nep-tre New Economics Papers
on Transport Economics
Issue of 2012‒06‒05
eight papers chosen by
Erik Teodoor Verhoef
VU University Amsterdam

  1. Transport Infrastructure and the Road to Statehood in Somaliland. By Azam, Jean-Paul
  2. Analysis of Alternative Fuel Vehicles by Disaggregated Cost Benefit By MANAGI Shunsuke
  3. Effects from consistent internalization of external effects from transport and manufacturing – a CGE analysis for Sweden By Liu, Xing; Bohlin, Lars
  4. One Kind of Lawlessness: Estimating the Welfare Cost of Somali Piracy By Tim Besley; Thiemo Fetzer; Hannes Mueller
  5. Less pain at the pump? The effects of regulatory interventions in retail gasoline markets By Dewenter, Ralf; Heimeshoff, Ulrich
  6. Infrastructure policy: Basic design options By Klein, Michael
  7. Simulating Demand for Electrical Vehicles using Revealed Preference Data By Driscoll, Áine; Lyons, Seán; Mariuzzo, Franco; Tol, Richard S. J.
  8. How regulation affects network and service quality in related markets By Haucap, Justus; Klein, Gordon J.

  1. By: Azam, Jean-Paul
    Date: 2011
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ner:toulou:http://neeo.univ-tlse1.fr/3138/&r=tre
  2. By: MANAGI Shunsuke
    Abstract: The future of both the automobile and the transportation industries has been of significant interest to many people. In this study, we investigate the economic validity of the diffusion of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and all-electric vehicles (EVs), comparing the benefit and cost for diffusion of alternative vehicles by employing cost-benefit analysis. We assume the amount of CO₂ and NOx emissions and gasoline use reduction as a benefit, by switching from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to alternative vehicles; and the purchase amount, infrastructure expenses, and maintenance of alternative vehicles as a cost. We obtained data from two alternative fuel vehicles from an interview with an automobile maker in Japan. Considering uncertainties, we conducted a sensitivity analysis of the cost-benefit ratios. The scenarios used are the following: the progress of alternative vehicle production, the increase in CO₂ abatement cost, the increase in the price of gasoline, and the target year for diffusion. In summary, the results show that the diffusion of FCVs will not be economically feasible until 2110, even if their purchase cost is decreased to that of an ICE vehicle. The diffusion of EVs might be possible by 2060 depending on the increase in gasoline prices and the CO₂ abatement costs.
    Date: 2012–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:12035&r=tre
  3. By: Liu, Xing (Department of Business, Economics, Statistics and Informatics); Bohlin, Lars (Department of Business, Economics, Statistics and Informatics)
    Abstract: This paper uses a static, small open-economy computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model of the Swedish economy to study the effects of consistent internalization of external effects from transport and manufacturing. We look at eight policy scenarios: first a fully implemented Social Marginal Cost Pricing (SMCP) in manufacturing, sea and air transport, road transport, and rail transport; and then SMCP in these sectors separately or in various combinations. We evaluate effects on, among others, national and global emission reductions, GDP, government budget, and social welfare. The results show that the fully implemented SMCP in all sectors generates the highest social welfare surplus, largest emission reduction and largest government net revenue. When this option is not feasible, society still could benefit from correcting prices in or more sectors. Correcting prices only for rail transport generates very small social welfare surplus, emission reduction and government revenue; while correcting prices only for road transport generates much larger effects in all aspects. Taking into consideration that sea and air modes are regulated not only by domestic legislation, the findings from this study suggest that the second-best policy scenario could be to correct prices for the rail, road and manufacturing sectors.
    Keywords: social marginal cost; externalities; transport taxation; CO2 taxation; general equilibrium
    JEL: C68 H23 R48
    Date: 2012–05–22
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:oruesi:2012_009&r=tre
  4. By: Tim Besley; Thiemo Fetzer; Hannes Mueller
    Abstract: This paper estimates the effect of piracy attacks on shipping costs using a unique data set on shipping contracts in the dry bulk market. We look at shipping routes whose shortest path exposes them to piracy attacks and find that the increase in attacks in 2008 lead to around a ten percent increase in shipping costs. We use this estimate to get a sense of the welfare loss imposed by piracy. Our intermediate estimate suggests that the creation of $120 million of revenue for pirates in the Somalia area led to a welfare loss of over $1.5 billion.
    Keywords: piracy, welfare loss, maritime transport, Somalia, private security, law and order, property rights
    JEL: K42 O18 F1 D74
    Date: 2012–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bge:wpaper:626&r=tre
  5. By: Dewenter, Ralf; Heimeshoff, Ulrich
    Abstract: Increasing price levels, high price volatility and the suspicion of collusive behavior are important topics of public debates on competition in retail gasoline markets in many countries. Several governments and competition authorities introduced fuel price regulations in form of restrictions on the frequencies of fuel price changes per day. We present empirical evidence of the effects of fuel price regulation in Austria and Western Australia using difference-in-differences methods to estimate treatment effects of the implementation of such pricing rules. Our estimates provide evidence that fuel price levels in Austria decreased after implementation of regulation. However, we cannot find robust significant effects of regulation on fuel price levels in Western Australia. --
    JEL: K2 K23 L5 L51 L71
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:dicedp:51&r=tre
  6. By: Klein, Michael
    Abstract: --
    JEL: L9
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fsfmwp:185&r=tre
  7. By: Driscoll, Áine; Lyons, Seán; Mariuzzo, Franco; Tol, Richard S. J.
    Abstract: We have modelled the market for new cars in Ireland with the aim of quantifying the values placed on a range of observable car characteristics. Mid-sized petrol cars with a manual transmission sell best. Price and perhaps fuel cost are negatively associated with sales, and acceleration and perhaps range are positively associated. Hybrid cars are popular. The values of car characteristics are then used to simulate the likely market shares of three new electrical vehicles. Electrical vehicles tend to be more expensive even after tax breaks and subsidies are applied, but we assume their market shares would benefit from an "environmental" premium similar to those of hybrid cars. The "environmental" premium and the level of subsidies would need to be raised to incredible levels to reach the government target of 10% market penetration of all-electric vehicles.
    Date: 2012–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:esr:wpaper:wp437&r=tre
  8. By: Haucap, Justus; Klein, Gordon J.
    Abstract: We analyze how network regulation affects investment into network infrastructure and complementary services. While regulation negatively affcets investment incentives in the regulated network market, the effects of network regulation on investment in complementary services can be either negative or positive, depending on the relative weight consumers assign to infrastructure versus service quality. We also find constellations, where regulation can enhance perceived total quality. --
    JEL: D43 L13 L51 L96
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:dicedp:52&r=tre

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