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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Burlig, Fiona PhD; Bushnell, James PhD; Rapson, David PhD; Wolfram, Catherine PhD |
| Abstract: | The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EV) is a centerpiece of California’s strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions, but it is not fully known how and where EVs are being used, and how and where they are being charged. This report provides the first at-scale estimate of EV home charging. Previous estimates were based on conflicting surveys or extrapolated from a small, unrepresentative sample of households with dedicated EV meters. We combined billions of hourly electricity meter measurements with address-level EV registration records from California households, including roughly 40, 000 EV owners. The average EV increases overall household load by 2.9 kilowatt-hours per day, well under half the amount assumed by state regulators. Results imply that EVs travel less than expected on electric power, raising questions about transportation electrification for climate policy. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Electric vehicles, electric vehicle charging, energy consumption, households, automobile ownership, low income groups |
| Date: | 2024–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt8c20q0rf |
| By: | Prause, Gunnar (Ed.) |
| Keywords: | Belt and Road Initiative, Transportation infrastructure, Geopolitics, International economic relations, Eurasia |
| JEL: | F60 L91 L92 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:hswwdp:301869 |
| By: | Ramji, Aditya; Fulton, Lew; Sperling, Daniel |
| Abstract: | The United States (US), under the Biden Administration, has set a goal of reaching a 50% sales share for zero-emission vehicles by 2030. The administration is pursuing a combination of aggressive fuel economy and greenhouse gas performance standards along with tax credits for consumers who purchase electric vehicles (EVs). Given the anticipated high costs of the EV transition and limited public funds, policy mechanisms that generate extra-budgetary funding are enticing. Feebates—where a fee charged on some purchases is used to offer a rebate for others—can serve as a self-sustaining tool. Feebates have been attempted at the state and federal level in the US but did not pass legislatures due to a lack of political support for levying a fee on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. However, as governments face increasing fiscal constraints, there is greater support for self- funding EV incentive programs. Feebate policies can provide certainty for both producers and consumers to facilitate a steady transition to sustainable transportation. This paper assesses the potential utility of feebates for shaping the US light-duty vehicle market. The analysis demonstrates that: (1) revenue-neutral incentive systems are possible and (2) revenue-neutrality can be achieved with relatively low fees on ICE vehicles to support economic equity among buyers. From an industry perspective, market certainty can be created by incorporating fuel economy targets into a fee schedule as pivot points and allocating fees to finance rebates. This would likely influence industry investment decisions in ways that increase EV production and model availability. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, sustainable incentives, market mechanisms, electrification, ZEV transitions, United States |
| Date: | 2024–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt6qx2x5zz |
| By: | Hyland, Michael F. PhD; Pike, Susie PhD; Hu, Siwei; Berkel, Jacob; Xing, Yan PhD; Saha, Ritun; Vander Veen, Geoffrey; Yang, Dingtong PhD |
| Abstract: | Microtransit is a mobility service that dynamically routes and schedules 6- to 20-seat vehicles to serve passengers within a defined region. Microtransit services are similar to ride-pooling services operated by Transportation Network Companies (e.g., Uber, Lyft); however, microtransit services are owned by cities or transit agencies. Integrating microtransit services with traditional fixed-route transit (FRT) has been touted as a means to attract more riders to public transit generally, improve mobility and sustainable transportation outcomes (e.g., reduce greenhouse gasses and local pollutants), and provide better accessibility to disadvantaged travelers. However, few academic studies have evaluated these claims. To address this gap, we surveyed California transit agencies that currently operate or recently operated microtransit services to obtain insights into integration challenges. We also developed an agent- and simulation-based modeling framework to evaluate alternative system designs for integrating FRT and microtransit in downtown San Diego and Lemon Grove, a suburban area in San Diego County. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2024–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt60t9p45b |
| By: | Chen, Katherine L.; Tsai, Bor-Wen; Fortin, Garrett; Cooper, Jill F. |
