Sustainable Mobility Readiness Index: Evaluating Global Metropolitan Areas’ Passenger Mobility and Logistics Performance

Metropolitan areas are nowadays facing rapid growth and technological transformation, thereby creating complex challenges concerning the adoption of sustainable passenger and freight mobility technologies. Current evaluation frameworks typically address attributes of urban transport separately, focusing narrowly on specific modes, technologies, or sustainability dimensions. This study establishes the Sustainable Mobility Readiness Index (SMRI), an innovative and comprehensive framework that is designed to evaluate the preparedness of metropolitan areas concerning the adoption of sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-driven mobility systems. The SMRI integrates six key dimensions (transport supply, transport demand, innovation, policy, finance, and environment and energy) captured through 64 indicators, while also emphasizing the dual importance of passenger and freight transport readiness. Further, it applies a structured, multistage methodology incorporating expert-informed weighting, normalized scoring, and sensitivity analysis to assess 26 global metropolitan areas. Therefore, the SMRI addresses notable gaps in current literature by showcasing a geographically adaptable, interdisciplinary, and data-driven benchmarking tool. Results indicate a significant variance in readiness levels across cities and underline opportunities for peer learning and targeted investment. In addition, the study portrays a typology of metropolitan areas (mature, emerging, and developing) based on context-specific characteristics and performance patterns. While the SMRI offers a robust basis for evidence-based policymaking, it also acknowledges data limitations and identifies opportunities for future development of new mobility technologies, including spatial analysis and the incorporation of equity and accessibility metrics. As metropolitan mobility systems continue to evolve, the SMRI provides a timely contribution to the planning and policy analysis of sustainable transport transitions worldwide.