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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Nicolas Coulombel (LVMT - Laboratoire Ville, Mobilité, Transport - IFSTTAR - Institut Français des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux - UPEM - Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech); Guillaume Monchambert (LAET - Laboratoire Aménagement Économie Transports - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - ENTPE - École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2) |
| Abstract: | Subsidization of urban public transportation systems is often motivated by economies of scale and/or second-best considerations (underpriced road alternative). We model a public transportation system subject to frictions between users, users and vehicles, and vehicles. We derive the monopolistic and optimal provisions of supply. We show that if demand exceeds a first threshold, the system enters a congested regime and service frequency decreases. If demand exceeds a second threshold, the public transit system operates under diseconomies of scale, calling for a Pigovian tax instead of a subsidy. This finding, which goes against Mohring's classical rule (1972), holds with an untolled road alternative. We estimate the model for the London Piccadilly lane and find evidence of substantial diseconomies of scale during the morning peak, questioning current subsidy policies for the busiest transit lines. |
| Keywords: | mass transit,congestion,externality,Mohring effect,London Piccadilly lane |
| Date: | 2019–11–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-02373768&r=all |
| By: | Nathaly Rivera (University of Alaska Anchorage) |
| Abstract: | Driving restrictions are a common governmental strategy to reduce airborne pollution and traffic congestion in many cities of the world. Using high-frequency data on air pollution, car trips, and mass-transit systems ridership, I evaluate the effectiveness of temporary driving bans triggered by air quality warnings in Santiago, Chile. I employ a fuzzy regression discontinuity design that uses the thresholds in the air quality index used to announce these warnings as instruments for their announcement. Results show that these temporary bans reduce car trips by 6-9% during peak hours, and by 7-8% during off-peak hours. This is consistent with air pollution reductions during peak hours, and with increases in the use of Santiago's mass-transit systems during hours the systems run with excess capacity. Increments in mass-transit ridership uncover the importance of alternatives modes of transportation in securing the effectiveness of temporary driving bans. |
| Keywords: | Air Pollution, Pollution Alerts, Environmental Episodes, Driving Restrictions, Latin America |
| JEL: | Q52 Q53 R41 |
| Date: | 2019–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ala:wpaper:2019-06&r=all |
| By: | Shaheen, Susan PhD; Bouzaghrane, Mohamed Amine |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this review is to present findings from recent research on Shared automated vehicles (SAV) impacts on mobility and energy. While the literature on potential SAV impacts on travel behavior and the environment is still developing, researchers have suggested that SAVs could reduce transportation costs and incur minimal increases in total trip time due to efficient routing to support pooling. Researchers also speculate that SAVs would result in a 55% reduction in energy use and ~ 90% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. SAV impacts on mobility and energy are uncertain. Researchers should carefully track SAV technology developments and adjust previous model assumptions based on real-world data to produce better impact estimates. SAVs could prove to be a next technological advancement that reshapes the transportation system by providing a safer, efficient, and less costly travel alternative. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Shared automated vehicles, Travel behavior, Mobility Greenhouse gases, Energy consumption, Shared automated vehicle policy |
| Date: | 2019–11–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt5g29c7pp&r=all |
| By: | Pyddoke, Roger (Research Programme in Transport Economics); Swärdh, Jan-Erik (Research Programme in Transport Economics); Algers, Staffan (TP mod AB); Habibi, Shiva (Chalmers University of Technology); Sedehi Zadeh, Noor (Research Programme in Transport Economics) |
