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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Irisbekova Mavluda |
| Abstract: | As a double land-locked country Uzbekistan craves for any additional opportunity to have extra more transport infrastructure in order make both export and import process easy and cost-effective. It is clear that Soviet transport legacy that was designed in a Moscow-centric manner is not sufficient at all for satisfying country’s wider and diverse needs in transportation, e.g. more comfortable access to sea ports. The Trans-Asian Railway project that in its very sense assumes connecting almost all countries of such a huge continent as Asia, including Uzbekistan, with each other on the one hand and with Europe on other, means a lot for this young nation that is actively growing with average GDP growth of %7 a year and intensive attraction of foreign direct investments. Key words: railway, trans-asian railway, transport infrastructure, investments |
| Date: | 2016–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:vor:issues:2016-03-18&r=tre |
| By: | Abidi, Hella; Marner, Torsten; Schwarz, Dominic |
| Abstract: | In order to provide a sustainable handling of increasing freight traffic, there is a need for the minimization of the central problems of air and noise pollution and especially the emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. This is especially true for the wholesale sector since it is one of the most important and transport intensive branches. Therefore, in science and politics, a significant future role of electric mobility in logistics is discussed. Funded by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) the project partners FOM University of Applied Sciences, University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), and the enterprises Handelshof, Noweda and Zentek investigate the operational change areas by using electric vehicles in their common project ERoute. In the field of wholesale business this research contribution examines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of implementing electric vehicles. The contribution uses the results of test drives and interviews that have been conducted within the project E-Route. Furthermore, the contribution shows an exemplary economic comparison between the purchase costs and the operating costs of an electric truck and a comparable conventional diesel truck. The value of this paper is to provide guidance for further research and to give information for companies who are interested in gaining information concerning the chances and risks of implementing e-vehicles to their existing transport fleet. |
| Date: | 2015 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fomild:45&r=tre |
| By: | Massimo Anna Alberini (University of Maryland,USA); Markus Bareit (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) |
| Abstract: | In Switzerland, the annual circulation taxes on road vehicles are set by and paid to the cantons (not to the federal government). We exploit the 26 different circulation tax rules and their variation over time, which we interpret as a natural experiment, to see if linking them to a vehicle’s CO2 emissions rate has helped shift new car sales towards cleaner, lower-emitting vehicles. We find that even when the penalty associated with a highly polluting vehicle is high, the effect is relatively small. For example, in canton Zurich, imposing a 50% “malus” on the annual registration fee for cars that emit 200 or more grams of CO2 per kilometer reduces the average CO2 emissions rate from new cars by only 0.46 gram per kilometer, bringing it to 158.11 grams per kilometer in 2011. A similar effect would be attained with a modest increase in fuel taxes. |
| Keywords: | vehicle demand estimation; fuel economy; fuel taxes; vehicle taxes; carbon dioxide emissions rates. |
| JEL: | L62 Q4 Q5 |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eth:wpswif:16-245&r=tre |
| By: | Gibbons, Steve; Lyytikainen, Teemu; Overman, Henry G; Sanchis-Guarner, Rosa |
| Abstract: | This paper estimates the impact of new road infrastructure on employment and productivity using plant level longitudinal data for Britain. Exposure to transport improvements is measured through changes in accessibility, which is calculated at a detailed geographical scale from changes in minimum journey times along the road network. These changes are induced by the construction of new road link schemes. We deal with the potential endogeneity of scheme location by identifying the effects of changes in accessibility from variation across wards close to the scheme. We find substantial positive effects on employment and numbers of plants for small-scale geographical areas (electoral wards). In contrast, for firms already in the area we find negative effects on employment coupled with increases in output per worker and wages. A plausible interpretation is that new transport infrastructure attracts transport intensive firms to an area, but with some cost to employment in existing businesses. |
| Keywords: | accessibility; employment; productivity; transport |
| JEL: | D24 O18 R12 |
| Date: | 2016–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:11239&r=tre |
| By: | Mario J. Crucini; Gregor W. Smith |
| Abstract: | We study the role of distance and time in statistically explaining price dispersion across 32 Swedish towns for 19 commodities from 1732 to 1914. The resulting large number of relative prices (502,689) allows precise estimation of distance and time effects, and their interaction. We find an effect of distance that declines significantly over time, beginning in the 18th century, well before the arrival of canals, the telegraph, or the railway. |
| JEL: | E37 F61 N70 |
