PhD Global Excellence and Mobility Scholarship (GEMS 2027). Demand-Driven Electric Microtransit: Multi-Objective Optimisation for Equitable First-Mile/Last-Mile Connectivity
Not stated
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
- Application deadline
- 31 January 2027
About the project
About the Project The Malaysian government has recently begun deploying microtransit services to address persistent first-mile/last-mile (FMLM) gaps that continue to constrain public transport ridership. However, existing planning parameters, coverage area, fleet size, seating capacity, and headway, have largely not been derived from empirical demand patterns or traveller characteristics. This deficiency is compounded by geopolitical tension and rising fuel prices, which are reshaping modal choice and intensifying reliance on public transport across ASEAN cities. This study contends that electric microtransit, integrated operationally and financially within broader public transport network planning, is essential to closing the FMLM gap, with observed shifts in traveller behaviour and spatial coverage deficiencies directly informing electrification sizing and investment decisions. Building on this premise, the study develops a data-driven, AI-enabled framework for optimising electric microtransit deployment across three objectives: minimising fleet and charging infrastructure costs, maximising FMLM ridership and spatial coverage, and promoting equitable access across socioeconomic and geographic groups. Multi-objective reinforcement learning is employed as the core optimisation method, benchmarked against metaheuristic approaches for validation, to inform public transport electrification planning and microtransit investment strategy adaptable across ASEAN urban contexts. For enquiries, please contact Dr Susilawati For more information about this project, please visit our GEMS website. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- How to Apply When you apply for admission into your preferred degree program you will be able to select your scholarship type. No separate application is required. By clicking on a course , you will be directed to further information, including details on ‘How to Apply’. However, before applying for a GEMS, it is recommended that you first contact the main supervisor for this GEMS research topic. Please provide details of your academic background and achievements to the supervisor so that they can assess your suitability for the GEMS research topic you are interested in. Main Supervisor (Malaysia): Dr Susilawati Associate Supervisor (Malaysia): Dr Sheena Sara Associate Supervisor (Australia): Prof. Dong Ngoduy Associate Supervisor (Indonesia): Prof. Taufiq Asyhari