Transport is a key sector that can transform cities to be more sustainable, accessible and equitable. Transport comprises 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 24% of carbon emissions, even as air pollution, congestion, accessibility and affordability remain problems in many cities.

The mass transport services that people depend on every day to access opportunity have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the pandemic, cities in which the Mobility and Accessibility Program works saw as much as a 70% drop in transit ridership. The resulting loss of mobility for users and financial instability for operators exacerbates an already difficult urban planning challenge, especially in the world’s fastest growing cities, where enough major infrastructure has yet to be built.

Public transportation is key to more sustainable, equitable and productive cities. By providing essential data and analysis, convening stakeholders and nurturing local networks, the Mobility and Accessibility Program, supported by FedEx, is catalyzing improvements in the quality of public transportation in Brazil, India, China and Mexico.

WRI delivers transformative outcomes through a range of interactions with transportation and planning professionals, including municipal bus agency administrators, private bus operators, private sector technology providers, academics and industry experts. Some of the most vital work occurs in local, regional and national government offices where policies for the future take shape.

FedEx-EMBARQ Mobility and Accessibility Program Annual Reports

WRI and FedEx celebrated 10 years of partnership advancing global public transportation, increasing safety, efficiency and sustainability in 2022. Since 2012, MAP has directly benefited more than 18 million people.

2023 Annual Report

Recent projects include:

In Brazil, WRI works to enable quality transit operations through QualiÔnibus, a project that guides city decision-makers and operators on a path to transforming public bus operations. The program includes 25 cities and has facilitated transit action plans in 8 cities.

In Mexico, WRI seeks to change transit finance systems and demonstrate urban design for improved access, including through a federal financing program and pedestrian accessibility design guidelines.

In India, WRI is educating leaders and improving user interaction design and equity by regularly convening transit professionals as well as digital ticketing and equity pilots that have reached over 800,000 people.

In China, WRI works to better integrate multiple transport services together through mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) pilots and to lower freight emissions through low- and zero-emission zones, including Beijing’s first such area.