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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Borut Zgonc (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics); Metka Tekav?i? (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics); Marko Jak?i? (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics) |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of internalization of external costs on modal split in the freight transport market. It is expected that the internalization of transport externalities will contribute to the redistribution of freight volumes in favor of non-road transport modes, especially railway. To answer this expectation, the break-even distances between intermodal rail-road and unimodal road are calculated. The calculation is based on the costs, as the most important factor that influences the mode choice in the freight transport market. In order to establish as general as possible a model, independent of a certain transport corridors, the model relies on a Monte Carlo simulation that takes account of a randomly generated shipper and receiver?s locations in two separated market areas. The model consists of a submodule for calculating drayage distances and costs in a circular market area and another submodule for calculating the distances and costs between two separated market areas, taking different distance metrics into account. The results confirm the importance of internalization of external costs on the mode choice and its contribution to the more sustainable transport system. Additionally, the results show there is not only one but, in fact, many break-even distances between the two modes. They vary considerably depending on different travel plans, and shipper/receiver locations within market areas. Despite the inevitable assumptions made in such general analysis, the results reveal that intermodal rail-road transport can provide a good alternative to unimodal road transport, even over relatively very short distances if the drayage costs are not too high and if external cost of transport are included in the price of all transport modes. We believe the research helps better understand competitiveness in the freight transport sector and may also be useful for policy- and other decision-makers to decide the priority of policy options, such as providing subsidies to stimulate intermodal rail-road transport. Increasing truck rates, e.g., by adding taxes, has been found to be effective policy to increase the intermodal rail-road mode share. |
| Keywords: | Freight mode choice; Break-even distance; Intermodal rail-road transport; External costs; Monte Carlo simulation. |
| JEL: | L91 R40 |
| Date: | 2018–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:8110381&r=tre |
| By: | Mercier, Stephanie |
| Abstract: | This study examines transportation alternatives for moving cereals into position for storage under the West African Food Security Regional Reserve agreed to by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2013, for which cereals were first procured in 2017. It describes the reserve’s management structure and rules for procuring commodities, both types of cereals and preferred sourcing for those purchases. The study identified countries within the 15-nation ECOWAS region where the desired types of cereals are available, and recent sources for imported rice, which is a preferred staple food in ECOWAS member countries even though the region is far from self-sufficient in this commodity. Despite the poor quality of roads and commercial trucks in much of West Africa and the official and unofficial barriers to movement of products across national borders, surface transportation of cereal shipments is determined to be the most economical mode of transportation for servicing the stockholding facilities of the regional reserve for goods originating within the continent. Significant investments are scheduled to be made in railroads that cross national borders within West Africa, as well as in infrastructure for river transport, including inland port facilities and improving navigable channels in key regional river systems, but those modes are not yet viable alternatives to road transport for most of the West Africa region. |
| Keywords: | WEST AFRICA; AFRICA SOUTH OF SAHARA; AFRICA; grain foods; food prices; food security; food production; cereal crops; transport infrastructure; cereals; food stocks; transport; Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); West African Food Security Regional Reserve |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:1759&r=tre |
| By: | Peter Hall |
| Abstract: | Port container trucking is currently one of the most challenging aspects of the love-hate relationship between ports and cities. This paper highlights important examples of emerging good practices at and around the marine port terminal. Hinterland connectivity and landside productivity are increasingly important for port performance. Yet conflicts over congestion, pollution and other negative impacts of container traffic are an increasing source of tensions. Managing these tensions requires a clear understanding of the issues and identification of the stakeholders involved in the transport system of the immediate port hinterland. |
