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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Vij, Akshay |
| Abstract: | Latent modal preferences, or modality styles, are defined as behavioral predispositions towards a certain travel mode or set of travel modes that an individual habitually uses. They are reflective of higher-level orientations, or lifestyles, that are hypothesized to influence all dimensions of an individual’s travel and activity behavior. For example, in the context of travel mode choice different modality styles may be characterized by the set of travel modes that an individual might consider when deciding how to travel, her sensitivity, or lack thereof, to different level-of-service attributes of the transportation (and land use) system when making that decision, and the socioeconomic characteristics that predispose her one way or another. Travel demand models currently in practice assume that individuals are aware of the full range of alternatives at their disposal, and that a conscious choice is made based on a tradeoff between perceived costs and benefits associated with alternative attributes. Heterogeneity in the choice process is typically represented as systematic taste variation or random taste variation to incorporate both observable and unobservable differences in sensitivity to alternative attributes. Though such a representation is convenient from the standpoint of model estimation, it overlooks the effects of inertia, incomplete information and indifference that are reflective of more profound individual variations in lifestyles built around the use of different travel modes and their concurrent influence on all dimensions of individual and household travel and activity behavior. The objectives of this dissertation are three-fold: (1) to develop a travel demand model framework that captures the influence of modality styles on multiple dimensions of individual and household travel and activity behavior; (2) to test that the framework is both methodologically flexible and empirically robust; and (3) to demonstrate the value of the framework to transportation policy and practice. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2013–08–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:uctcwp:qt7ng2z24q&r=tre |
| By: | De Langhe, Katrien; Struyf, Els; Sys, Christa; Van de Voorde, Eddy; Vanelslander, Thierry |
| Abstract: | Airports are crucial nodes, ensuring the economic activity in a region. This paper reports on the direct and indirect effects of a temporary shutdown of an airport. Airports can be closed for several reasons and this can have major effects on different stakeholders. Therefore, this paper offers an analysis of this issue, so that all stakeholders can prepare themselves for the case a shutdown occurs, and will be able to take measures. Firstly, the effects of a temporary shutdown are discussed in general. Therefore, a definition of an airport shutdown is constructed and an overview is made of all possible causes that can lead to a temporary shutdown. Then, an airport typology is set up, including possible implications for each type of disturbance as well as a set of relevant stakeholders. Next, an overview is made of all possible effects for all stakeholders. Secondly, this theory is applied upon a specific case study at Brussels Airport. The effects of hurricane Sandy in the USA on the regional Flemish airports and Brussels Airport are analyzed. This case study shows that several passenger and cargo flights are canceled at Brussels Airport, while the regional Flemish airports are not affected. Based on the method proposed in this paper, stakeholders can quantify the monetary effects for themselves. The analysis indicates that the shutdown of an airport can cause important consequences for several stakeholders. Furthermore, the findings suggest that a temporary shutdown of an airport can disrupt the economic activity in a region. Knowledge of the possible consequences is most interesting for policymakers and stakeholders. |
| Date: | 2013–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ant:wpaper:2013016&r=tre |
| By: | Raballand, Gael; Bridges, Kate; Beuran, Monica; Sacks, Audrey |
| Abstract: | This paper uses Zambia as a case study to assess empirically whether political interference in a low-governance environment has diminished in the past years as expected after a semi-autonomous agency model was set up ten years ago. The road sector in Zambia has experienced some significant developments since then. The paper uses data on contract from 2008 to 2011 and analyses a number of key trends related to Road Development Agency governance and staffing dynamics as well as procurement and project selection within the institution. The main findings indicate that, after some years of implementation of these reforms, there is reason to question whether the model of semi-autonomous agency enables road management to be shielded from political interference. Zambia may be an isolated case but, so far, this model does not seem to have been able to decrease political interference in the selection or supervision of projects and there seems to have been an increased lack of accountability of civil servants working in this sector. |
| Keywords: | Transport Economics Policy&Planning,Post Conflict Reconstruction,Rural Roads&Transport,Banks&Banking Reform,Public Sector Corruption&Anticorruption Measures |
| Date: | 2013–08–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:6585&r=tre |
| By: | Deborah E. Lee, Stephen G. Hosking and Mario Du Preez |
| Abstract: | Estuaries in South Africa face negative crowding effects with respect to motorised boat use, due to competing demand. This paper proposes this be managed through user charges and that the setting of these charges be informed by applying a choice experiment to estimate user preferences for reduced motorized boat congestion on the Kromme River Estuary, Eastern Cape. The application of this method led the paper to deduce that users are willing to pay an additional supplementary charge of R483 per annum during peak periods in order to experience a decrease in negative crowding effects and an improvement in overall welfare. |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rza:wpaper:366&r=tre |
| By: | Sanders, Rebecca Lauren |
| Abstract: | This dissertation investigates the connection between perceived and actual bicycling risk, andhow they both affect and are affected by one’s attitudes, knowledge, behavior, and experiences. Understanding bicycling risk has gained importance as efforts by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, and others have urged communities to increase cycling for its health, environmental, and social equity benefits. Research has identified numerous barriers to increased bicycling in the U.S., including topography, weather, and trip distance, but the barrier that appears most consistently between studies is the perceived hazard associated with cycling near motorists. Yet, little research has fully explored the concept of risk to understand its component parts, including how 1) various driver actions affect perceived and actual cycling risk, 2) reported crash statistics reflect perceived and actual risk, 3) roadway design preferences are affected by perceived risk, and 4) attitudes toward cycling and cycling risk—especially among drivers—influence support for bicycling in one’s community. A deeper understanding of perceived and actual risk is critical for knowing how to address it, and, ultimately, to encourage more people to bicycle. To begin to answer these questions and demystify bicycling risk, this dissertation employs three main methods: focus groups, an online survey (n=463), and an analysis of reported crash data from the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the regions at the forefront of cycling efforts in the U.S. My findings confirm that perceived and actual cycling risk influence the decision to bicycle, but indicate that the causal pathways are more nuanced than previously understood. First, my data suggest that cyclists experience two types of roadway risk: pervasive risk in the form of near misses that occur frequently, and acute risk that occurs when a cyclist is struck—a less frequent, but more injurious incident. Both types—but particularly near misses— significantly affect perceived risk for cyclists and their family and friends, yet we lack systematic data on near misses and are therefore almost completely ignorant about the extent and effect of their occurrence. Routinely-collected reported crash data provide only limited insight into the type and extent of risk cyclists experience. Second, roadway design preferences are significantly related to perceived risk, and particularly important for attracting new cyclists. Surprisingly, drivers and cyclists both prefer roadway designs with separated space for bicyclists, particularly if barrier-separated, regardless of cycling frequency. Shared space designs are less popular among drivers and much less popular among cyclists, particularly for people who might consider cycling but do not currently do so: only a tiny fraction of potential cyclists feel comfortable sharing space with drivers on commercial streets. Third, perceived cycling risk extends beyond fear of danger for oneself, and is significantly related to support for cycling in one’s community. Structural equation models of perceived cycling risk, attitudes, and behavior revealed that respondents are affected by their perceived risk as cyclists, but also as drivers sharing the roadway with cyclists they view as “scofflawsâ€, and the risks they project onto other cyclists—particularly those cycling with children. This multi-pronged belief in cycling risk significantly negatively affects bicycling support, including support for new bicycle facilities and public funding to encourage cycling. Based on these findings, I propose a revised theoretical framework for conceptualizing cycling risk and its influences. I conclude the dissertation with policy recommendations for addressing perceived risk. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2013–08–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:uctcwp:qt6ct7x8hp&r=tre |