|
on Transport Economics |
| By: | Bayen, Alexandre |
| Abstract: | Traffic data is used to estimate current traffic conditions so that travelers and agencies can make better decisions about how to use and manage the transportation network. This research explores the fusion of probe data (vehicle speed and direction) with loop data (density, speed, and count) in the context of producing overall network speed and travel time estimates. Speed and travel time estimates are useful in many circumstances, but current system control strategies (ramp metering, for example) require density data. While it is difficult to significantly increase the quantity of loop detectors on state highways, the penetration rate of probe data is continually increasing. Multiple data sources with various characteristics were fused by running probe and loop data through the Mobile Millennium highway model, generating velocity maps and travel times. The performance of data sources both individually and when fused was evaluated. It was found that the highest quality estimates are achieved by combining probe data and loop detector data. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Automatic data collection, Algorithms, Cost effectiveness, Data fusion, Data quality, Detection, Traffic speed, Traffic density, Traffic volume |
| Date: | 2013–10–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt1t95h8s2&r=tre |
| By: | Alexandros Dimitropoulos; Jos N. van Ommeren; Paul Koster; Piet Rietveld† (VU University Amsterdam) |
| Abstract: | This paper presents an approach for the estimation of welfare effects of tax policy changes under heterogeneity in consumer preferences. The approach is applied to evaluate the welfare effects of current tax advantages for electric vehicles supplied as fringe benefits by employers. Drawing on stated preferences of Dutch company car drivers, we assess the short-run welfare effects of changes in the taxation of the private use of these vehicles. We find that the welfare gain of a marginal increase in the taxation of electric company cars is substantial and even outweighs the marginal tax revenue raised. |
| Keywords: | Social welfare, Latent class, Stated preference, Company car, Electric vehicle, Plug-in hybrid |
| JEL: | D12 H23 H24 H31 O33 Q58 R41 |
| Date: | 2014–06–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dgr:uvatin:20140064&r=tre |
| By: | Alexandros Dimitropoulos (VU University Amsterdam) |
| Abstract: | We examine the influence of drivers’ environmental concerns on their preferences for different types of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). Our empirical approach is built around the results of a large-scale survey among Dutch drivers, where preferences for electric vehicles are elicited through a choice experiment and environmental concerns are reflected in individual responses to Likert-type questions. On this basis, we develop advanced latent class models to study preference heterogeneity and its link to drivers’ socio-demographic background and environmental concerns. We find that environmental concerns are an important predictor of class membership and that highly concerned drivers tend to cluster in classes with a positive stand towards PEVs. High environmental concerns are positively associated with driver’s age and education, while negatively related to d river’s household income. |
| Keywords: | Latent class, Latent variable, Environmental concern, Electric vehicle, Plug-in hybrid |
| JEL: | D12 O33 Q58 R41 |
| Date: | 2014–09–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dgr:uvatin:20140128&r=tre |
| By: | Pyddoke, Roger (VTI); Creutzer, Christopher (Swedish Competition Authority) |
| Abstract: | This paper studies household car ownership in urban and rural areas in Sweden using register data for all adult Swedes from 1999 to 2008. Data for individuals are linked to members of the same household, allowing us to estimate models of households. Multinomial ordered probit models for households’ private car ownership in Sweden are estimated and used to compare urban and rural households with respect to sensitivity of car ownership. The central result from comparing urban and rural households is that rural households are less likely to exit from car ownership and more likely to increase car ownership than comparable urban households. This supports the notion that rural households are more dependent on their cars than urban households. Rural car ownership is also more sensitive to fuel price changes and the number of adults in the household. Compared with other countries, our results indicate that Swedish households’ car ownership is very resistant to change. The status of the previous year’s car ownership as well as car ownership status in 1999 is dominant factors for household car ownership in 2008. Households with young adults are more likely to cease their car ownership and households with senior members are only slightly more likely to cease car ownership than middle-aged households. Households with higher income are less likely to cease car ownership then lower income households and more likely to increase their car ownership. Permanent income, defined as the average income over the period, has a larger positive impact on car ownership than current income. |