| Date: | 2018–09–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2018/11-en&r=tre |
| By: | Dante Contreras; Daniel Hojman; Manuel Matas; Patricio Rodríguez; Nicolás Suárez |
| Abstract: | Taking advantage of georeferenced data from Chilean students, we estimate the impact of commuting time over academic achievement. As the commuting time is an endogenous variable, we use instrumental variables and fixed effects at school level to overcome this problem. Also, as we don’t know which mode of transport the students use, we complement our analysis using machine learning methods to predict the transportation mode. Our findings suggest that the commuting time has a negative effect over academic performance, but this effect is not always significant. |
| Date: | 2018–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:udc:wpaper:wp472&r=tre |
| By: | Floridea di Ciommo |
| Abstract: | Within the equity in transport framework, this paper provides an overview on the rationale of using the needs-based approach for transport planning assessment. The paper is structured into three parts. First, the presentation of the needs-based approach using the inaccessibility index. Second, the interpretation of the index through the case of Barcelona. The focus will be on how the inaccessibility index allows us to capture relevant information on the satisfied mobility needs of different population groups (particularly for vulnerable groups of the population) through different transport modes. Finally, the potential incorporation into transport planning/assessment frameworks. This section discusses the ways in which the index could be implemented in two different contexts: ex-ante infrastructure evaluation and assessment of a deprived geographic area for transport strategic planning. |
| Date: | 2018–08–29 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2018/08-en&r=tre |
| By: | Alexander-Nikolai Sandkamp; Shuyao Yang |
| Abstract: | Despite a general agreement that piracy poses a significant threat to maritime shipping, empirical evidence regarding its economic consequences remains scarce. This paper takes a step towards filling the gap by combining firm-level Chinese customs data with information on pirate attacks to investigate how exporting firms respond to maritime piracy. It finds that overall exports along a particular shipping route fall following an increase in pirate activity. In addition, piracy induces firms to switch from ocean to air shipping, while the remaining ocean shipments become larger. |
| Keywords: | Trade, transport, China, piracy |
| JEL: | F14 F19 N70 R41 |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ifowps:_271&r=tre |
| By: | Karst T. Geurs |
| Abstract: | This discussion paper overviews the different perspectives and approaches to measuring accessibility, reviews the strengths and weaknesses of different accessibility indicators and describes the use of accessibility indicators in the Dutch policy and planning practice. In choosing accessibility measures, there clearly is a trade-off between theoretical and practical strengths/weaknesses. Dutch transport planners have focused on infrastructure-based accessibility metrics. Only in recent years, increasing attention has been paid to integrated transport, spatial planning and more advanced accessibility measurements. A growing stream of studies explores the concept of accessibility in order to examine equity and distributive justice of transport policies. The choice and operationalisation of accessibility indicators for equity and distributive justice is currently still open for discussion. It requires a more complete understanding of accessibility than traditional indicators offer, and also depends on the theory of justice used. |
| Date: | 2018–08–29 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2018/09-en&r=tre |
| By: | Heblich, Stephan; Redding, Stephen J.; Sturm, Daniel M |
| Abstract: | Modern metropolitan areas involve large concentrations of economic activity and the transport of millions of people each day between their residence and workplace. We use the revolution in transport technology from the invention of steam railways, newly-constructed spatially-disaggregated data for London from 1801-1921, and a quantitative urban model to provide evidence on the role of these commuting flows in supporting such concentrations of economic activity. Steam railways dramatically reduced travel times and permitted the first large-scale separation of workplace and residence. We show that our model is able to account for the observed changes in the organization of economic activity, both qualitatively and quantitatively. In counterfactuals, we find that removing the entire railway network reduces the population and the value of land and buildings in Greater London by 20 percent or more, and brings down commuting into the City of London from more than 370,000 to less than 60,000 workers. |
| Keywords: | agglomeration; Transportation; Urbanization |
| JEL: | O18 R12 R40 |
| Date: | 2018–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:13170&r=tre |
| By: | Brian Deegan (Urban Movement) |
| Abstract: | This report reviews the effectiveness of light separation as an alternative to more permanent infrastructure to protect cycle lanes. With more cyclists on the roads than ever, it is important to consider infrastructure options that safeguard cyclists and other road users whilst being cost effective and easily adaptable to cities that are constantly changing. |
