Urban Travel Behavior Research in the Global South

The existing literature about urban travel behavior and demand is highly influenced by findings about cases in high-income countries, particularly in Western contexts. Researchers and policymakers in the Global South might refer to this literature as if it is relevant for any context. This may lead to it being used as overall references for urban and mobility planning. There are examples of unsuccessful adoption of such findings and concepts in the form of planning norms and policies in several developing countries. This deficiency originates from neglecting the role of culture and human geography. Thus, a more diverse and specific understanding of the correlations between local factors, including socioeconomics, the built environment, and human perceptions and attitudes will lead to a higher efficiency and functionality in transport policy.

The goal of this Research Topic is to strengthen the position of urban travel behavior on cases in the Global South versus research results in high-income countries. This goal addresses an important problem in the literature related to urban transportation planning, i.e. lack of reliable empirical studies in developing countries based on good-quality (primary) data sources and state of the art statistical analysis methods. This goal corresponds with clarifying the relations between travel behaviors, decisions, and habits with a diverse range of societal phenomena. These phenomena include but are not limited to land use and urban form, perceptions and attitudes about transportation and/or urban environment and political issues, socioeconomic and demographics, and individual and household traits. The final outcome of such studies will provide a basis for policy-making at the urban, regional, or national levels of countries in the Global South, with the aim of changing the modal shifts towards more sustainable transport modes, i.e. active mobility and public transportation.

As a result of the limited number of travel behavior studies focusing on Global South contexts, there has not yet been provided a comprehensive and consistent perspective of the contextual differences between travel behavior in the Global South and high-income countries. The existing literature often highlights the cultural variables that function differently in the Global South. However, finding more mismatches with industrial contexts is desirable. These factors can particularly include, but are not limited to, behaviors and decisions towards new transport-related Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), reliance on paratransit, differences in the functions of economic variables such as household income caused by social status, and the like.

The present Research Topic seeks contributions about cases in the Global South focusing on the following topical axes:
• The land use, demographic, and perceived determinants of mode choice, travel distance/time, vehicle ownership, and trip generation.
• Relations between urban transportation behaviors and perceptions with public health issues like obesity, being overweight, Body Mass Index, etc.
• Associations between mobility behaviors or attitudes and physical well-being like having chronic or other diseases as well as mental well-being like sense of loneliness, happiness, depression, etc.
• The role of using ICT in the urban transportation of countries in the Global South and the perceptions and preferences of urban residents about them.
• The perceptions and demand for using new transportation technologies like electric vehicles.

Although theoretical studies and review papers on the above topics are welcome, we particularly look for papers including empirical studies using primary data.