<p>Climate change and global warming are pressing challenges, with transportation contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Intelligent public transportation systems (IPTS), a subset of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), leverage IoT technologies to enhance urban mobility sustainability. This study evaluates IPTS performance in Salt Lake City (SLC) by examining both environmental and social dimensions, using air quality records (PM2.5, NO₂, SO₂, CO), annual ridership data from the Utah Transit Authority, and user satisfaction surveys. A one-sample t-test revealed that station proximity, ticket availability, driver professionalism, cleanliness, and the presence of electric vehicles significantly enhance user satisfaction (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), whereas accessibility, reliability, and passenger comfort require improvement. Findings indicate a positive feedback loop: increased user satisfaction boosts public transit use, which correlates with lower local air pollutant levels. For instance, the high-ridership stop in Central Community (4135 annual boardings) exhibited lower pollutant concentrations than the low-ridership stop in Northwest (964 boardings), suggesting an inverse relationship between ridership and air pollution. Hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted neighborhood-level satisfaction patterns: early mergers, such as Sugar House with Avenues and Westside with East Bench, showed high similarity, while larger clusters involving Central Community and Downtown reflected more diverse satisfaction profiles. These results underscore the importance of integrating user-centered service improvements with environmental strategies in IPTS planning. By addressing both system-level and neighborhood-level factors, cities can enhance public transport satisfaction, increase usage, and achieve measurable environmental benefits, providing a model for sustainable urban mobility.</p>