| Date: | 2018–09–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2018/04-en&r=tre |
| By: | Olaf Merk (International Transport Forum) |
| Abstract: | This paper analyses the impacts of ever-larger ships on location choices for new container ports and examines when relocation of a port makes sense. Most ports are located close to cities, but have difficulties expanding. A number of new container ports have been built further away from urban centres, and existing ports may at some point feel the pressure to relocate. |
| Date: | 2018–09–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2018/10-en&r=tre |
| By: | Maria Börjesson |
| Abstract: | This paper summarises the state of research on the long-term effects of congestion charging in Stockholm and Gothenberg. Sweden’s two largest cities introduced time-of-day dependent, cordon-based congestion charging systems in 2006 and 2013. Public support for congestion charging initially increased following the introduction, but then slightly declined after a revision of the systems. While travel demand in Stockholm has become more price sensitive over time, the reverse happened in Gothenburg. The study examines the reasons behind these findings and discusses policy implications. |
| Date: | 2018–10–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2018/14-en&r=tre |
| By: | Aliasgar Inayathusein (Transport for London); Simon Cooper (Transport for London) |
| Abstract: | The paper provides an introduction to London’s context and the need for accessibility indicators. It overviews existing indicators developed and used by Transport for London, including: PTAL, ATOS (Access to Services) and catchment- based measures, as well as giving an introduction to TfL’s online web portal for connectivity assessment: WebCAT. There is also a review of calculation principles, a summary of user cases and an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each method. A second section describes indicators (e.g. PTAL incorporating cycling, and walking catchment analysis) that are currently under development as part of TfL’s commitment towards prioritising healthy streets and sustainable modes of transport. The final section focuses on challenges and opportunities identified during the development of these indicators. |
| Date: | 2018–08–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2018/06-en&r=tre |
| By: | Dirk Röttgers (OECD); Aayush Tandon (OECD); Christopher Kaminker (University of Oxford) |
| Abstract: | The large need for investments in sustainable infrastructure will require investments from the private sector, including institutional investors. This working paper contributes to scaling up investments by analysing public project-level interventions for projects involving institutional investors. It presents findings from an updated database on institutional investments in environmentally sustainable infrastructure with project-level intervention by the public sector. |
| Keywords: | climate change, finance, financial instruments, financial sector, infrastructure, Institutional investors, sustainable |
| JEL: | H23 P45 Q42 Q48 Q54 Q58 |
| Date: | 2018–11–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:envaaa:138-en&r=tre |
| By: | Cecília Silva; Anders Larsson |
| Abstract: | Accessibility has become a fashionable concept both in the research and policy arena. There has been a growing interest and attention on accessibility measures and on the potential of accessibility‑based planning as means to invert the growing unsustainability of urban settlement and mobility patterns. Regardless of the potential advantages, current practice has revealed a number of challenges facing accessibility planning and research. This paper presents a reflection on two of these challenges: lack of implementation and conceptual ambiguity of accessibility measures in planning practice. After presenting the main arguments for each challenge, the paper explains how they create risks in the context of sustainable development, namely, by creating biased understandings which prevent authorities and practitioners from shifting away from the traditional “predict and provide” paradigm for transport planning. At the end of each reflection, the paper suggests a research and policy agenda to overcome the challenges supported by the institutionalisation of accessibility planning. |
| Date: | 2018–08–29 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2018/07-en&r=tre |
| By: | Prottoy A. Akbar; Victor Couture; Gilles Duranton; Adam Storeygard |
| Abstract: | We develop a methodology to estimate robust city level vehicular mobility indices, and apply it to 154 Indian cities using 22 million counterfactual trips measured by a web mapping service. There is wide variation in mobility across cities. An exact decomposition shows this variation is driven more by differences in uncongested mobility than congestion. Under plausible assumptions, a one standard deviation improvement in uncongested speed creates much more mobility than optimal congestion pricing. Denser and more populated cities are slower, only in part because of congestion. Urban economic development is correlated with better (uncongested and overall) mobility despite worse congestion. |
