Kuala Lampur, Jan. 30 -- For decades, transport planning has been guided by a seemingly neutral idea: if a system works for the "average commuter," it works for everyone.

This gender-blind approach assumes that travel needs are uniform and that neutrality ensures fairness. Yet growing evidence suggests otherwise. When transport systems are designed around a narrow definition of mobility, they risk overlooking real and measurable differences in how people move and why.

My earlier studies from 2017 and 2021 provide insights into how established transport planning approaches may overlook certain everyday travel needs. The findings reveal that women's mobility is shaped less by the conventional home - work commute and more by complex, every...