| Abstract: | Restraint devices such as seat belts are a key element of motor vehicle occupant protection systems. Each year, NHTSA conducts the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) that measures, among many variables, the daytime use of seat belts by occupants age eight and older. The 2020 NOPUS reported that seat belt use was 90.3 percent among front-seat passengers, a slight decrease from the 90.7 percent observed in 2018. This change, along with the changes in subsets such as time of day or day of the week, was not statistically significant. The United States Department of Transportation uses the Safe System Approach to work towards zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries. The Safe System Approach recognizes human mistakes and vulnerabilities, and designs a system with many redundancies in place to protect everyone. The Federal Highway Administration names safe road users, safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads, and post-crash care as key elements of a Safe System. Proper use of seat belts and other occupant safety devices is an important component of the “Safer Vehicles” and “Safer People” layers of protection. Analyses presented in the occupant protection program area include fatal and serious injuries where a driver or passenger in a passenger vehicle was unrestrained. Occupant protection crashes in this report are defined as crashes where one or more occupants in a passenger vehicle was unrestrained. Under this program area, there is additional analyses that address aging road users and child passenger safety. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2024–08–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt3016572j |
| By: | Burlig, Fiona PhD; Bushnell, James PhD; Rapson, David PhD; Wolfram, Catherine PhD |
| Abstract: | The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EV) is a centerpiece of California’s strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions, but it is not fully known how and where EVs are being used, and how and where they are being charged. California is home to approximately half of the EVs in the United States, yet policymakers attempting to guide transportation electrification lack rigorous estimates of how much electricity EVs are actually using because the majority of EV charging occurs at home, where it is difficult to distinguish from other household uses recorded on the electricity meter. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2024–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt1hw415dp |
| By: | Ioannou, Petros; Wang, Zheyu |
| Abstract: | As urban areas grow and city populations expand, traffic congestion has become a significant problem, particularly in regions with substantial truck traffic. This study presents a coordinated freight routing system designed to optimize network utility and reduce congestion through personalized routing guidance and incentive mechanisms. The system customizes incentives and payments for individual drivers based on current traffic conditions and their specific routing preferences. Using a mixed logit model with a linear utility specification, the system captures drivers' route choice behaviors and decisions accurately. Participation is voluntary, ensuring most drivers receive a combined expected utility, including incentives, exceeding their anticipated utility under User Equilibrium (UE). This structure encourages drivers to follow suggested routes. Data collection on drivers' routing choices allows the system to update utility parameter estimates using a hierarchical Bayes estimator, ensuring routing suggestions remain relevant and effective. The system operates over defined intervals, where truck drivers submit their intended Origin-Destination (OD) pairs to a central coordinator. The coordinator assigns routes and payments, optimizing overall system costs and offering tailored incentives to maximize compliance. Experimental results on the Sioux Falls network validate the system's effectiveness, showing significant improvements in the objective function. This study highlights the potential of a coordinated routing system to enhance urban traffic efficiency by dynamically adjusting incentives based on drivers’ choice data and driver behavior. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Congestion Reduction, Utility Learning, Travel Demand Management, Freight Routing |
| Date: | 2024–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt6qb516n9 |
| By: | Xiyuan Ren; Joseph Y. J. Chow; Venktesh Pandey; Linfei Yuan |
