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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Hackbarth, André (E.ON Energy Research Center, Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN)); Madlener, Reinhard (E.ON Energy Research Center, Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN)) |
| Abstract: | In the light of European energy efficiency and clean air legislations, as well as an ambitious electric mobility goal of the German government, we examine consumer preferences for alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), based on a Germany-wide discrete choice experiment among 711 potential car buyers. We estimate consumers’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) and contingent variation (CV) for improvements in vehicle purchase price, fuel cost, driving range, refueling infrastructure, CO2 emissions and governmental monetary and non-monetary incentives, hereby accounting for diminishing marginal returns for some of the attributes and taking taste differences in the population into account by applying a latent class model with 6 distinct consumer segments. Our results indicate that almost 36% of the consumers are open-minded towards at least one AFV option, with 15% being AFV-affine insomuch that they show a high probability of choosing AFVs despite their current shortcomings. Our results suggest that German car buyers’ WTP for improvements of the various vehicle attributes varies considerably across consumer segments and that the vehicle features have to meet some minimum requirements so that AFVs are shortlisted. Furthermore, the CV values show that decision-makers in the administration and industry should focus on the most promising consumer group of ‘AFV aficionados’ and their needs, that some vehicle attribute improvements could increase AFV demand rather cost-effectively, and that consumers would accept surcharges for some vehicle attributes at a level, which could enable their economic provision and operation (e.g. fast-charging infrastructure), while others might need governmental subsidies to substitute the insufficient consumer WTP (e.g. battery capacity). |
| Keywords: | Discrete choice; Stated preferences; Latent class model; Alternative fuel vehicles; Germany; Electric mobility; Willingness-to-pay; Contingent variation |
| JEL: | C25 D12 M38 Q58 R48 |
| Date: | 2013–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:fcnwpa:2013_020&r=tre |
| By: | MEERSMAN, Hilde; VAN DE VOORDE, Eddy |
| Abstract: | Port capacity and especially free port capacity plays a crucial role in the competition struggle between ports. During the last decades port authorities decisions have been made to enlarge and renovate existing port infrastructure or to build new infrastructure, in several ways: deepening rivers and maritime channels; building new locks, new terminals and berths; facilitating new and better hinterland connections. Most infrastructure capacity expansion has been financed by public money. This paper investigates whether and in what way port capacity investments can be considered a trade-off between new free (over)capacity paid for by public money, and potential time losses by private shipping companies due to a lack of capacity and corresponding waiting lines or congestion. |
| Keywords: | - |
| Date: | 2014–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ant:wpaper:2014009&r=tre |
| By: | Amani Elnasri (School of Economics, Australian School of Business, the University of New South Wales) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the impact of the provision of public transport infrastructure on the cost structure of the Australian economy within a context that recognises industry agglomeration externalities. The paper extends the symmetric generalised quadratic cost functionby incorporating public transportation capital as an external input and adapting the spatial econometric techniques to an industrial context to allow for industry spillovers in the cost analysis. Using industry level data over the period 1990-2010, the paper finds that while public transport has a productive effect in reducing the cost of production, neglecting interindustry spillovers has noticeably overestimates this effect. |
| Keywords: | Transport infrastructure, Interindustry spillovers, Flexible functional forms |
| JEL: | D24 H23 H41 H54 |
| Date: | 2014–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:swe:wpaper:2014-24&r=tre |
| By: | Almroth, Andreas (SWECO); Berglund, Svante (KTH / TLA); Canella , Olivier (WSP); Engelson, Leonid (KTH / TLA); Flötteröd, Gunnar (KTH); Jonsson, Daniel (KTH / TLA); Kristoffersson, Ida (SWECO); West, Jens (KTH / SWECO) |
