|
on Transport Economics |
| By: | Jorge Rafael Figueroa Elenes (Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa); Pablo Martín Urbano (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid); Juan Ignacio Sánchez Gutiérrez (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) |
| Abstract: | Acceleration of the processes of global urbanization, especially in developing countries, produces a multitude of impacts, most of them as a result of transport. Responses to an always unsatisfied demand for urban mobility cities have gone through various stages, evolving from the increase in the supply of human and material resources to attempts to manage the demand. The largest offer of transport meant to multiply endowment of infrastructures, to facilitate the mobility of the particular vehicle, but it failed because, among other effects of congestion, pollution and accidents. The further strengthening of public transport services found its limits in the conception of the urban system and transport planned for the particular vehicle. In addition to fulfill those needs meeting the challenges of decarburization of the cities, which means to address the problems of global warming transforming urban displacement in sustainable mobility. An appropriate solution to the problems of urban transport through profound transformations of existing transport systems, involving the same conception of cities and their functions, individual and social relations, as well as improving the alternatives to private vehicles and the use of fossil energy. The article reviews the importance of urban transport in the global sustainability and the problems posed by the processes of urbanization worldwide to achieve it, outlining some guidelines for sustainable mobility |
| Keywords: | Urbanization, Agglomeration, Cities, Transport, Sustainable Mobility. |
| JEL: | R11 R12 R14 R40 R41 R42 |
| Date: | 2015–09–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cjz:ca41cj:29&r=tre |
| By: | Takayama, Yuki; Kuwahara, Masao |
| Abstract: | This study examines the effects of location-dependent parking fees and time-varying congestion tolls on the behavior of heterogeneous commuters and their commuting costs. To this end, we develop a model of trip timing and parking location choices by heterogeneous commuters and characterize its equilibrium. By comparing the equilibrium with and without pricing policies, we obtain the following results: (1) without pricing policies, interactions among heterogeneous commuters yield an inefficient distribution of trip timing and parking locations; (2) imposing a parking fee and expanding parking capacity may concentrate the temporal distribution of traffic demand, thereby exacerbating traffic congestion and total commuting cost; (3) the social optimum is achieved by combining a parking fee with a congestion toll; and (4) the revenue obtained from pricing of parking and roads exactly equals the costs for optimal parking and bottleneck capacity; that is, the self-financing principle holds in the model. |
| Keywords: | scheduling preference; parking competition; bottleneck congestion; parking fee |
| JEL: | D62 H23 R41 R48 |
| Date: | 2016–01–19 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:68938&r=tre |
| By: | Börjesson, Maria (CTS); Fung, Chau Man (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven); Proost , Stef (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) |
| Abstract: | Many public transport services are heavily subsidized. One of the main justifications of this is the expected beneficial effect on road congestion. Stockholm introduced congestion pricing in 2006 and the effects on car and public transport demand were carefully monitored. This change in prices provides unique estimates on price- and cross-price elasticities. This paper uses these data to model the optimal pricing, frequency, bus size and number of bus lanes for a corridor in the presence of congestion pricing of cars. Results show that the subsidies for peak bus trips are indeed too high. However, the major welfare benefits of the reform are due to a decrease in frequencies during the off-peak period and the use of larger buses. |
| Keywords: | Public transport; Bus fares; Bus lanes; Bus frequency; Subsidies; Congestion pricing |
| JEL: | D61 H54 R41 R48 |
| Date: | 2016–01–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:ctswps:2015_019&r=tre |
| By: | Héctor M. Núñez (Division of Economics, CIDE); Hayri Onal |
| Abstract: | Brazil uses taxes, subsidies, and blending mandates as policy instruments to manage its transportation fuel markets. Despite all the market stabilization efforts, the fuels sector has been very dynamic in recent years. In response to ethanol supply fluctuations, the ethanol blending rate is adjusted at times and complemented with fuel tax rates changes. In this paper, we analyze the impacts of such policy adjustments and market disturbances in the world ethanol and sugar markets on Brazilian producers’ supply responses, consumers’ driving demand and fuel choice, ethanol trade with the rest of the world, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and social welfare. As the analytical tool, we use a large-scale spatially explicit price endogenous mathematical programming model which simulates the resource utilization in agriculture and finds the simultaneous equilibrium in food and fuel markets. The model results show that reducing the ethanol blending rate would reduce the driving demand by conventional vehicles while lowering the tax rate on gasoline would encourage flex fuel vehicle users to switch from pure ethanol to gasohol resulting in larger GHG emissions due to the consumption of a more carbon intensive fuel blend. |