| Abstract: | As an IT-enabled multi-passenger mobility service, microtransit has the potential to improve accessibility, reduce congestion, and enhance flexibility in transportation options. However, due to its heterogeneous impacts on different communities and population segments, there is a need for better tools in microtransit forecast and revenue management, especially when actual usage data are limited. We propose a novel framework based on an agent-based mixed logit model estimated with microtransit usage data and synthetic trip data. The framework involves estimating a lower-branch mode choice model with synthetic trip data, combining lower-branch parameters with microtransit data to estimate an upper-branch ride pass subscription model, and applying the nested model to evaluate microtransit pricing and subsidy policies. The framework enables further decision-support analysis to consider diverse travel patterns and heterogeneous tastes of the total population. We test the framework in a case study with synthetic trip data from Replica Inc. and microtransit data from Arlington Via. The lower-branch model result in a rho-square value of 0.603 on weekdays and 0.576 on weekends. Predictions made by the upper-branch model closely match the marginal subscription data. In a ride pass pricing policy scenario, we show that a discount in weekly pass (from $25 to $18.9) and monthly pass (from $80 to $71.5) would surprisingly increase total revenue by $102/day. In an event- or place-based subsidy policy scenario, we show that a 100% fare discount would reduce 80 car trips during peak hours at AT&T Stadium, requiring a subsidy of $32, 068/year. |
| Date: | 2024–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2408.12577 |
| By: | Chen, Katherine L.; Tsai, Bor-Wen; Fortin, Garrett; Cooper, Jill F. |
| Abstract: | The older adult population in the United States aged 65 and older is expected to almost double between 2016 and 2060, from 49 million to 95 million. In 2018, there were 6, 907 people aged 65 or older killed in a traffic crash in the United States; this accounted for 18.9 percent of all traffic fatalities. To provide context, the overall population aged 65 or older accounted for 14.9 percent of people in the United States and 19.4 percent of all licensed drivers in 2017. California has the largest number of licensed drivers aged 65 or older in the nation with 4, 251, 349, or 15.9 percent of all licensed drivers in the state. However, as drivers age, physical and mental changes including reduced visual acuity, increased fragility, restricted movement, and cognitive impairment can directly and indirectly result in age-related driving impairments. Analyses presented in this section include fatal and serious injuries to drivers, passengers, bicyclists, pedestrians, and other non-motor vehicle occupants aged 65 or older. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2024–08–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt80x91883 |
| By: | Shao, Wei; Fan, Zejun; Chen, Chia-Ju; Zhang, Zhaofeng; Ma, Jiaqi PhD; Zhang, Junshan PhD |
| Abstract: | Headway, namely the distance between vehicles, is a key design factor for ensuring the safe operation of autonomous driving systems. There have been studies on headway optimization based on the speeds of leading and trailing vehicles, assuming perfect sensing capabilities. In practical scenarios, however, sensing errors are inevitable, calling for a more robust headway design to mitigate the risk of collision. Undoubtedly, augmenting the safety distance would reduce traffic throughput, highlighting the need for headway design to incorporate both sensing errors and risk tolerance models. In addition, prioritizing group safety over individual safety is often deemed unacceptable because no driver should sacrifice their safety for the safety of others. In this study, we propose a multi-objective optimization framework that examines the impact of sensing errors on both traffic throughput and the fairness of safety among vehicles. The proposed framework provides a solution to determine the Pareto frontier for traffic throughput and vehicle safety. ComDrive, a communication-based autonomous driving simulation platform, is developed to validate the proposed approach. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms existing baselines. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2024–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt4k87b3sk |
| By: | Bailey, Megan (University of Calgary); Brown, David P. (University of Alberta, Department of Economics); Myers, Erica (University of Calgary); Shaffer, Blake (University of Calgary); Wolak, Frank A. (Stanford University) |
| Abstract: | The growth of electric vehicles (EVs) raises new challenges for electricity systems. We implement a field experiment to assess the effect of time-of-use (TOU) pricing and managed charging on EV charging behavior. We find that while TOU pricing is effective at shifting EV charging into off-peak hours, it unintentionally induces new and larger “shadow peaks” of simultaneous charging. These shadow peaks lead to greater exceedance of local capacity constraints and advance the need for distribution network upgrades. In contrast, centrally managed charging solves the coordination problem, reducing transformer capacity requirements, and is well-tolerated by consumers in our setting. |
| Keywords: | Electric Vehicles; Regulation; Rate Design; Field Experiment |
| JEL: | L94 Q41 R40 |
| Date: | 2024–09–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:albaec:2024_004 |
| By: | D'Agostino, Mollie C.; Michael, Cooper E.; Ramos, Marilia; Correa-Jullian, Camila |
