Advancing Rural Mobility: Identifying Operational Determinants for Effective Autonomous Road-Based Transit

Shenura Jayatilleke, Ashish Bhaskar, Jonathan M. Bunker · 2025 · Smart Cities

Summary. Autonomous public transport can address rural mobility challenges by offering flexible, cost-effective options. A survey of 273 residents in South-East Queensland reveals that different vehicle types serve distinct purposes: small shuttles work best for leisure trips, minibuses improve first-mile and last-mile connectivity, and standard buses suit high-capacity school transport. Hybrid systems combining autonomous and conventional buses outperform full automation, while autonomous taxis raise equity concerns. Integration with mobility platforms enhances service delivery for special events.

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@article{jayatilleke-2025-advancing-rural-mobility-identifying-operational,
  title   = {Advancing Rural Mobility: Identifying Operational Determinants for Effective Autonomous Road-Based Transit},
  author  = {Shenura Jayatilleke and Ashish Bhaskar and Jonathan M. Bunker},
  journal = {Smart Cities},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.3390/smartcities8050170},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities8050170}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Advancing Rural Mobility: Identifying Operational Determinants for Effective Autonomous Road-Based Transit
AU  - Shenura Jayatilleke
AU  - Ashish Bhaskar
AU  - Jonathan M. Bunker
JO  - Smart Cities
PY  - 2025
DO  - 10.3390/smartcities8050170
UR  - https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities8050170
ER  - 

Details

DOI

10.3390/smartcities8050170

Countries

Australia

Regions

Oceania

Categories

transportation, regional-innovation-systems, general-innovation

Added

2026-05-01