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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Pyddoke , Roger (VTI); Norheim, Bård (Urbanet Analyse); Betanzo , Mari Fossheim (Urbanet Analyse) |
| Abstract: | Growing populations and car traffic in cities pose challenges to city planners in the form of increased congestion on roads and demand for parking, crowding in public transport and more car traffic and may also affect safety and comfort in infrastructure for cycling. Current Scandinavian transport planning models do not handle these factors and solutions currently appear distant as good data is largely lacking. This paper reports tests with the HUT-model using simplified representations of these dimensions, intended for use in strategic transport planning with focus on cities applied to the city of Uppsala. The model also estimates costs for investment and operation of infrastructure, public transport and social costs for environmental effects and public funds. The tests suggest that these dimensions may have significant effects on transport demand and hence on transport planning. The results indicate that higher parking fees and more central location of new housing may be effective in reducing car traffic and increasing the mode shares of walking, cycling and public transport in Uppsala. Even stronger effects are reported for a package of instruments. Consequently, public costs for these policies are estimated to be about 25 percent lower than for the reference scenario. In contrast increases in supply, lower charges, or concentration of the capacity to bus trunk lines with increased speeds have smaller effects on mode shares. Increased supply and lower charges are costly to the public purse, whereas the trunk line policy has somewhat lower costs. The central conclusion is that results appear to be plausible and the model useful to planners. |
| Keywords: | Demand model; Transport; Policy instrument; Cost; Sustainable; Urban; Land use; Parking; Public transport fare; Frequency; Trunk bus; Cycling |
| JEL: | R14 R41 R48 R52 |
| Date: | 2017–04–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:ctswps:2017_007&r=tre |
| By: | André De Palma (ENS Cachan - École normale supérieure - Cachan); Carlos Criado (Department of Economics, Université Laval - Université Laval); L Randrianarisoa (Sauder - Sauder School of Business [British Columbia] - UBC - University of British Columbia) |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes rivalry between transport facilities in a model that includes two sources of horizontal differentiation: geographical space and departure time. We explore how both sources influence facility fees and the price of the service offered by downstream carriers. Travellers' costs include a fare, a transportation cost to the facility and a schedule delay cost, which captures the monetary cost of departing earlier or later than desired. One carrier operates at each facility and schedules a single departure time. The interactions in the facility-carrier model are represented as a sequential three-stage game in fees, times and fares with simultaneous choices at each stage. We find that duopolis-tic competition leads to an identical departure time across carriers when their operational cost does not vary with the time of day, but generally leads to distinct service times when this cost is time dependent. When a facility possesses a location advantage, it can set a higher fee and its downstream carrier can charge a higher fare. Departure time differentiation allows the facilities and their carrier to compete along an additional differentiation dimension that can reduce or strengthen the advantage in location. By incorporating the downstream carriers into the analysis, we also find that a higher per passenger commercial revenue at one facility induces a lower fee charged by both facilities to their carrier and a lower fare charged by both carriers at their departure facility, while a lower marginal operational cost for one carrier implies a higher fee at its departure facility, a lower fee at the other facility served by the rival carrier and a lower fare at both facilities. JEL Classification: D43, L13, L22, L93, R4 |
| Keywords: | Spatial asymmetry,Horizontal differentiation,Location model,Airline and facility competition,Service timing |
| Date: | 2017–01–27 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-01448391&r=tre |
| By: | INOUE Hiroyasu; NAKAJIMA Kentaro; SAITO Yukiko |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates how the reduction of the travel costs through improvement in transportation infrastructure lead to knowledge diffusion. Using the case of the opening of the Nagano-Hokuriku shinkansen, and applying the difference-in-differences approach, we estimate the impact of the high-speed rail on innovative activities along the line. We find that after the opening of the high-speed rail, innovative activities by establishments along the line significantly increased. Furthermore, collaborative patents across establishments along the line and citations of patents published by the establishments in Tokyo increased. These imply that the innovative activities along the line are increased through knowledge diffusion from nearby establishments and those in Tokyo. |