| Abstract: | Vehicle automation represents a new safety frontier that may necessitate a repositioning of our safety oversight systems. This white paper serves as a primer on the technical and legal landscape of automated driving system (ADS) safety. It introduces the latest AI and machine learning techniques that enable ADS functionality. The paper also explores the definitions of safety from the perspectives of standards-setting organizations, federal and state regulations, and legal disciplines. The paper identifies key policy options building on topics raised in the White House’s Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, outlining a Blueprint for ADS safety. The analysis concludes that potential ADS safety reforms might include either reform of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), or a more holistic risk analysis “safety case” approach. The analysis also looks at caselaw on liability in robotics, as well as judicial activity on consumer and commercial privacy, recognizing that the era of AI will reshape liability frameworks, and data collection must carefully consider how to build in accountability and protect the privacy of consumers and organizations. Lastly, this analysis highlights the need for policies addressing human-machine interaction issues, focusing on guidelines for safety drivers and remote operators. In conclusion, this paper reflects on the need for collaboration among engineers, policy experts, and legal scholars to develop a comprehensive Blueprint for ADS safety and highlights opportunities for future research. |
| Keywords: | Law, Automated vehicle control, traffic safety, case law, policy, machine learning, artificial intelligence |
| Date: | 2024–07–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt3rk928z0 |
| By: | Xiaojuan Yu (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Zhongnan University); Vincent A.C. van den Berg (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam); Erik T. Verhoef (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) |
| Abstract: | We study how preference heterogeneity affects travel behavior and congestion pricing in a dynamic flow congestion model. We formulate and solve a multi-point optimal control problem using a Hamiltonian-based method to derive the social optimum. The properties of the travel equilibrium are explored analytically, particularly for travelers' arrival rates, arrival intervals, congestion externalities, and tolls. In the absence of tolling, the arrival order is determined by the ratio of the value of time (VOT) to the value of schedule delay, as in the bottleneck model. However, unlike the bottleneck model, the same holds for the social optimum when only the VOT differs across users, as travel delays will not be fully eliminated. In social optimum, the arrival rate, travel delay, and toll jump discontinuously at the boundary time between user types, but these discontinuities do not undermine the stability of the socially optimal equilibrium. Assessment of the distributional effects indicates that users with a lower VOT always lose from tolling, whereas users with a higher VOT may gain or lose from tolling. The latter depends on the type and degree of heterogeneity, the elasticity of travel delay with respect to arrival rate, and the number of users for both types. Compared to the bottleneck model, tolling is less beneficial for society and hurts users more. Our findings reveal the significance of the type of congestion and preference heterogeneity when assessing the implementation of congestion tolling. |
| Keywords: | Dynamic flow congestion; Bottleneck model; Preference heterogeneity; Congestion pricing; Distributional effects; Optimal control |
| JEL: | D62 H23 R41 |
| Date: | 2024–04–17 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tin:wpaper:20240025 |
| By: | Chen, Katherine L.; Tsai, Bor-Wen; Fortin, Garrett; Cooper, Jill F. |
| Abstract: | Bicycling is becoming more popular across the country, for commuting, exercise, and leisure. In 2017, there were 783 bicyclists killed in a traffic collision in the US. In citing concern about the level of bicycle fatalities, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) identified key recommendations for improving safety, including collection of better crash data, increased training for law enforcement to understand laws designed to protect bicyclists, partnerships with bicycling and community organizations regarding safety messaging and public education campaigns about infrastructure improvements. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2024–08–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt1d62d2kn |
| By: | Ramji, Aditya; Fulton, Lewis |
