy, aligning with the prevailing national economic mandate.