| Abstract: | We analyze the long-term effects on the car fleet and welfare distribution of three car-related policy instruments intended to reduce CO2 emissions: increased fossil-fuel taxes, an intensified bonus-malus system for new cars, and increased mandated biofuel blending. The effects on the car fleet are analyzed in terms of energy source, weight, and CO2 emissions. Distributional effects are analyzed in terms of income and geographical residence areas. The increased fuel taxes reduce CO2 emissions by 36%, mainly through less driving of fossil-fuel cars. The intensified bonus-malus system for new cars reduces CO2 emissions by 5%. Both these policies shift the car fleet toward increased shares of electric vehicles and increased average weight. Increased mandated biofuel blending has no estimated effect on the car fleet unless prices increase differently from in the reference scenario. The two first policy instruments are weakly progressive to slightly regressive over most of the income distribution, but barely regressive if the highest income group is also included. The fraction of each population group incurring substantial welfare losses is higher the lower the income group. In the geographical dimension, for all policies the rural areas bear the largest burden, small cities the second largest burden, and large cities the smallest burden. The burden in the long term versus the short term is lower for high-income earners and urban residents. |
| Keywords: | Distributional effects; Equity; Fuel tax; Feebate; Bonus; Malus; Mandated biofuel blend; Car choice |
| JEL: | D63 H23 R48 |
| Date: | 2019–11–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:trnspr:2019_004&r=all |
| By: | Shaheen, Susan PhD; Martin, Elliot PhD; Hoffman-Stapleton, Mikaela |
| Abstract: | This paper advances the understanding of peer-to-peer (P2P) carsharing within the broader context of shared mobility and its connection to the built environment in the US through a survey conducted in 2014 (n = 1,151). Eleven per cent of respondents used carpooling/ridesharing more, and 19% avoided a vehicle purchase due to P2P vehicle access in urban areas. Nevertheless, P2P carsharing has the potential to operate in a range of land-use environments and could be an important strategy to further deemphasize car ownership. Additionally, as the deployment of automated vehicles (AVs) is examined, sharing of privately owned AVs could mirror current P2P carsharing dynamics in important ways. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2019–11–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt34z556p2&r=all |
| By: | Chaudhary, Sookti (University of Kentucky); Davis, Alison (University of Kentucky); Troske, Kenneth (University of Kentucky); Troske, SuZanne (University of Kentucky) |
| Abstract: | We measure one aspect of how access to emergency care through ambulance services changes for patients when a hospital closes. We empirically estimate the time needed to transport a patient to an emergency department in an ambulance in the period immediately after the hospital closes. We find urban patients in zip codes where a hospital closes have a small change in transportation time, where rural patients average an estimated 15.7 additional minutes – a 46% increase compared to the year before the closure. This increase is primarily the result of an almost 100 percent increase in the time it takes to transport a patient from the location of the incident to the hospital. The impact on rural Medicare-eligible patients is even larger. We find no change in the time it takes ambulances to arrive at an incident and only a small change in the time spent at the scene. |
| Keywords: | ambulance, hospital closure, access to care, rural vs urban |
| JEL: | I11 I14 I18 R10 |
| Date: | 2019–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12797&r=all |
| By: | Patrice Bougette (Université Côte d'Azur; GREDEG CNRS); Axel Gautier (HEC Liège, University of Liège, LCII; CORE (UCLouvain; CESifo (Munich)); Frédéric Marty (Université Côte d'Azur, France; GREDEG CNRS) |
| Abstract: | In the European rail industry, the market liberalization limited to the opening of the essential facilities (the train path) to new entrants is not enough to enable competition. For an efficient and effective entry, temporary access to quasi-essential complementary assets like rolling stock, mechanical maintenance workshops, data, schedules, etc. is also required. Like in all network industries, the deregulation process faces anticompetitive practices undertaken by the incumbents or may be thwarted by their market power. Several observed anticompetitive practices involve distorted access to these quasi-essential facilities. Therefore, competition agencies must deal with litigation between the incumbent and new entrants. Most cases have been settled, resulting in commitments from the incumbent. We argue that such transitory and case-by-case remedies fail to produce favorable conditions for a secure and efficient entry. Thus, we propose to systematize such remedies through asymmetric and enduring ex-ante regulation. |
| Keywords: | rail, liberalization, essential facility, anticompetitive practices, asymmetric regulation |
| JEL: | K21 L51 L92 L98 |
| Date: | 2019–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gre:wpaper:2019-38&r=all |
| By: | Kazuhiro Takauchi (Faculty of Business and Commerce,Kansai University); Tomomichi Mizuno (Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University) |
| Abstract: | Contrary to the standard belief, we show that a positive transport cost can maximize consumer's surplus if exporting firms engage in product R&D and use their domestic inputs. |
| Date: | 2019–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:koe:wpaper:1911&r=all |