| Abstract: | The need to more precisely represent the consequences of congestion mitigation policies in urban transport systems calls for replacement of the static equilibrium assignment by DTA in the integrated travel demand and traffic assignment models. Despite of the availability of DTA models and despite of the conceptual clarity of how such integration should take place, only few operational model systems have been developed for large-scale applications. We report on replacement of the static traffic assignment by two different DTAs in the four stage demand model for the Greater Stockholm region: the macroscopic analytic Visum DUE and microscopic simulation Transmodeler. First results show that even without systematic calibration the DTA is in reasonable agreement with observed traffic counts and travel times. The presented experiments did not reveal striking difference between using macroscopic and microscopic assignment package. However, given the clear trend to microscopic modeling and simulation on the travel demand side, the use of micro-simulation-based DTA package appears more natural from system integration perspective. |
| Keywords: | Dynamic traffic assignment; DTA; Microscopic simulation; Travel demand models |
| JEL: | R40 |
| Date: | 2014–05–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:ctswps:2014_010&r=tre |
| By: | Bach, L.; Dollevoet, T.A.B.; Huisman, D. |
| Abstract: | __Abstract__ We investigate to what degree we can integrate a Train Timetabling / Engine Scheduling Problem with a Crew Scheduling Problem. In the Timetabling Problem we design a timetable for the desired lines by fixing the departure and arrival times. Also, we allocate time-slots in the network to secure a feasible timetable. Next, we assign engines in the Engine Scheduling Problem to the lines in accordance with the timetable. The overall integration is achieved by obtaining an optimal solution for the Timetabling / Engine Scheduling Problem. We exploit the fact that numerous optimal, and near optimal solutions exists. We consider all solutions that can be obtained from the optimal engine schedule by altering the timetable, while keeping the order of demands in the schedules intact. The Crew Scheduling model is allowed to re-time the service of demands if the additional cost is outweighed by the crew savings. This information is implemented in a mathematical model for the Crew Scheduling Problem. The model is solved using a column generation scheme. Hereby it is possible for the Crew Scheduling algorithm to adjust the timetable and achieve a better overall solution. We perform computational experiments based on a case at a freight railway operator, DB Schenker Rail Scandinavia, and show that significant cost savings can be achieved. |
| Keywords: | railway crew planning, vehicle and crew scheduling, partial integration, tome windows, branch-and-price |
| Date: | 2014–04–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ems:eureir:51318&r=tre |
| By: | Huber, Hans |
| Abstract: | The US has been a pioneer w.r.t. the modern hub-and-spoke (HS) system which found near unequivocal support among aviation scholars over the last few decades. The author takes a more critical approach with regards to the central role that hub airports play within the ATS, particularly when assessing operational decisions that in effect may lead to highly skewed traffic distributions and increasing spatial concentration of air traffic. The behavior of airlines to organize traffic around central airports can be evaluated more meaningfully by differentiating for their constituent route-structures and comparing these ensembles for the largest airports in the entire system. A new understanding of behavior and evolution of the ATS as an aggregate of hub-driven networks can be obtained and alternative HS structures be compared. Our understanding of the scope of feasible hub strategies may expand beyond conventional strategies of ‘consolidation’ versus ‘de-hubbing’ and their impact on the overall ATS may plausibly be shown. |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iim:iimawp:12886&r=tre |
| By: | Javier Morales Sarriera; Tomás Serebrisky; Gonzalo Araya; Cecilia Briceño-Garmendia; Jordan Schwartz |
| Abstract: | We developed a technical efficiency analysis of container ports in Latin America and the Caribbean using an input-oriented stochastic frontier model. We employed a 10-year panel with data on container throughput, port terminal area, berth length, and number of available cranes in 63 ports. The model has three innovations with respect to the available literature: (i) we treated ship-to-shore gantry cranes and mobile cranes separately, in order to account for the higher productivity of the former; (ii) we introduced a binary variable for ports using ships¿ cranes, treated as an additional source of port productivity; and (iii) we introduced a binary variable for ports operating as transshipment hubs. Their associated parameters are highly significant in the production function. The results show an improvement in the average technical efficiency of ports in the Latin American and Caribbean region from 36% to 50% between 1999 and 2009; the best performing port in 2009 achieved a technical efficiency of 94%with respect to the frontier. The paper also studies possible determinants of port technical efficiency, such as ownership, corruption, transshipment, income per capita, and location. The results revealed positive and significant associations between technical efficiency and both transshipment activities and lower corruption levels. |
