Transportation Transformation: Is Micromobility Making a Macro Impact on Sustainability?

Abstract

The transportation landscape is ever-evolving in the face of new technologies, including the emergence of micromobility—a new classification given to lightweight human-powered or electric vehicles operated at low speeds. This article focuses on the role of these new modes in the efforts to cultivate a more sustainable transportation system by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, providing a reliable and equitable transportation service, and enhancing the human experience. Existing literature on sustainable transportation systems is used to build a three-goal framework, which is then used to assess the extent to which micromobility contributes to a sustainable urban transportation system. Next, we identify and discuss policies that can help micromobility achieve better sustainability outcomes. This review of the nascent literature shows that the sustainability impacts of these modes are at present mixed and are likely to remain so without more targeted interventions by local stakeholders. Yet, the operations and use of micromobility systems are quickly evolving and hold promise for contributing to a more sustainable transportation system.