| Abstract: | Effective policy tools are urgently needed to enable the United States to keep pace with international climate goals. “Feebates”—fees applied to the purchase of vehicles with higher emissions and rebates for clean ones—have become an effective and increasingly common strategy for shaping vehicle markets in European countries. A holistic policy framework that will accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the US will likely include strong federal policies such as sales mandates, purchase fees for higher emission vehicles, and purchase incentives for ZEVs. Researchers from the University of California, Davis examined what makes a feebate policy work and how this strategy can be leveraged to shift US vehicle markets. The research included a review and analysis of feebate mechanisms in European countries. This policy brief summarizes research findings and provides policy implications. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, electrification, light duty, feebates, taxation, sustainable incentives, market mechanisms, zero emission vehicles, United States, Europe |
| Date: | 2024–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt0b31p8t4 |
| By: | Krantz, Sebastian |
| Abstract: | This paper characterizes economically optimal investments into Africa's road network in partial and general equilibrium - based on a detailed topography of the network, road construction costs, frictions in cross-border trading, and economic geography. Drawing from data on 144 million trans-continental routes, it first assesses local and global network efficiency and market access. It then derives a large network connecting 447 cities and 52 ports along the fastest routes, devises an algorithm to propose new links, analyzes the quality of existing links, and estimates link-level construction/upgrading costs. Subsequently, it computes market-access-maximizing investments in partial equilibrium and conducts cost-benefit analysis for individual links and several investment packages. Using a spatial economic model and global optimization over the space of networks, it finally elicits welfare-maximizing investments in spatial equilibrium. Findings imply that cross-border frictions and trade elasticities significantly shape optimal road investments. Reducing frictions yields the greatest benefits, followed by road upgrades and new construction. Sequencing matters, as reduced frictions generally increase investment returns. Returns to upgrading key links are large, even under frictions. |
| Keywords: | African roads, spatially optimal investments, big data, PE and GE analysis |
| JEL: | O18 R42 R10 O10 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:ifwkwp:302186 |
| By: | Patire, Anthony PhD; Dion, Francois PhD |
| Abstract: | The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) collects megabytes of data every day using a dedicated traffic sensing infrastructure. The collected data provide support for traffic management and system performance monitoring activities that are crucial for supporting the agency’s mission, vision, and strategic goals to strengthen stewardship and drive efficiency. Operating this vast detection system requires extensive resources in the form of engineering and maintenance support, along with millions in capital funds to keep the system running. Within the above context, alternate hybrid data collection models utilizing purchased or third-party data to augment existing data collection system capabilities may enable a reduction in the number of physical detection stations required while maintaining suitable accuracy for Caltrans’ purposes. In addition to the potential for cost savings, the reliance on fewer physical sensors also offers the potential to reduce the exposure of Caltrans employees to the occupational hazard of maintaining roadside detection stations, in alignment with the agency’s “safety first” strategic goal. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2023–10–23 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt3s7751sb |
| By: | Kleeman, Michael PhD |
| Abstract: | The amount of traffic on California’s roadways decreased by approximately fifty percent during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in March and April of 2020. Conventional wisdom led to the expectation that reduced traffic would result in reduced ozone (O3) concentrations—ozone being a main component of smog—yet ozone concentrations increased during this period. Internal combustion vehicles emit oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These emissions are precursors for ozone formation, but the relationship between these precursor emissions and the final ozone concentration is complex. The ratio of NOx/VOCs determines if the ozone formation will be “NOx-limited” or “NOx-rich”. Major NOx reductions are required to reduce ozone concentrations when the atmosphere is NOx-rich. Small NOx reductions in a NOx-rich atmosphere can actually increase ozone concentrations. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2024–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt3q0174d8 |
| By: | Ramji, Aditya; Fulton, Lew; Sperling, Daniel |
