Micro-meso-macro assessment of drivers and barriers to implementing geofencing for sustainable transport

Journal article, 2024

Transport is in need of innovation to reach the goals set for social and, more importantly, environmental sustainability. However, in transport, innovation rarely goes from pilot to large-scale implementation, as various barriers create blocking mechanisms to implementation. This paper focuses on the technology of geofencing in transport management, with the aim to contribute to the understanding of actors’ perceptions of drivers and barriers to the technology and how these perceptions impact its implementation. A qualitative approach, based on 34 interviews, helped identify drivers and barriers to geofencing, with the focus on Sweden. The drivers and barriers were then analyzed at different institutional levels (macro, meso, and micro). Drivers could be identified for actors at all levels, indicating that geofencing can contribute to transport sustainability. However, there are also barriers at all levels that hinder implementation. Closer collaboration is necessary to reduce knowledge gaps, develop policies, and establish viable business models.