{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T11:20:23Z","timestamp":1777548023788,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":72,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777334400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Promoting walking and cycling is crucial for enhancing quality of life and supporting sustainable mobility. Although the literature includes numerous studies addressing the physical and environmental dimensions of sustainable transportation, the social dimension\u2014particularly in relation to bicycle use\u2014has not been sufficiently explored. This gap limits the wider adoption of cycling as a mode of transport. The present study examines university students\u2019 awareness of the social dimension of sustainability, which represents a critical factor in advancing sustainable transportation. Amasya University in Turkey was selected as the case study area due to its diverse academic faculties, the existence of bicycle paths, and the suitability of its urban structure for cycling accessibility. The study aims to reveal how the awareness levels of students from different academic disciplines shape the development of social sustainability in transportation. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining attitude analysis, survey applications, and field observations. Attitude analysis was employed to evaluate individuals\u2019 perceptions and behaviors and to explore the extent to which these tendencies can be influenced. The surveys and field observations enabled an integrated evaluation of both quantitative and qualitative data. The findings reveal significant differences in sustainable mobility awareness according to faculty affiliation and socio-demographic characteristics. Female students reported higher bicycle use (60%), while most cyclists belonged to middle- and low-income groups (73.2%). Approximately 47.3% of participants used bicycles for short distances, and 77.4% stated that they cycled primarily for health benefits. In addition, socio-cultural pressures influenced cycling behavior, as 80% of Theology students reported avoiding cycling due to social norms. Overall, the results indicate that indicators such as equity, accessibility, health and safety, individual responsibility, integrated planning, and cultural values and habits play significant roles in shaping students\u2019 awareness and influencing their bicycle use. The study highlights the importance of integrating social dimensions into sustainable transportation policies and university education programs. By doing so, it provides both academic and practical insights for promoting bicycle use and supporting more inclusive and sustainable urban mobility systems.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0346371","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T17:42:38Z","timestamp":1777398158000},"page":"e0346371","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["University students\u2019 awareness of the social dimension of sustainable transportation: The case of Amasya\/Turkey"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8021-306X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Sedef","family":"\u015eendo\u011fdu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-6176-0430","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ceren","family":"Nergiz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0346371.ref001","volume-title":"Sustainability and cities: overcoming automobile dependence","author":"K Newman","year":"1999"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref002","volume-title":"Urban public transportation: Systems and technology","author":"VR Vuchic","year":"1981"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203235294","volume-title":"Urban traffic pollution","author":"D Schwela","year":"1999"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref004","article-title":"Environment sensitive urban transportation.","volume-title":"European Regional Science Association, 36th Congress, Zurich, Switzerland","author":"M Aysan","year":"1996"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref005","volume-title":"Towards the sustainable city: The impact of land use\u2013transport interactions: A comparison of the impact of the initial and final coefficients on location choice on transport strategies and land use scenarios. 516","author":"S Shepherd","year":"1998"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref006","first-page":"111","article-title":"Eri\u015filebilirlik y\u00f6netiminin ula\u015f\u0131m planlama politikas\u0131 olarak de\u011ferlendirilmesi.","volume-title":"TMMOB Ula\u015ft\u0131rma Politikalar\u0131 Kongresi Bildiriler Kitab\u0131, Ankara, T\u00fcrkiye","author":"M \u00d6zuysal","year":"2003"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref007","article-title":"Sustainable transport and potential mobility","author":"WR Black","year":"2002","journal-title":"Eur J Transp Infrastruc Res"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref008","article-title":"Environmental criteria for sustainable