| Abstract: | Strong policies are needed to accelerate the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) transition so that it occurs at a pace in line with international climate goals. The purchase price of new vehicles tends to be the variable that most affects consumer decisions. With urgency for a ZEV transition, fiscal pressure for governments can be high as rebates for consumers and incentives supporting manufacturers in the switch to ZEV technologies will be needed for a mass-market transition. Fees on high-polluting vehicles—and rebates on clean ones—have become an effective and increasingly common strategy in European countries. The feebate mechanism can raise the necessary capital for financing a ZEV transition in combination with other regulatory mechanisms. This paper reviews and assesses feebate design types, issues, and implementation strategies in France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. These examples show that feebates can be designed in a variety of ways to meet unique policy objectives and that periodic adjustments are helpful in achieving goals. Among twelve design considerations for an effective feebate, the authors find that: (1) focusing on a single fee parameter, such as CO2 emissions, can be a simple yet effective mechanism; (2) a continuous functional form for the fee and a stepwise rebate are likely to be most effective in driving EV adoption; and (3) pure feebates, where fee revenue funds EV incentives by program design, provide certainty for manufacturers, regulators, and consumers. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, electrification, light duty, feebates, taxation, Europe |
| Date: | 2024–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt73z6j5v1 |
| By: | Barbara M. Fraumeni; Robert Kornfeld |
| Abstract: | This paper builds on a previous paper by the authors (Kornfeld and Fraumeni, 2022) that primarily used U.S. Federal Highway Administration Highway Statistics data to disaggregate investment in highways and streets into more detailed types to produce updated estimates of net wealth stocks and depreciation. In this paper, major components of highways and streets other than pavement: grading, bridges and other structures, traffic management, safety, and environmental, are set equal to comprehensive revision updated versions of those derived in the earlier paper. All capital outlays, including those for pavement, and non-pavement net wealth stocks, are controlled to current BEA estimates. The engineering-based depreciation patterns are very dissimilar to the BEA patterns. The engineering-based net wealth pavement stock depreciation patterns fall from an efficiency level of about 0.055 to zero after 20 years of life; the BEA Hulten-Wykoff-based net wealth pavement stock depreciation patterns are at approximately the same efficiency level after 62 years, with a positive efficiency level continuing to infinity. BEA adopted Hulten-Wykoff default depreciation rates in the absence of other information (Fraumeni, 1997), however research by Fraumeni established engineering-based Picher pavement depreciation rates for highways and streets (Fraumeni, 1999, 2007). |
| JEL: | E01 |
| Date: | 2024–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:32753 |
| By: | Lopez, Ana I. |
| Abstract: | Under federal statutes, transportation planners have an obligation to actively engage community members and to conduct equity-based analyses on transportation plans to ensure that people of color, low-income people, and other historically disenfranchised groups are neither disproportionately burdened nor denied the benefits of transportation investments. Planning professionals have an ethical and moral responsibility to involve and engage the communities they serve—to intentionally center community members in planning decision-making processes regarding their communities and ensure equity within the field. Equitably engaging all community groups is critical because having a political voice may empower community members to voice issues concerning their community. For instance, they may raise concerns about safety at an intersection, which may result in further investigation by agency staff. Community participation may also result in a city’s Active Transportation Plan or Circulation Element in the General Plan to take a different form if planners apply the community’s priorities and visions in these plans. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2023–10–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt1xj3p75j |
| By: | Shaheen, Susan PhD; Wolfe, Brooke; Cohen, Adam; Broader, Jacquelyn |
| Abstract: | Throughout the U.S., app-based gig drivers provide valuable services for courier network services (CNS) like Instacart, Uber Eats and DoorDash, and transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft. In California, gig labor classification is governed among other things by Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5), which passed in 2019, and Proposition 22 (Prop 22) adopted in 2020. AB 5 established the ABC Test for worker classification in California labor law. The ABC Test results in most app-based drivers being classified as employees, who are due full labor rights and benefits in California. However, gig drivers were exempted from the ABC Test when California voters approved Prop 22. As a result, under Prop 22, most CNS and TNC drivers in California are classified as independent contractors. Understanding the nuances of California labor law as it applies to app-based gig drivers is critical to addressing areas such as: worker flexibility, the need for high-quality jobs, and driver pay variability due to the lack of transparency with algorithm-based platforms. To better understand evolving CNS and TNC labor policy, we conducted interviews with experts (n=8) across the U.S. representing labor, academia, and regulators between June 2022 to February 2024 and examined policy approaches of other cities and states on this issue. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2024–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt514205n7 |