| Keywords: | Brazil fuel policy, mathematical programming, land use, greenhouse gas emissions |
| JEL: | Q42 Q55 |
| Date: | 2014–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:emc:wpaper:dte570&r=tre |
| By: | Marc Gaudry (AJD - Agora Jules Dupuit - Université de Montréal - Département de sciences économiques); Emile Quinet (EEP-PSE - Ecole d'Économie de Paris - Paris School of Economics, PSE - Paris-Jourdan Sciences Economiques - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA) - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - École des Ponts ParisTech (ENPC)) |
| Abstract: | We explore how the Trans-Log (TL) can be nested in Box-Cox transformed terms and show that a particular specification previously defined, but not fully tested, within the European CATRIN consortium (Gaudry & Quinet, 2010), the Unrestricted Generalized Box-Cox (U-GBC), constitutes a proper incarnation of the Generalized Flexible Quadratic class (Blackorby et al. (1977) and nests a number of more or less known intermediate Box-Cox-inspired partial generalizations of the TL, as well as the target TL itself. After a brief rail cost litterature review, our detailed references to such intermediate model specifications making partial use of Box-Cox transformations are focused on examples developed since 2002 using cross-sectional data, shown to differ profoundly from their ancestor aggregate time-series firm-wide explanations of total or of current maintenance rail cost published before 2002. Notably, the TL, devoid of prices, has since 2002 become a rail engineering degradation cost model under an unchanged econometric terminological form garb on which we dwell. We estimate three main rail maintenance cost model specifications strictly nesting the TL from real 1999 France-wide segment network data and compare their improved log likelihood values under different engineering hypotheses concerning physical interactions among four rail Traffic types and four track Quality characteristics. We find the Trans-Log to be an inadequate model of railway damage because physical interactions among track Quality indicators and train Traffic types are not of log-log form but of other forms better handled by common flexible Box-Cox Transformations, twelve of which are estimated in our most general U-GBC specification, all but one actually differing from the logarithmic case. And, of course, not all physical interactions turn out to matter in the explanation of degradation cost: track Quality-Quality interactions, for instance, are of nugatory importance. |
| Keywords: | Trans-Log model,Box-Cox transformations,Generalized Flexible Quadratic model,Unrestricted Generalized Box-Cox model,railway track current maintenance cost,railway track degradation engineering models,CATRIN European project,France |
| Date: | 2016–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:psewpa:halshs-01261980&r=tre |
| By: | Christiaan Behrens (VU University Amsterdam); Mark Leijsen (VU University Amsterdam) |
| Abstract: | We develop a method to measure the intensity of competition between firms. Our method, which we call the Best Response Measure (BRM), is related to the conduct parameter method, but avoids the main problems associated with that method. The BRM relies on a very general framework and limited data requirements. Moreover, we show that it provides valuable information in determining the relevant market. We illustrate how the BRM can be used in markets with imperfect substitutes and apply the method to aviation markets in the North Sea area. This also enables us to establish to what extent the high speed rail link between London and the European mainland affects the supply by air carriers. |
| Keywords: | inter- and intramodal competition, aviation, spatial networks, high-speed rail |
| JEL: | D22 D43 L10 L93 R41 |
| Date: | 2015–06–24 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tin:wpaper:20150075&r=tre |
| By: | Wagenaar, J.C.; Kroon, L.G. |
| Abstract: | This paper addresses the Rolling Stock Rescheduling Problem (RSRP), while taking maintenance appointments into account. After a disruption, the rolling stock of passenger trains has to be rescheduled in order to maintain a feasible rolling stock circulation. A limited number of rolling stock units have a scheduled maintenance appointment during the day: these appointments need to be taken into account while rescheduling. In this paper we propose three different models for this. The Extra Unit Type model extends the known Composition model by adding additional rolling stock types for every rolling stock unit that requires maintenance. The Shadow-Account model keeps track of a shadow account for all units that require maintenance. The Job-Composition model is a combination of the Job model and the Composition model, both known in the literature. Paths are created such that maintenance units are on time for their maintenance appointment. All models are tested on instances of Netherlands Railways. The results show that the models are able to efficiently take maintenance appointments into account. |
| Keywords: | maintenance, rolling stock rescheduling problem, RSRP, passenger railways |
| Date: | 2015–02–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ems:eureri:77585&r=tre |