| Date: | 2016–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:22175&r=tre |
| By: | Asian Development Bank (ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB) (East Asia Department, ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB) (East Asia Department, ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB) |
| Abstract: | The multimodal interchange hub is vital for achieving a sustainable transport system. It stitches together diff erent modes of transport and serves as the gateway to mobility and greater accessibility. This publication presents planning and design ideas to improve interchanges and the overall journey experience of passengers. It highlights how the hub can be a place not only of transport connection, but also of social interaction. The lessons and recommendations presented here may be used to build the next generation of multimodal hubs in the People’s Republic of China. |
| Keywords: | transport system, transport connection, multimodal hub, interchange hubs, railway station, traffic facilities, subway station, high-speed rail, People's Republic of China |
| Date: | 2015–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:asd:wpaper:rpt157691&r=tre |
| By: | Lodovico Muratori |
| Abstract: | Relation between price transmission and structure of agricultural markets is strongly debated in the literature and no consensus has been reached about symmetry, degree of such transmission and its mechanisms, so that further research is needed. This paper tests whether in markets where infrastructure quality is poor and transport costs are relevant, geographic dispersion of smallholder farmers allows traders to exploit their market power against farmers with a large impact on market structure and reduction of farmers’ welfare. Following the intuition of (Fafchamps et al., 2005), (Sexton, 2013) and (Swinnen and Vandeplas, 2014), the study provides a structural approach based on a set of well-founded behavioural equations to evaluate whether spatial oligopsony power is prevailing in agricultural markets and in case how strong it is. The paper designs also a far-reaching empirical test of the hypotheses through the seemingly unrelated regression technique. Moreover, it provides a strong empirical base to value chain studies, by exploiting the database of the Living Standard Measurement Study. The paper addresses the issue of transportation infrastructure as hindering factor of development in Uganda as outlined in several reports by World Bank, FAO and MAFAP and assesses the costs of such bottleneck, which are larger than transport expenditures. Results confirm that geographic dispersion of smallholder farmers plays a significant role on price margin and that there is room for local oligopsony, because traders overcharge transport and transaction costs to farmers. |
| Keywords: | coffee value chain, wholesale-farm gate price spread, spatial dispersion, revenue distribution, traders’ market power. |
| JEL: | O13 Q12 Q13 |
| Date: | 2016–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:saq:wpaper:1/16&r=tre |
| By: | Kaivanto, Kim; Zhang, Peng |
| Abstract: | Air transport Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions estimates differ greatly, depending on the calculation method employed. Among the IPCC, ICAO, DEFRA, and BrighterPlanet calculation methods, the largest estimate may be up to 4.5 times larger than the smallest. Such heterogeneity -- and ambiguity over the true estimate -- confuses the consumer, undermining the credibility of emissions estimates in general. Consequently, GHG emissions estimates do not currently appear on the front page of flight search-engine results. Even where there are differences between alternative flights' emissions, this information is unavailable to consumers at the point of choice. When external considerations rule out alternative travel-modes, the relative ranking of flight options' GHG emissions is sufficient to inform consumers' decision making. Whereas widespread agreement on a gold standard remains elusive, the present study shows that the principal GHG emissions calculation methods produce consistent rankings within specific route-structure classes. Hence, for many consumers, the question of which calculation method to employ is largely irrelevant. But unless GHG emissions information is displayed at the point of decision, it cannot enter into consumers' decision making. A credible and ambiguity-free alternative would thus be to display GHG ranking information on the front page of flight search-engine results. |
| Keywords: | greenhouse gas emissions; carbon footprint computation; scheduled passenger air transport; informed choice; decision making; behavior; policy |
| JEL: | D03 D62 K3 Q54 |
| Date: | 2016–04–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:70923&r=tre |
| By: | Christian Catalini; Christian Fons-Rosen; Patrick Gaulé |
| Abstract: | We test how a reduction in travel cost affects the rate and direction of scientific research. Using a fine-grained, scientist-level dataset within chemistry (1991-2012), we find that after Southwest Airlines enters a new route, scientific collaboration increases by 50%, an effect that is magnified when weighting output by quality. The benefits from the lower fares, however, are not uniform across scientist types: younger scientists and scientists that are more productive than their local peers respond the most. Thus, cheaper flights, by reducing frictions otherwise induced by geography and allowing for additional face-to-face interactions, seem to enable better matches over distance. |
| Keywords: | scientific collaboration, air travel, temporary co-location, face-to-face meetings |
| JEL: | R4 L93 |
| Date: | 2016–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bge:wpaper:898&r=tre |