Based on panel data of 30 provinces of China from 2010 to 2019, a dynamic spatial Durbin model was used to empirically analyze the long-term and short-term spatial spillover effects of multi-dimensional urbanization in terms of population, land and economy on the carbon emission of transportation industry. The results show that there are significant spatial correlations and ‘temporal inertia’ in the carbon intensity of transport industry in China. (1) Population urbanization, land urbanization and economic urbanization all have a significant role in promoting the carbon emissions of the transportation industry in the region, and the long-term impact is greater than the short-term impact. Among them, population urbanization is to promote the carbon emissions of the transportation industry in the region. The main driving force of growth; population urbanization has a significant positive spatial spillover effect on adjacent areas. (2) From a regional perspective, population urbanization will significantly inhibit the growth of carbon emissions from the transportation industry in the eastern region, but it can promote the growth of carbon emissions from the transportation industry in the central and western regions. Urbanization has a significant positive role in promoting carbon emissions in the transportation industry; population urbanization in the eastern and central regions has a significant positive spillover effect on carbon emissions in the transportation industry, and economic urbanization in the eastern region has a significant positive spillover effect effect. (3) In terms of stages, the long-term impact of urbanization (population, land and economy) on the carbon emissions of the transportation industry is generally higher than the short-term impact in the two stages, and the impact of urbanization on the carbon emissions of the transportation industry is deepening.