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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Valentina Bosetti (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, Euro-Mediterranean Center for Climate Change); Thomas Longden (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, Euro-Mediterranean Center for Climate Change) |
| Abstract: | With a focus on establishing whether climate targets can be met under different personal transport scenarios we introduce a transport sector representing the use and profile of light domestic vehicles (LDVs) into the integrated assessment model WITCH. In doing so we develop long term projections of light domestic vehicle use and define potential synergies between innovation in the transportation sector and the energy sector. By modelling the demand for LDVs, the use of fuels, and the types of vehicles introduced we can analyse the potential impacts on the whole economy. We find that with large increases in the use of vehicles in many regions around the globe, the electrification of LDVs is important in achieving cost effective climate targets and minimising the impact of transportation on other sectors of the economy. |
| Keywords: | Light Duty Vehicles, Transportation, Climate Change Policy, Electric Drive Vehicles, Research and Development |
| JEL: | Q54 R41 O3 |
| Date: | 2012–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fem:femwpa:2011.&r=tre |
| By: | Jan, Sajjad Ahmad; Chani, Muhammad Irfan; Pervaiz, Zahid; Chaudhary, Amatul R. |
| Abstract: | This paper aims to investigate the relationship between physical infrastructure and economic development of Pakistan. A composite index of physical infrastructure has been constructed through Principal Component Analysis. This has been done by taking into account three different dimensions of infrastructure i.e. transportation infrastructure, energy infrastructure, and telecommunication infrastructure. Johansen Co-integration Technique has been applied to confirm the existence of co-integration among the variables of our interest. The empirical analysis shows that co-integration exists among the variables of economic development, employed labour force, gross private fixed capital formation and physical infrastructure. The variables of employed labour force, gross private fixed capital formation and physical infrastructure have statistically significant and positive effect on economic development of Pakistan. |
| Keywords: | Infrastructure; Economic Growth; Poverty; Economic Development; Investment; Labour |
| JEL: | H54 F43 D92 O40 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:37785&r=tre |
| By: | Kurosaki, Takashi |
| Abstract: | Based on a primary survey of cycle rickshaw pullers and rickshaw owners in Delhi, India, this paper estimates the causal impact of the opening and extension of Delhi Metro on the rental rates of cycle rickshaws. The cycle rickshaw rental market provides employment opportunities for unskilled, assetless workers who have migrated from rural areas because of poverty. A change in this market is thus expected to affect urban and rural poverty. Controlling for unobservable area characteristics using house tax information, we identify the causal impact depending on when Metro stations opened over the past decade. The regression results indicate that of the 1.6 percentage point increase in rental rates per km associated with a reduction in distance to a Metro station, approximately 1.0 point is attributable to the causal effect. Thus, Delhi Metro has increased the demand for cycle rickshaw services, which is a pro-poor consequence of the infrastructural investment. |
| Keywords: | urban poverty, migration, infrastructure, informal sector |
| JEL: | O18 O17 R23 |
| Date: | 2012–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hit:primdp:24&r=tre |
| By: | Edoardo Marcucci (DIPES/CREI, University of Roma Tre); Amanda Stathopoulos (EPFL, Lausanne/CREI, University of Roma Tre) |
| Abstract: | Urban freight policy-making aims to improve the efficiency of freight movement in cities. Importantly, contemplated policies impact on complex pre-existent relationships among various agents operating in the distribution chain. The most relevant operators to study are: retailers, transport providers and own-account. There is a lack of knowledge concerning the specificities of these agent-types behaviour that calls for a more detailed analysis at the agent-specific level. This paper focuses on Urban Freight Transport (UFT) where an agent-specific policy analysis is carried out with specific attention to own account agents. Own account is, in fact, among the least studied agent-types in this context. This lack of attention is mainly due to the difficulty in acquiring data concerning their preferences and also to the widely accepted presumption concerning their relative inefficiency often giving rise to highly penalizing policies specifically aimed at this group. The empirical results reported are derived from a study conducted in the limited traffic zone (LTZ) in Rome's city centre in 2009. The analysis is based on a highly detailed and representative data set. This include both general information on the specific respondent involved along with company characteristics as well as stated ranking exercises (SRE) where interviewees are presented with alternative policy scenarios and asked to