“Integrating Autonomous Buses into Future Urban Mobility”

Call for Papers – Special Issue: “Integrating Autonomous Buses into Future Urban Mobility”

Journal: Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review
Publisher: Elsevier
Submission deadline: 31 August 2026

Overview

This special issue explores the intersection of AI, Operations Research (OR), and social science to address the planning, control, and socio-technical integration of autonomous buses (ABs). As urban mobility evolves, this collection seeks to provide pathways for the efficient, equitable, and scalable global deployment of autonomous transit. The editors invite research that bridges technical optimization with human-centric considerations to ensure AB systems deliver system-level benefits and address the mobility needs of diverse populations.

Key Research Themes

• Network Design & Integration: AI/ML models for AB network design, multi-network integration (e.g., ABs, micro-mobility, metro), and planning for AB and human-driven bus coexistence.

• Operational Efficiency: Integrated planning for operations and charging, adaptive control algorithms for heterogeneous traffic, and trajectory planning focused on eco-driving and passenger comfort.

• Service Design & Equity: Innovative on-demand transit services, modular bus designs, and accessible service models for elderly, student, and low-income passengers.

• Socio-Technical Integration: Reskilling pathways for transit workforces, human-machine interface (HMI) design, and safety frameworks for emergency scenarios.

• Deployment Strategies: Cost-efficient adoption pathways, scalable deployment strategies, and frameworks for evaluating system-level benefits in developing and developed regions.

• Modeling Techniques: Hybrid approaches combining macro-network planning (e.g., continuum approximation), graph-based network design, and advanced AI/ML applications.

Submission Details

• Submission window: Open now – 31 August 2026.

• Submission portal: https://www.editorialmanager.com/tre/default1.aspx

• Article Type: Select “VSI: Auto-Bus-Hans” from the dropdown menu during the submission process.

Guest Editors

• Associate Professor Weihua Gu, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (weihua.gu@polyu.edu.hk)

• Associate Professor Jinwoo Lee, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (jinwoo@kaist.ac.kr)

• Associate Professor S. Ilgin Guler, The Pennsylvania State University (sig123@psu.edu)

• Associate Professor Wenbo Fan, Southwest Jiaotong University (wbfan@swjtu.edu.cn)

• Associate Professor Weitiao Wu, South China University of Technology (ctwtwu@scut.edu.cn)

Why This Issue Matters

Autonomous buses represent a frontier in urban transit, offering potential improvements in efficiency and accessibility. By integrating diverse perspectives—from mathematical optimization to workforce reskilling—this issue aims to provide a comprehensive roadmap for cities transitioning toward automated, sustainable, and equitable transit ecosystems.

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