transport","author":"Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)","year":"1996"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref009","article-title":"Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)","volume-title":"Towards sustainable transportation: Proceedings of the Vancouver Conference, 7\u201312 July 1996","year":"1996"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref010","first-page":"102813","article-title":"Integrating transport and sustainability: a framework for sustainable mobility transitions","volume":"88","author":"S G\u00f6ssling","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Transp Geogr"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0346371.ref011","first-page":"1","article-title":"Cycling for sustainable cities","volume":"41","author":"R Buehler","year":"2021","journal-title":"Transport Reviews"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref012","author":"S Eryi\u011fit","year":"2012"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref013","author":"J Lien","year":"2011"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tranpol.2012.01.013","article-title":"Transport and social exclusion: Where are we now?","volume":"20","author":"K Lucas","year":"2012","journal-title":"Transp Policy"},{"issue":"24","key":"pone.0346371.ref015","first-page":"1","article-title":"How to encourage cycling in urban areas: lessons from cycling culture research","volume":"11","author":"A Nikitas","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref016","author":"CB \u00dcnal","year":"2004"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref017","first-page":"58","article-title":"Kentsel sorunlar\u0131n \u00e7\u00f6z\u00fcm\u00fcnde ula\u015f\u0131m politikalar\u0131, ula\u015f\u0131m sorunlar\u0131n\u0131n \u00e7\u00f6z\u00fcm\u00fcnde kent planlama politikalar\u0131.","volume-title":"Ankara\u2019da Uygulanan Ula\u015f\u0131m Politikalar\u0131 ve Kente Etkileri Sempozyumu Bildirileri","author":"SE Babal\u0131k","year":"2006"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref018","volume-title":"Avrupa Birli\u011fi ula\u015ft\u0131rma politikas\u0131 ve T\u00fcrkiye\u2019nin uyumu (Y\u00fcksek lisans tezi)","author":"S \u00c7al\u0131k","year":"2008"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref019","volume-title":"Taking steps: A community action guide to people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport","author":"P Barter","year":"2000"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref020","author":"K \u00dcst\u00fcnda\u011f","year":"2002"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref021","author":"P Yal\u0131n\u0131z","year":"2006"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref022","volume-title":"Critical mass: Bicycling towards a more sustainable city","author":"SG Bilickstein","year":"2008"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref023","first-page":"1","article-title":"Toplu ta\u015f\u0131m\u0131n tamamlay\u0131c\u0131s\u0131 olarak bisiklet","volume":"90","author":"E \u00d6nc\u00fc","year":"1990","journal-title":"Planlama Dergisi"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref024","volume-title":"Sustainable cities","author":"G Haughton","year":"1994"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0346371.ref025","first-page":"3","article-title":"S\u00fcrd\u00fcr\u00fclebilir kentsel geli\u015fmeye sosyok\u00fclt\u00fcrel bir yakla\u015f\u0131m: Bursa \u00f6rne\u011fi","volume":"7","author":"A \u00c7ahantimur","year":"2008","journal-title":"\u0130T\u00dc Dergisi\/A Mimarl\u0131k, Planlama, Tasar\u0131m"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"845","DOI":"10.1080\/0042098975853","article-title":"Environmental policy: ecological modernisation or the risk society?","volume":"34","author":"A Blowers","year":"1997","journal-title":"Urban Stud"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref027","author":"CM Jeon","year":"2007"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref028","article-title":"Cycling behavior and mobility attitudes","author":"E Heinen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Transp Res Part A"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0346371.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"309","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvp.2008.10.004","article-title":"Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour: An integrative review and research agenda","volume":"29","author":"L Steg","year":"2009","journal-title":"J Environ Psychol"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0346371.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"219","DOI":"10.1080\/01441640902943453","article-title":"When transport geography meets social psychology: toward a conceptual model of travel behaviour","volume":"30","author":"V Van Acker","year":"2010","journal-title":"Transp Rev"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref031","first-page":"32","article-title":"Environmental attitudes and sustainable transport behavior: A new integrative framework","volume":"49","author":"S Bamberg","year":"2017","journal-title":"Transp Res Part F: Traffic Psychol Behav"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0346371.