Prospects For Adaptation And Cultural Changes In Citizenship For The Modernization Of Urban Mobility In Public Transport In Medium-Sized Cities: A Systematic Review (2020-2025)

Abstract

The transformation of urban public transport systems towards smart, sustainable, and responsive models is imperative for cities with populations of up to one million inhabitants, which face different challenges than megacities, including infrastructure limitations, dependence on informal transport, and institutional weakness. A systematic review of literature published between 2020 and 2025 was conducted, using an interdisciplinary approach that integrated urban planning, social sciences, technology, and public policy analysis. The findings show an accelerated technological transformation with projections of 85 million electric vehicles in global circulation by 2025 and the European Union's commitment to eliminate combustion vehicles by 2035. The case of Seoul demonstrated that deliberate policies can achieve 66% of daily traffic on public transport, with nearly 100% adoption of smart cards. A decline in attachment to private vehicles was identified among Generation Z, although the perception of climate change lacks significant predictive value in individual modal choice without tangible personal benefits. The case of the transmicable in Bogotá revealed that informal transport persists in meeting needs not served by formal systems. The modernization of public transport transcends the technical exercise, constituting a social and cultural process that requires holistic planning, citizen-centered design, adaptive governance, and integration of informal mobility systems to create truly resilient and equitable urban environments.