| JEL: | R41 |
| Date: | 2018–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25218&r=tre |
| By: | Olaf Merk (International Transport Forum) |
| Abstract: | Can the container port of Buenos Aires be adapted to the demands of the mega-ship era? Ever-larger ships and the cargo peaks they cause imply new requirements for container ports. This paper examines strategies for Argentina’s largest port, whose three container terminal concessions will expire in 2020. |
| Date: | 2018–10–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2018/12-en&r=tre |
| By: | Raweewan Proyrungroj (Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University) |
| Abstract: | This study examines travel constraints and risks faced by Thai people in taking a volunteer vacation oversea. The primary objective of this study was to gain rich, in-depth, and holistic understanding of how Thai people perceive and interpret travel constraints and risks in taking a volunteer trip oversea. An interpretive paradigm utilising qualitative research approach was employed in this study. The data were gathered from 28 respondents who had experience in volunteering in Thailand, but had no experience in taking a volunteer vacation oversea. The number of the informants was determined by data saturation point, which is when new theme stopped emerging from the data during the data collection and analysis process. These informants were selected via purposive sampling and snowball sampling. A combination of semi-structured interviews and participant observation was used to collect the data. The data were then analysed by thematic analysis technique. The research findings showed that all informants in this study had perceived of travel constraints and risks which influenced their decision to take a volunteer trip oversea. In terms of travel constraints, three categories of travel barriers were identified: intrapersonal barriers; interpersonal barriers; and structural barriers. As for the travel risks, seven categories of risks were found including: risks concerning transportation; risks concerning laws and orders; health risks; risks concerning accommodations; risks concerning climate; risks concerning tourist attractions; and risks concerning medical support system. |
| Keywords: | travel barriers; travel risks; volunteer tourism; Thai tourists |
| JEL: | A14 L83 A14 |
| Date: | 2018–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:8110289&r=tre |
| By: | Alberto Castro (University of Zurich); Sonja Kahlmeier (University of Zurich); Thomas Gotschi (University of Zurich) |
| Abstract: | This paper presents fatality rates for walking and cycling in European Countries used in the World Health Organization’s Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT). It evaluates and ranks the quality of data sources and gives fatality rates adjusted by exposure (i.e. distance travelled). It also discusses the different methodologies applied for national exposure data, as well as the proposed solutions to make these figures comparable across countries. |
| Date: | 2018–09–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2018/05-en&r=tre |
| By: | Matias Herrera Dappe; Ancor Suárez-Alemán |
| Keywords: | Transport - Transport Economics Policy & Planning Transport - Ports and Waterways International Economics and Trade - Export Competitiveness |
| Date: | 2017–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:30494&r=tre |
| By: | Florian Perrotton (IFPEN - IFP Energies nouvelles - IFPEN - IFP Energies nouvelles, EconomiX - UPN - Université Paris Nanterre - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Olivier Massol (IFPEN - IFP Energies nouvelles - IFPEN - IFP Energies nouvelles, IFP School, University of London [London]) |
| Abstract: | This note details a complete microeconomic characterization of the physical relationships between input use and the level of output of a simple point-to-point gas pipeline system and uses it to contribute to the public policy discussions pertaining to the economic regulation of natural gas pipelines. We show that the engineering equations governing the design and operations of that infrastructure can be approximated by a single production equation of the Cobb-Douglas type. We use that result to inform three public policy debates. First, we prove that the long-run cost function of the infrastructure formally verifies the condition for a natural monopoly, thereby justifying the need of regulatory intervention in that industry. Second, we examine the conditions for cost-recovery in the short-run and contribute to the emerging European discussions on the implementation of short-run marginal cost pricing on interconnector pipelines. Lastly, we analyze the performance of rate-of-return regulation in that industry and inform the regulatory policy debates on the selection of an appropriate authorized rate of return. We highlight that, contrary to popular belief, the socially desirable rate of return can be larger than the market price of capital for that industry. |
| Keywords: | Production function,Natural gas pipeline,Regulation |
| Date: | 2018–08–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01906191&r=tre |