About the project
This PhD explores how shared mobility systems, such as car clubs, e-bikes, and platform-based services, can support communities during crises like floods, storms, or transport shutdowns. Combining optimisation, behavioural science, and governance, the research will design fair, trusted, and practical ways to use shared transport for emergency and resilience planning.
Cities are increasingly facing disruptions, from floods and storms to power cuts and transport breakdowns. When these events occur, shared mobility systems such as car clubs, e-bikes, and digitally coordinated fleets could provide flexible capacity to help people reach safety, healthcare, or essential services. Yet little is known about when and how these systems can be used safely and fairly, or how the public perceives their use during emergencies.
This PhD will explore how shared mobility can strengthen civic resilience under disruption, asking what makes such systems effective, trustworthy, and legitimate when regular infrastructure fails.
The student will combine methods from optimisation, behavioural decision science, and governance. Work will include modelling and simulation of shared fleet operations during crisis scenarios, behavioural experiments to understand cooperation and trust under stress, and co-design workshops with local authorities, resilience forums, and mobility operators to develop “crisis mode” protocols.
Based at the University of Southampton, the student will join a multidisciplinary environment with access to partners including the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum, NHS representatives, and mobility providers. They will gain advanced skills in data analysis, behavioural research, and stakeholder engagement.
The project will generate both theoretical insight and practical outputs: tested decision rules, communication strategies, and governance guidance that help policymakers, operators, and communities plan for future disruptions. The results will inform how shared transport systems can evolve from commercial services into civic infrastructure for resilience.
Additional technical training or support
The student will receive advanced training in optimisation modelling, simulation, and behavioural experimentation through the University of Southampton’s Management Science and Human Factors research groups.
They will also gain experience in participatory methods and policy engagement through collaboration with local resilience partners and mobility providers.
Additional support will include GIS-based spatial analysis, ethical research design, and science communication training offered by the Doctoral College.
Regular interdisciplinary workshops within the Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships Programme will strengthen their capacity to integrate technical, behavioural, and governance approaches to resilience research.
References
25 Years of road safety: The journey from thinking humans to systems-thinking
