The　threat　of　global　climate　change　has　caused　the　international　community　to　pay　close　attention　to　atmospheric　levels　of　greenhouse　gases　such　as　carbon　dioxide.　Transportation　sector　carbon　dioxide　emissions　efficiency　(TSCDEE)　is　a　key　indicator　used　to　prioritize　sustainable　development　in　the　transportation　sector.　In　this　paper,　the　epsilon-based　measure　data　envelopment　analysis　model　with　undesirable　outputs　is　applied　to　estimate　TSCDEE　for　30　provinces　in　China　from　2010　to　2016.　We　also　analyze　influencing　factors　using　the　spatial　Durbin　model.　Research　shows　that　the　overall　TSCDEE　of　the　Chinese　provinces　studied　was　0.618,　indicating　that　most　regions　are　still　in　need　of　improvements.　The　provinces　with　the　highest　TSCDEE　are　located　in　developed　coastal　regions　of　China.　This　study　shows　that　factors　such　as　transportation　structure,　traffic　infrastructure　level,　and　technological　progress　have　prominent　positive　effects　on　TSCDEE,　while　both　urbanization　level　and　urban　population　density　exert　significantly　negative　effects　on　TSCDEE.　The　findings　should　have　a　far-reaching　impact　on　the　sustainable　development　of　global　transportation.　(c)　2021　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.