| By: | Gattermann, P.; Schiewe, A.; Schmidt, M. |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we propose a novel algorithmic approach to solve line planning problems. To this end, we model the line planning problem as a game where the passengers are players which aim at minimizing individual objective functions composed of travel time, transfer penalties, and a share of the overall cost of the solution. To find equilibria of this routing game, we use a best-response algorithm. We investigate, under which conditions on the line planning model a passenger’s best-response can be calculated efficiently and which properties are needed to guarantee convergence of the best-response algorithm. Furthermore, we determine the price of anarchy which bounds the objective value of an equilibrium with respect to a system- optimal solution of the line planning problem. For problems where best-responses cannot be found efficiently, we propose heuristic methods. We demonstrate our findings on some small computational examples. |
| Keywords: | transportation, game theory, routing, line planning, routing game |
| Date: | 2014–12–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ems:eureri:77431&r=tre |
| By: | Stacey, Brian |
| Abstract: | Price discrimination enjoys a long history in the airline industry. Borenstein (1989) discusses price discrimination through frequent flyer programs from 1985 as related to the Piedmont-US Air merger, price discrimination strategies have grown in size and scope since then. From Saturday stay over requirements to varying costs based on time of purchase, the airline industry is uniquely situated to enjoy the fruits of price discrimination. |
| Keywords: | Price Discrimination, Oligopoly |
| JEL: | L13 |
| Date: | 2015–05–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:69168&r=tre |
| By: | McCoy, Daire; Lyons, Sean; Morgenroth, Edgar; Palcic, Donal; Allen, Leonie |
| Abstract: | Extensive previous work on factors affecting regional development has considered the impact of aggregate measures of infrastructure like the public capital stock or individual infrastructures such as motorways. More recently the impact of ICT infrastructure, and in particular broadband, has received attention. This paper analyses the impact on new business establishments of broadband infrastructure, motorways, airports and railways and a range of other local characteristics such as availability of human capital and access to third level educational facilities. The sample period spans the introduction and recent history of broadband in Ireland, and during this period 86% of the current motorway network was constructed. Human capital, measured as the percentage of the population with a third level qualification and proximity to a third level institution prove to be important determinants of new firm establishments. Availability of broadband infrastructure is significant, but its effects may be mediated by availability of sufficient local human capital. Transport infrastructure access is significant for some sectors. For all sectoral groupings examined, firm establishments seem to favour a more diverse local sectoral mix rather than a concentrated one. |
| Keywords: | New business establishments; ICT; Infrastructure; Count panel regression model |
| JEL: | D22 R11 R3 |
| Date: | 2016–01–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:69074&r=tre |
| By: | L. Cocco; F. Cerina; M. Marchesi; K. Mannaro; F. Pigliaru |
| Abstract: | A network on an island only serves the territory in which it is located, while on a mainland region the same network would also serve other regions. This paper quantitatively assesses this effect through a model which simulates the construction of a railway network in Italy. The negative effect of land discontinuity on the development of an insular railway network is found to be quite strong - while the railway lines located in the island of Sardinia are the least profitable under the factual scenario, their relative profitability is significantly boosted in every counterfactual scenario where land discontinuity is artificially removed. |
| Keywords: | Simulation Modeling, Railway networks, Insularity, Graph Theory |
| JEL: | R41 C63 |
| Date: | 2015 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cns:cnscwp:201522&r=tre |
| By: | Gabriel Bachner (University of Graz) |
| Abstract: | In the light of climate change, transport systems become increasingly stressed by extreme weather and gradual climatic changes, resulting in direct costs which arise in the affected sector as well as indirect costs due to economic spill-over effects. To attenuate these costs, sector specific adaptation measures are needed, raising the question of the net-benefits of adaptation at a macroeconomic level. However, despite their importance such assessments of impacts and adaptation at the macro-level are scarce and coarse in their implementation. This paper contributes to fill this research gap by analyzing specific adaptation measures for the land transport sectors. To reveal both direct and indirect effects of impacts and adaptation a computable general equilibrium model is deployed. Results confirm the importance of a macroeconomic framework since the indirect effects are found to be larger than the direct ones due to strong economic interlinkages with the transport system. Adaptation measures are able to reduce climate change induced GDP and welfare losses as well as unemployment; even though adaptation does not always seem economically reasonable at the business level. |
| Keywords: | Climate change; transport; impacts; adaptation; computable general equilibrium; |
| JEL: | C68 Q51 Q54 Q58 R42 |
| Date: | 2015–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:grz:wpaper:2015-01&r=tre |