| Keywords: | Car ownership; Household; Income; Fuel price; Urban; Rural; Gender |
| JEL: | D12 D31 R41 |
| Date: | 2014–10–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:ctswps:2014_021&r=tre |
| By: | Odolinski , Kristofer (VTI); Smith , Andrew S.J. (University of Leeds, UK) |
| Abstract: | This is the first paper in the literature to formally study the cost impact of competitive tendering in rail maintenance. Sweden progressively opened up the market for rail maintenance services, starting in 2002. We study the cost impacts based on an unbalanced panel of contract areas between 1999 and 2011, using econometric techniques. We conclude that competitive tendering reduced costs by around 12%. This cost reduction was not associated with falling quality as measured by track quality class, track geometry or train derailments. We conclude that the gradual exposure of rail maintenance to competitive tendering in Sweden has been beneficial. |
| Keywords: | Railway; Infrastructure; Maintenance; Tendering; Contract; Cost |
| JEL: | H54 L92 |
| Date: | 2014–09–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:ctswps:2014_017&r=tre |
| By: | ITO Koichiro; James M. SALLEE |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes "attribute-based regulations," in which regulatory compliance depends upon some secondary attribute that is not the intended target of the regulation. For example, in many countries, fuel-economy standards mandate that vehicles have a certain fuel economy, but heavier or larger vehicles are allowed to meet a lower standard. Such policies create perverse incentives to distort the attribute upon which compliance depends. We develop a theoretical framework to predict how actors will respond to attribute-based regulations and to characterize the welfare implications of these responses. To test our theoretical predictions, we exploit quasi-experimental variation in Japanese fuel economy regulations, under which fuel-economy targets are downward-sloping step functions of vehicle weight. Our bunching analysis reveals large distortions to vehicle weight induced by the policy. We then leverage panel data on vehicle redesigns to empirically investigate the welfare implications of attribute-basing, including both potential benefits and likely costs. |
| Date: | 2014–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:14057&r=tre |
| By: | Arthur Grimes (Motu Economic and Public Policy Research and the University of Auckland); Eyal Apatov (Motu Economic and Public Policy Research); Larissa Lutchman (The University of Auckland); Anna Robinson (Motu Economic and Public Policy Research) |
| Abstract: | We analyse impacts that infrastructure provision and other factors have on long run urban growth. Reflecting spatial equilibrium insights, growing cities have preferred attributes relative to other cities. These attributes may include natural characteristics, social amenities and transport infrastructure that have productive and/or amenity value. We outline a theoretical model that includes distance-related effects on individual utility and thence population location, and we test this model using historical data covering 1926 to 2006 across 56 New Zealand towns. Instruments dating back to 1880 are used to deal with potential endogeneity issues, and we use spatial-econometrics techniques to test for spatial spillovers between cities. |
| Keywords: | Infrastructure; city development; population growth; migration; spatial equilibrium |
| JEL: | H54 R12 |
| Date: | 2014–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mtu:wpaper:14_11&r=tre |
| By: | Sapkota, Jeet Bahadur |
| Abstract: | Despite extensive policy discussion, limited empirical literature is available concerning the impacts of infrastructure on human development. Furthermore, major infrastructure services, such as transport and energy, are missing in the current Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) framework; although there is a firm consensus that infrastructure is the main vehicle in achieving MDGs. Therefore this study assesses the impacts of several infrastructure variables (access to electricity, access to clean drinking water sources, and road density) on the human development index (HDI) and its three component indexes (i.e., health, education, and income), using the panel data of 1995 to 2010 covering 91 developing countries. Dynamic panel estimation of General Methods of Moments resulted in revealing that all three infrastructure variables have significant positive impacts on HDI. However, access to electricity and access to clean drinking-water sources have positive and significant effects only on education and health indexes. On the other hand, road density is highly significant to increase the income index. Thus it is argued that eradication of all forms of infrastructure poverty (defined as “lack of access to infrastructure services”) is a necessary condition to eliminate human poverty sustainably. Thus it is essentially important to address the infrastructure poverty comprehensively in post-2015 new-development strategies. |
| Keywords: | human development , infrastructure poverty , post-2015 development strategies , panel data |
| Date: | 2014–03–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:jic:wpaper:70&r=tre |
| By: | Salvador del Saz-Salazar; Leandro García-Menéndez; Olaf Merk |