| By: | Mounira Boulmelh (UMSBJ - Université Mohammed Seddik Benyahia [Jijel] | University of Jijel) |
| Abstract: | This study aims to highlight the importance of artificial intelligence systems in achieving traffic safety in Algeria by analyzing the situation of traffic accidents over the period from 2010 to 2023. It also aims to showcase the efforts and measures taken to implement artificial intelligence systems to reduce these accidents and propose suitable solutions to achieve economic performance. The study found that, in the field of traffic safety in Algeria, many regulatory measures and efforts have been taken; however, these laws have not succeeded in reducing traffic accidents. Regarding the application of artificial intelligence systems, their use is limited to security services only, such as radars and cameras. |
| Keywords: | Artificial Intelligence Traffic Safety health economics Economic Performance JEL Classification Codes: H51 I11 J28 K32 R41, Artificial Intelligence, Traffic Safety, health economics, Economic Performance JEL Classification Codes: H51, I11, J28, K32, R41 |
| Date: | 2024–06–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04678760 |
| By: | Marianne de Paepe (MICALIS - MICrobiologie de l'ALImentation au Service de la Santé - AgroParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Laurent Jeanneau (GR - Géosciences Rennes - UR - Université de Rennes - INSU - CNRS - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers - OSUR - Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Rennes - UR - Université de Rennes - INSU - CNRS - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers - UR2 - Université de Rennes 2 - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Jerôme Mariette (MIAT INRAE - Unité de Mathématiques et Informatique Appliquées de Toulouse - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Olivier Aumont (NEMO R&D - Nucleus for European Modeling of the Ocean - LOCEAN - Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat : Expérimentations et Approches Numériques - MNHN - Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - INSU - CNRS - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers - SU - Sorbonne Université - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - IPSL (FR_636) - Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - UVSQ - Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines - CEA - Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives - INSU - CNRS - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers - X - École polytechnique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - CNES - Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] - SU - Sorbonne Université - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UPCité - Université Paris Cité); André Estevez-Torres (LJP - Laboratoire Jean Perrin - SU - Sorbonne Université - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - IBPS - Institut de Biologie Paris Seine - INSERM - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale - SU - Sorbonne Université - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, LASIRE - Laboratoire Avancé de Spectroscopie pour les Intéractions la Réactivité et l'Environnement - UMR 8516 - INC-CNRS - Institut de Chimie - CNRS Chimie - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) |
| Abstract: | Despite increasing interest for the carbon footprint of higher education institutions, little is known about the carbon footprint associated to research activities. Air travel and attendance to conferences concentrate recent data and debates but purchases have attracted little attention. Here we develop a hybrid method to estimate the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated to research purchases. To do so, we combine macroeconomic databases, research-centered companies footprints and life-cycle assessments to construct a public database of monetary emission factors (EF) for research purchases. We apply it to estimate the purchases emissions of a hundred of research laboratories in France, belonging to the Labos 1point5 network and gathering more than 20000 staff, from all disciplines. We find that purchases dominate laboratory emissions, accounting for more than 50% of emissions, with a median of 2.7 t CO$_2$e/pers, which is 3 to 4-fold the separate contribution from travel, commutes and heating. Median electricity emissions are 5-fold lower in our dataset of laboratories using low carbon electricity but they become preponderant for high carbon electricity mixes (3.5 t CO$_2$e/pers). Purchases emissions are very heterogeneous among laboratories and are linearly correlated with budget, with an average carbon intensity of 0.31 ± 0.07 kg CO$_2$/€ and differences between research domains. Finally, we quantify the effect of a series of demand-driven mitigation strategies obtaining up to −20% in total emissions (−40% in purchases emissions), suggesting that effectively reducing the carbon footprint of research activities calls for systemic changes. |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04666497 |
