Global Ranking Lists and Wish Lists

At this time of the year, we're accustomed to seeing various lists, not only holiday wish lists but also a plethora of "best of" lists. The world of mobility is no exception. The consultancy firm Oliver Wyman Forum, in cooperation with UC Berkeley, have just presented the fifth annual global ranking of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index (UMRI) for 65 cities. In addition to the ranking list, the authors also offer a wish list of recommended actions for each of the surveyed cities, should they aspire to improve their position.

The UMRI is comprehensively measured by 56 key performance indicators across social impact, infrastructure, innovation, system efficiency, and market attractiveness.

Given the significant weightage of well-functioning public transit services in the index, it's unsurprising that four Nordic capitals secured positions in the top 15, with Helsinki claiming the top spot and Stockholm securing third place.

The most notable changes from last year's edition include Singapore, Zurich, Boston, and Los Angeles being outpaced and dropping a few spots. Hong Kong stands out as the undisputed leader in the percentage of rides using public transportation, at an impressive 71%.

In conclusion, the authors themselves summarize that the cities topping this year's edition are those that opted for the foundational elements of urban transport, such as infrastructure and system efficiency, rather than relying on more innovative solutions still in development, like autonomous cars.