| Keywords: | Ports & Waterways, technical efficiency, ports, Latin America, benchmarking, stochastic frontier analysis |
| Date: | 2013–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:idb:brikps:83755&r=tre |
| By: | Malina, Christiane; Fischer, Frauke |
| Abstract: | A common policy for reducing particulate matter concentrations in the European Union is the introduction of Low Emission Zones (LEZs), which may only be entered by vehicles meeting predefined emission standards. This paper examines the effectiveness of LEZs for reducing PM10 levels in urban areas in Germany and quantifies the associated health impacts from reduced air pollution within the zones. We employ a fixed effects panel data model for daily observations of PM10 concentrations from 2000 to 2009 and control, inter alia, for local meteorological conditions and traffic volume. We apply the regression outputs to a concentration response function derived from the epidemiological literature to calculate associated health impacts of the introduction of LEZs in 25 German cities with a population of 3.96 Mio. Associated uncertainties are accounted for in Monte-Carlo simulations. It is found that the introduction of LEZs has significantly reduced inner city PM10 levels. We estimate the total mean health impact from reduced air pollution in 2010 due to the introduction of stage 1 zones to be ~700 Mio. EUR in the 25 LEZ-cities in the sample, whereas total mean health benefits are ~2.4 Billion EUR for the more stringent stage 2 zones when applied to the same cities. -- |
| Keywords: | Environmental policy,Germany,low emission zones,road transport,particulate matter,health effects |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:cawmdp:68&r=tre |
| By: | Amani Elnasri (School of Economics, Australian School of Business, the University of New South Wales) |
| Abstract: | This paper presents new evidence on the impact of public infrastructure on the Australian economy. The contribution of the paper is three-fold. First, it estimates measures of multifactor productivity for each of the states and territories. Second, it employs a new data set on public infrastructure. Third, the paper applies detailed econometric investigations in an attempt to readdress the crucial econometric shortcomings of earlier studies. The analysis presented here is designed to investigate two widely-debated questions. First, whether aggregate time-series analysis is incapable of capturing infrastructure spillovers to productivity and, consequently, results in incredibly high estimates of infrastructure elasticity. Second, whether state-specific characteristics exhibit a significant role in explaining effects on productivity. To answer the first question, the study applies time-series regressions on both a national and state-by-state basis. Results from this approach confirm the implausibly large effect of infrastructure for the whole economy and four states. To examine the second issue, the paper develops a panel cointegration model which controls for state fixed effects. In sharp contrast with findings from aggregate time-series, results from the fixed effects approach are more plausible and robust to sensitivity tests. In another piece of evidence, estimation of an error-correction model reveals that a long-run identification and modelling of the relationship (i.e. a cointegration) re ects the important positive role of infrastructure on productivity. However, short-run dynamics provide no support for a positive effect which explains why earlier studies which employed differenced data found infrastructure has no discernible effect on productivity. In addition, applying a causality test suggests a long-run unidirectional causality running from public infrastructure to productivity. |
| Keywords: | Productivity, Public Infrastructure, Cointegration, Disaggregated analysis |
| JEL: | H54 O47 |
| Date: | 2014–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:swe:wpaper:2014-23&r=tre |
| By: | Amani Elnasri (School of Economics, Australian School of Business, the University of New South Wales) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the optimality of the provision of economic infrastructure in Australia using a system of Euler equations to represent intertemporal efficiency conditions. Employing Generalised Method of Moments, our estimation results suggest that dealing with individual types of infrastructure investments at State level is helpful for reaching realistic conclusions about infrastructure provision. In particular, the paper finds that while the efficiency conditions are satisfied at aggregate level, a disaggregate analysis which examines individual components of economic infrastructure reveals sub-optimality in the provision of some types of infrastructure across the States. In addition, contrary to other methods, our efficiency approach produces a quite sensible estimate of the infrastructure effect with an annual average rate of return of about 8 percent. |
| Keywords: | Economic infrastructure, Efficiency conditions, Disaggregate analysis |
| JEL: | H54 H42 |
| Date: | 2014–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:swe:wpaper:2014-25&r=tre |