| By: | Neumann, Peter; Pastowski, Sven; Carpinelli, Sonia |
| Abstract: | Das vorliegende Discussion Paper befasst sich mit der Entwicklung, Nachfrage und dem Angebot von "Bleisure Travel" als einer neuen Form der Geschäftsreise. Bleisure Travel bezeichnet die Kombination von Geschäftsreise und Urlaub in einer Reise. Der Reiseanlass ist dabei beruflich determiniert, wobei der private Anteil durch eine Aufenthaltsverlängerung vor Ort und/oder die Art der Begleitpersonen geprägt ist. Dieses Paper beschreibt das starke Wachstum des Bleisure-Travel-Segments weltweit und seine große Attraktivität für die Tourismusbranche in Deutschland. Es präsentiert Ergebnisse aktueller empirischer Studien, einschließlich einer kürzlich von den Autoren Peter Neumann und Sven Pastowski durchgeführten Untersuchung. Darüber hinaus gibt es praktische Handlungsempfehlungen, wie sich touristische Leistungsträger und Destinationen erfolgreich auf dem Bleisure Markt positionieren können. |
| Abstract: | This discussion paper "Bleisure Travel - Potentials and Recommendations for Tourism Practice" examines the evolution, demand and supply factors of the bleisure travel segment. The concept of Bleisure Travel refers to the combination of business travel and leisure travel within a single trip. The business purpose determines the reason for travel, while the leisure component is shaped by an extended stay and/or the nature of accompanying persons. This paper examines the rapid growth of the bleisure travel segment globally and its significant appeal for the tourism industry in Germany. It presents findings from current empirical studies, including a recent survey conducted by the authors Peter Neumann and Sven Pastowski. Additionally, the paper provides practical recommendations for German tourism service providers and destinations on effectively positioning themselves in the bleisure market. |
| Keywords: | Bleisure Travel, Business Travel, Geschäftsreisen, New Work, New Travel |
| JEL: | O |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:iubhht:302178 |
| By: | Josué, ANDRIANADY; E. ALIDA, Camara; Randrianantenaina, Kantotiana S.; M. Andreas, Jonathan |
| Abstract: | This research investigates the multifaceted relationship between tourism, economic growth, and carbon emissions in Madagascar. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the impact of tourism receipts on economic growth and tourist arrivals on CO2 levels. The results indicate a significant positive association between tourism and economic growth, highlighting the sector’s pivotal role in driving Madagascar’s economy. Conversely, tourist arrivals were found to contribute to increased carbon emissions, emphasizing the need for sustainable tourism practices to mitigate environmental impacts. Additionally, recommendations are provided for enhancing road infrastructure, promoting ecotourism, diversifying touristic offerings, digitizing tourism services, promoting environmental sustainability, investing in continuous training for tourism personnel, and fostering public-private partnerships to stimulate further development in Madagascar’s tourism sector. |
| Keywords: | Tourism, Economic Growth, Environ mental Sustainability, Econometrics, Carbon Emis sions, Madagascar, Regression Analysis, Sustainable Development, Public-PrivatePartnerships, Diversifica tion, Ecotourism |
| JEL: | A1 E0 E6 Q0 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:121648 |
| By: | Bianchi, Milo; Yamashita, Takuro |
| Abstract: | We analyze the optimal investment in a common infrastructure in a market with network externalities. Taking a dynamic mechanism design perspective, we contrast the level of investment and the associated payments across firms that a budget-constrained welfare-maximizing principal would set to those emerging in an unregulated market. We consider two market scenarios: first, a nascent market in which only one firm operates and an entrant may arrive at a later stage; second, a more mature market in which two firms already operate. In these settings, the principal needs to set access fees so as to provide enough incentives to invest in the infrastructure, while also avoiding wasteful investment. At the same time, the principal needs to coordinate investment and usage of the shared network given the various externalities that each firm exerts. We highlight the relative importance of these two aspects and how regulation can be designed so as to improve social welfare. We also highlight how the optimal timing of investment depends crucially on the regulator’s coordination power. |
| Date: | 2024–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tse:wpaper:129665 |