rank them according to their preference structure. The paper reports on the specific preference structure for own account operators. The paper proposes a systematic comparison, via WTP/WTA measures, between the potentially inaccurate estimates deriving from a simplistic analysis of preferences and those originating from an advanced treatment of preference heterogeneity. These considerations are prodromal to potentially distorted policy forecasts that, in turn, would be fed into micro simulation models to evaluate policy impacts. Various forms of heterogeneity are explored. The data allow the analysis, among other socioeconomic characteristics, of the impact that belonging to specific macro-freight-sectors has on the attributes used in the SRE. Furthermore, adopting a latent class (LC) specification, we test for the presence of respondent clusters in evaluating the policy mix considered for implementation. The paper addresses methodologically innovative issues; uses a new, detailed and significant data set; discusses a policy relevant issue and produces useful information from a policy-making perspective. The quantification of WTP and WTA measures for possible policies to be implemented provides an important benchmark both for policy makers as well as for researchers in this sector. |
| Keywords: | freight operators; own-account; preference heterogeneity, limited traffic zone. |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sit:wpaper:12_03&r=tre |
| By: | Hultkrantz, Lars (Department of Business, Economics, Statistics and Informatics); Svensson, Mikael (Department of Economics) |
| Abstract: | We compare state-of-the-art implementation of Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) and Cost Utility Analysis (CUA) as tools for making priorities in allocation of national public funds in the transport sector and health sector, respectively, in Sweden. While the principal distinctions between these methods are well known, less notice has been given to a number of other differences that have emerged as national and international practices have evolved over time along separate lines. We compare cost and benefit components and economic parameter values and find some surprising disparities. There are inconsistencies, both across methods and within each method. Both can be improved by learning from the other. We also find that some current practices conflict with the underlying welfare theory and/or insights from recent empirical analysis. |
| Keywords: | Benefit Cost Analysis; Cost Utility Analysis |
| JEL: | D61 H51 I18 |
| Date: | 2012–04–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:oruesi:2012_005&r=tre |
| By: | Hultkrantz, Lars (Örebro University); Svensson, Mikael (Dept. of Economics) |
| Abstract: | We compare the implementation of Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) and Cost-Utility Analysis (CUA) as tools for making priorities in allocation of national public funds in the transport sector and health sector, respectively, in Sweden. While the principal distinctions between these methods are well known, less notice has been given to a number of other differences that have emerged as national and international practices have evolved over time along separate lines. We compare cost and benefit components and economic parameter values and find some surprising disparities. There are inconsistencies, both across methods and within each method. Both can be improved by learning from the other. We also find that some current practices conflict with the underlying welfare theory and/or insights from recent empirical analysis. |
| Keywords: | Economic evaluation methods; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Cost-Effectiveness Analysis; Guidelines |
| JEL: | D61 H51 I18 |
| Date: | 2012–04–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:kaunek:0001&r=tre |
| By: | Haucap, Justus; Müller, Hans Christian |
| Abstract: | Economic theory suggests that gasoline retail markets are prone to collusive behavior. Oligopoly market structures prevail, market interactions occur frequently, prices are highly transparent, and demand is rather inelastic. A recent sector inquiry in Germany backed suspicions of tacit collusion and suggested to adopt regulatory pricing rules for gas stations similar to those implemented in Austria, parts of Australia, Luxembourg or parts of Canada. In order to increase consumer welfare these rules either restrict the number of price changes per day or they limit the mark‐up for gasoline retail prices. As theoretical predictions about the impact of these measures are mixed and empirical studies rare, we analyze the effects, using an experimental gasoline market in the lab. Our results reveal that two of the suggested rules rather decrease consumer welfare: The Austrian rule which only allows one price increase per day (while price cuts are always possible) and the Luxembourg rule which introduces a maximum markup for retailers. While no rule tends to induce lower retail prices, the Western Australian rule which allows at most one daily price change (no matter whether up or down) does at least not harm consumers. -- |
| Keywords: | Gasoline Prices,Fuel Prices,Experimental Gasoline Market,Fuel Price Regulation,Retail Price Regulation,Gas Stations |
| JEL: | L13 L71 L81 L88 K23 C90 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:dicedp:47&r=tre |