ITS Monday: Edition 23, 2026
ITS Monday is a small, weekly collection of curated content from the worlds of intelligent transport systems, smart mobility, and associated areas. This is the 265th edition to date, and the first for 2026.
Included this week, Australia’s EV numbers, decarbonising heavy vehicle transport, evaluating e-scooter trials, and induced demand.
The article headlines below are:
- Electric vehicles are built different. Australia needs better data to get the most out of the shift
- Beginning the long haul to decarbonising transport
- Reflections on the value of trials: Insights from the shared e-scooter trial evaluation in New South Wales, Australia
- Braess’s Paradox Implies Reduced Demand
This week’s articles
Now, scroll down, and see what’s in this week’s edition. Oh, and before you do, be sure check out the quickest way to receive our new content via the subscription box just below …
Electric vehicles are built different. Australia needs better data to get the most out of the shift
From The Conversation, co-authored by Ray Wills, Adjunct Professor in Sustainability, The University of Western Australia, and Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University. “Australia’s rapid shift to electric vehicles is a boon for the climate and welcome from a cost and energy security perspective. But making the most from this shift requires good planning — and good data.”
Related iMOVE articles:
- Electric Vehicles: Info, Projects & Resources
- The Conductor Series: The electrification of transport
Related iMOVE projects:
- Leading the charge in bi-directional charging
- Utrecht to Australia: Unlocking scalable, low-cost V2G
- Being a V2G trailblazer: Lessons for mass market adoption
Beginning the long haul to decarbonising transport
“The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has set its sights on decarbonising Australia’s transport sector. It’s not for the faint-hearted.”
Related iMOVE article:
Related iMOVE projects:
- The future for hydrogen heavy vehicles & infrastructure in NSW
- Prospects for decarbonising freight transport in Australia
- FACTS: A Framework for an Australian Clean Transport Strategy
A new academic paper, co-authored by Yuting Zhang, John Nelson, Corinne Mulley, and Jennifer L. Kent. The abstract:
Trials or pilot programmes are commonly adopted by governments to assess the feasibility of mobility interventions before committing to broader deployment. Although it is generally assumed that such trials contribute valuable insights and play an important role in advancing evidence-based policy, research evaluating the effectiveness of mobility trials remains scarce.
This paper seeks to address this gap by critically assessing a shared e-scooter trial in the state of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Using an evaluation framework adapted from the European Union’s CIVITAS initiative to promote sustainable mobility, an evaluation of shared e-scooter trials between 2022 and 2024 was conducted across three sites. The paper addresses a key research question: What is the value of conducting trials and evaluating them, and in what ways do the outcome of these evaluation processes contribute to evidence-informed policymaking?
The paper first discusses the value of temporary interventions more generally in transport. Next, examples of existing shared micromobility trials conducted around the world and at various scales are reviewed, recording trial outcomes and the degree to which they informed subsequent policy decisions. The paper then describes the development and outcomes of the evaluation framework for the case-study trials in NSW, before considering key reflections and findings. Results highlight the importance of both well-planned trials and their on-going robust evaluation.
In the NSW case-study context, the trial has provided critical guidance on whether to proceed beyond trials and identifies key considerations for future service development. The findings of this research provide vital reference for other jurisdictions considering shared micromobility trials and seeking guidance on how to translate trial outcomes into informed policy decisions.
Related iMOVE article:
Related iMOVE projects:
- eRideables and their impact transport in Perth
- Connectivity between micromobility & public transport in Brisbane
- Policy paths encouraging behaviour shift for sustainable mobility
Braess’s Paradox Implies Reduced Demand
Last for this week, another new academic paper, this one written by David Levinson. The abstract:
Induced demand is usually interpreted as additional capacity reducing generalized cost and producing more travel. When a network exhibits Braess’s paradox, an added link raises user-equilibrium cost, and we would thus expect demand to fall.
I show this in Braess’s original four-node numerical network with linear link costs and inverse demand. In the default case, the added link raises elastic equilibrium cost from 70.14 to 80.00 and reduces demand from 3.66 to 3.33. The reported 143-point sweep maps the Braess region in inverse-demand space; no sign-inconsistent cells appear. The accompanying browser implementation reproduces the reported comparison and sweep.
READ THE ARTICLEWe used to send out a weekly newsletter, ITS Weekly Roundup, a collection of ITS- and mobility-related news from across the world. ITS Monday is a replacement for that, a collection of links to news and opinion pieces, academic papers, and more. Additionally, you can follow us on Linkedin and Twitter, both of which have a focus on iMOVE news and projects, or subscribe to our bi-monthly newsletter.
*Inclusion in ITS Monday does not equal iMOVE endorsement. It’s more aimed at discovery, thought, or discussion … or all of those and more. And while for the most part I expect content to be current, a little age doesn’t mean diminished interest.
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