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1080\/01944365908978307","article-title":"How accessibility shapes land use","volume":"25","author":"WG Hansen","year":"1959","journal-title":"J Am Inst Planners"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref033","volume-title":"Reclaiming our cities and towns: Better living with less traffic","author":"D Engwicht","year":"1993"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref034","author":"H\u0130 Talay","year":"1997"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref035","first-page":"19","article-title":"Yerel y\u00f6netim ula\u015f\u0131m karar ve uygulamalar\u0131nda \u00e7evre duyarl\u0131 ula\u015f\u0131m t\u00fcr ve d\u00fczenlemelerinin yeri","author":"H Kaplan","year":"2009","journal-title":"Yap\u0131 D\u00fcnyas\u0131 Dergisi"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref036","volume-title":"Designing a DNA for responsive architecture: A new built environment for social sustainability","author":"GC Magnoli","year":"2001"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref037","volume-title":"S\u00fcrd\u00fcr\u00fclebilir ula\u015f\u0131m ve kent i\u00e7i ula\u015f\u0131m politikalar\u0131","author":"A Alayl\u0131","year":"2006"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref038","volume-title":"Evaluating transportation equity: Guidance for incorporating distributional impacts in transportation planning","author":"T Litman"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref039","volume-title":"Job accessibility as a performance indicator: An analysis of trends and their social policy implications in the San Francisco Bay Area. 692","author":"R Cervero","year":"1997"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0346371.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"345","DOI":"10.1068\/b250345","article-title":"Location characteristics of inner-city neighborhoods and employment accessibility of low-wage workers","volume":"25","author":"Q Shen","year":"1998","journal-title":"Environ Plann B Plann Des"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref041","volume-title":"Assessment of accessibility measure. 7\u20134938. Texas Department of Transportation","author":"C Bhat","year":"2001"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref042","volume-title":"The New York City pedestrian safety study and action plan","author":"R Viola","year":"2010"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref043","article-title":"T\u00fcrkiye\u2019de s\u00fcrd\u00fcr\u00fclebilir kalk\u0131nma ve \u00e7evre e\u011fitimi","volume-title":"IV. \u00c7evre \u015euras\u0131 Tebli\u011fleri","author":"M Do\u011fan","year":"2000"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref044","volume-title":"\u00c7evre eti\u011fi","author":"S K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7","year":"2008"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref045","volume-title":"Environmental ethics: An introduction to environmental philosophy","author":"JR DesJardins","year":"2006","edition":"4"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref046","volume-title":"Women and environment","author":"A Rodda","year":"1991"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref047","first-page":"87","article-title":"Globalle\u015fme s\u00fcrecinde artan \u00e7evre sorunlar\u0131 ve \u00e7\u00f6z\u00fcme y\u00f6nelik yakla\u015f\u0131mlar","volume":"5","author":"\u0130 Ceritli","year":"1996","journal-title":"Ekoloji \u00c7evre Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref048","volume-title":"\u00c7evre kirlili\u011fi ve \u00e7ocuk","author":"G \u00c7a\u011fatay","year":"2008"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0346371.ref049","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1002\/sd.209","article-title":"Regulating traffic with land use planning","volume":"11","author":"N Herala","year":"2003","journal-title":"Sustain Dev"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref050","volume-title":"European Urban Charter","author":"Council of Europe","year":"1992"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref051","volume-title":"Tutum, alg\u0131, ileti\u015fim","author":"M \u0130nceo\u011flu","year":"2011"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref052","first-page":"317","article-title":"K\u00fclt\u00fcrel s\u00fcrd\u00fcr\u00fclebilirlik","volume-title":"10. Ulusal B\u00f6lge Bilimi\/B\u00f6lge Planlama Kongresi Bildiriler Kitab\u0131","author":"\u00d6F Cebeci","year":"2002"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0346371.ref053","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1177\/08854120022092962","article-title":"Quality of life in the planning literature","volume":"15","author":"J-C Dissart","year":"2000","journal-title":"J Plann Lit"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0346371.ref054","article-title":"Planlamada belirsizlik sorunu: Ula\u015f\u0131m planlamas\u0131nda yolculuk talebi","volume":"3","author":"F Zorlu","year":"2008","journal-title":"Megaron YT\u00dc Mimarl\u0131k Fak\u00fcltesi E-Dergisi"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref055","first-page":"135","article-title":"\u00dcniversitelerde stratejik y\u00f6netim uygulamalar\u0131n\u0131n performansa etkileri: Devlet ve vak\u0131f \u00fcniversitelerinin kar\u015f\u0131la\u015ft\u0131rmal\u0131 analizi","volume":"4","author":"M Birinci","year":"2014","journal-title":"Y\u00fcksek\u00f6\u011fretim Dergisi"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0346371.ref056","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"767","DOI":"10.5465\/amr.2019.0185","article-title":"Sociocognitive perspectives in strategic management","volume":"44","author":"MD Pfarrer","year":"2019","journal-title":"Acad Manage Rev"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref057","first-page":"452","article-title":"Determinants of strategic plan implementation in public universities: A case of selected public universities in Nairobi County, Kenya","volume":"3","author":"G Omuse","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int Acad J Hum Resourc Bus Adm"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0346371.ref058","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.3390\/su8010083","article-title":"True green and sustainable university campuses? toward a clusters approach","volume":"8","author":"G Sonetti","year":"2016","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref059","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118839","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2019.118839","article-title":"A scale to measure sustainable campus services in higher education: \u201cSustainable Service Quality\u201d","volume":"245","author":"Y Ozdemir","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Clean Prod"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref060","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"473","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2018.01.213","article-title":"Sustainability at universities: students\u2019 perceptions from Green and Non-Green universities","volume":"181","author":"R Dagili\u016bt\u0117","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Clean Prod"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref061","first-page":"127","article-title":"Sosyal hizmet perspektifi ile s\u00fcrd\u00fcr\u00fclebilir kalk\u0131nmay\u0131 d\u00fc\u015f\u00fcnmek: Ye\u015fil kamp\u00fcsler \u00f6rne\u011fi","volume-title":"Ye\u015fil Kamp\u00fcs","author":"E Kalayc\u0131","year":"2020"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0346371.ref062","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"330","DOI":"10.1177\/0013916506297831","article-title":"Value orientations to explain beliefs related to environmentally significant behavior: How to measure egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric value orientations","volume":"40","author":"JIM De Groot","year":"2008","journal-title":"Environ Behav"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref063","article-title":"Transportation and the environment in China","author":"MP Walsh","year":"2000"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref064","volume-title":"\u00d6rnekleme kuram\u0131","author":"H \u00c7\u0131ng\u0131","year":"2007","edition":"3"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref065","volume-title":"Sosyal bilimlerde nitel ara\u015ft\u0131rma y\u00f6ntemleri","author":"A Y\u0131ld\u0131r\u0131m","year":"2005","edition":"5"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref066","volume-title":"Tutumlar\u0131n \u00f6l\u00e7\u00fclmesi ve SPSS ile veri analizi","author":"E Tav\u015fanc\u0131l","year":"2010"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref067","volume-title":"Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics","author":"A Field","year":"2013","edition":"4"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref068","unstructured":"URL1. Amasya ili co\u011frafi konumu. 2025. https:\/\/www.amasya.gov.tr\/cografi-konum"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref069","unstructured":"URL2. Adrese Dayal\u0131 N\u00fcfus Kay\u0131t Sistemi Sonu\u00e7lar\u0131 2024. 2025. https:\/\/data.tuik.gov.tr\/Bulten\/Index?p=Adrese-Dayali-Nufus-Kayit-Sistemi-Sonuclari-2024-53783"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref070","first-page":"197","article-title":"The role of attitudes in sustainable urban mobility: A case study in Madrid","volume":"24","author":"ME L\u00f3pez-Lambas","year":"2017","journal-title":"Transp Res Procedia"},{"key":"pone.0346371.ref071","volume-title":"Transport justice: designing fair transportation systems","author":"K Martens","year":"2017"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0346371.ref072","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/0749-5978(91)90020-T","article-title":"The theory of planned behavior","volume":"50","author":"I Ajzen","year":"1991","journal-title":"Organ Behav Hum Decis Process"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0346371","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T17:42:54Z","timestamp":1777398174000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0346371"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Manuel","family":"Herrador","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]]},"references-count":72,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0346371","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]]}}}