While in almost every country in the world urbanization has been accompanied by more intensive use of motorized transportation, in the cities of developing Asia these processes have occurred more rapidly and under different conditions. Planners are not prepared to deal with the pace of motorization caused by the startling speed of urbanization and growth of disposable income. In addition, planning responses have been constrained by inadequate resources, inappropriate administrative and institutional arrangements for urban management and lack of expertise, all in the face of competing demands for resources elsewhere in the public sector. This article highlights some of the general transportation trends in Asian cities and discusses some of the possible institutional solutions for improving these urban transport systems.