| Abstract: | In times of increasing environmental awareness, the port-city relationship has gained a new meaning since ports have been seen as the origin of both negative and positive externalities affecting the public wellbeing. While the former are the result of port expansion, the latter are the result of transforming obsolete port areas into recreational facilities. Therefore, in order to support effective policy-making, in this research is emphasized the need of measuring these environmental externalities. Considering their non-market nature, the contingent valuation method is introduced as an economic tool capable of overcoming this obstacle. Thus, the cases of two ports in Spain, namely Valencia and Castellón, are reviewed. The policy implications of this are discussed with the aim to improve the understanding of the changing relationship between ports and cities. |
| Keywords: | port-city relationship, port expansion, waterfront redevelopment, contingent valuation, economic appraisal, environmental externalities |
| JEL: | H41 Q51 Q58 R14 |
| Date: | 2013–12–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:govaab:2013/24-en&r=tre |
| By: | Ian Cochran; Romain Hubert; Virginie Marchal; Robert Youngman |
| Abstract: | Public financial institutions (PFIs) are well-positioned to act as a key leverage point for governments’ efforts to mobilise private investment in low-carbon projects and infrastructure. The study identifies the tools, instruments and approaches used by five PFIs to directly support and scale-up domestic private sector investment in sustainable transport, energy-efficiency and renewable energy in OECD countries. Between 2010-2012, these five institutions – Group Caisse des Dépôts in France, KfW Bankengruppe in Germany, the UK Green Investment Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development – have provided over 100 billion euros of equity investment and financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable transport projects. They use both traditional and innovative approaches to link low-carbon projects with finance through enhancing access to capital; facilitating risk reduction and sharing; improving the capacity of market actors; and shaping broader market practices and conditions. Les institutions financières publiques (IFP) sont particulièrement bien placées pour compléter les efforts des pouvoirs publics visant à mobiliser les investissements privés dans des projets et des infrastructures sobres en carbone. Cette étude identifie les outils, instruments et méthodes dont se servent cinq IFP pour financer et / ou accroître les investissements du secteur privé au niveau national dans les transports durables, l’efficacité énergétique et l’énergie renouvelable dans des pays membres de l’OCDE. De 2010 à 2012, ces cinq institutions – le Groupe Caisse des Dépôts en France, la KfW Bankengruppe en Allemagne, l’UK Green Investment Bank, la Banque européenne d’investissement, et la Banque européenne pour la reconstruction et le développement – ont apporté un total de plus de 100 milliards EUR d’investissements en fonds propres et de financement en faveur de projets d’efficacité énergétique, d’énergies renouvelables et de transports durables. Elles font appel à des méthodes à la fois traditionnelles et nouvelles pour lier des projets aux moyens de financement, en améliorant l’accès aux capitaux ; en facilitant la réduction et le partage des risques ; en renforçant les capacités des acteurs de marché et, dans un cadre plus large, en mettant en place des pratiques et des conditions de marché. |
| Keywords: | climate change, renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate finance, low-carbon, investment, infrastructure, public financial institutions, institutions financières publiques, finance climat, bas carbone, efficacité énergétique, changement climatique, investissement, infrastructure, énergie renouvelable |
| JEL: | G11 G18 G23 G28 O44 Q01 Q54 |
| Date: | 2014–11–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:envaaa:72-en&r=tre |
| By: | Takayama, Yuki |
| Abstract: | Since the seminal work of Henderson (1981), a number of studies examined the effect of staggered work hours by analyzing models of work start time choice that consider the trade-off between negative congestion externalities and positive production externalities. However, these studies described traffic congestion using flow congestion models. This study develops a model of work start time choice with bottleneck congestion and discloses the intrinsic properties of the model. To this end, this study extends Henderson’s model to incorporate bottleneck congestion. By utilizing the properties of a potential game, we characterize equilibrium and optimal distributions of work start times. We also show that Pigouvian tax/subsidy policies generally yield multiple equilibria and that the first-best optimum must be a stable equilibrium under Pigouvian policies, whereas the second-best optimum in which policymakers cannot eliminate queuing congestion can be unstable. |
| Keywords: | staggered work hours; bottleneck congestion; production effects; potential game; stability; Pigouvian policies; |
| JEL: | C62 C72 C73 D62 R41 R48 |
| Date: | 2014–08–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:59033&r=tre |