| Date: | 2017–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:17034&r=tre |
| By: | Ho, Teck-Hua; Chong, Juin Kuan; Xia, Xiaoyu |
| Abstract: | Is there a link between the color of a taxi and how many accidents it has? An analysis of 36 mo of detailed taxi, driver, and accident data (comprising millions of data points) from the largest taxi company in Singapore suggests that there is an explicit link. Yellow taxis had 6.1 fewer accidents per 1,000 taxis per month than blue taxis, a 9% reduction in accident probability. We rule out driver difference as an explanatory variable and empirically show that because yellow taxis are more noticeable than blue taxis—especially when in front of another vehicle, and in street lighting—other drivers can better avoid hitting them, directly reducing the accident rate. This finding can play a significant role when choosing colors for public transportation and may save lives as well as millions of dollars. |
| Keywords: | car color | road safety | data science | transportation science | sensory perception |
| JEL: | R4 R41 |
| Date: | 2017–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:78154&r=tre |
| By: | Cohen, James |
| Abstract: | Cohen argues that the rise of neo-liberalism in the U.S. framed the failure of attempts to implement high speed rail in Florida between 1981 and 2011. In the 1980's rail promoters attempted, but were unable to apply neo-liberal precepts of financing new lines solely from sources of private capital, such as real estate development. Subsequently, financing plans based on both public and private funds were defeated by neo-liberal governors and their allies in Congress. As a result, the only new passenger line that appears likely to begin operations in Florida in the near future, is Florida East Coast Railway's Brightliner, which will operate at between 79 and 125 miles per hour, on existing freight rights of way between Miami and Orlando, with a possible future extension to Tampa. Cohen explains why this moderate speed line is likely to succeed, where prior attempts at high speed failed. |
| Keywords: | High speed rail; railways; political economy; capital finance; financial history; neo-liberalism; Florida |
| JEL: | N2 |
| Date: | 2016–01–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:76765&r=tre |
| By: | HAYKEL HADJ SALEM; HAYKEL HADJ SALEM; HUBERT JAYET; MOEZ KILANI; QUENTIN DAVID; HAKIM HAMMADOU; Aboulkacem El-Mehdi |
| Abstract: | new Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Model aiming at measuring the long term global impact of the so called Grand Paris Express project on the French region Ile-de-France. The impacts of this new transport infrastructure will be broader than urban transportation, and it is expected to have wider impacts on employment, real estate market and regional attractiveness of Paris. To evaluate the magnitude of these impacts, we develop a CGE model of the Region Ile-de-France with several innovative features. The paper will make a detailed presentation of the general features of the model and of a first version which is mainly focusing on the representation of the public transport sector. In a first section, we present the Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) we have been developing for the model, which some specific features linked to the representation of the transportation system and the inclusion of the land markets. Then, we will present the base structure of the model: the production and the link between supply and demand of each product, flows of trade between the Ile-de-France region and the rest of the word, the incomes and expenditure of the various economic agents and the price determination, the market for public transport. In the next section we perform simulation analysis where we introduce a shock in transportation sector and evaluate its impact on transportation trend and how it spreads in the other sectors of the economy. The objective of this analysis is to identify public policies that can improve the implementation of the Grand Paris Express. These policies will be related to transportation reforms itself, but also to real estate market and possibility to labor market. The last section concludes with the main findings. |
| Keywords: | pile de France region, France, General equilibrium modeling, Regional modeling |
| Date: | 2016–07–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ekd:009007:9023&r=tre |
| By: | Kong Joo SHIN; MANAGI Shunsuke |
| Abstract: | Automated driving technology is one of the most important applications of advanced artificial intelligence technology, which is being extensively incorporated into transportation worldwide. Policymakers expect the introduction of fully automated vehicles (FAV) to significantly reduce the number of accidents that are due to human error and road congestion. Using originally collected large-sample survey data from 2015, this paper evaluates current consumer demand in terms of purchase intention (PI) and willingness to pay (WTP) for FAV in Japan. On average, consumers expect FAV to be available for purchase in approximately 13 years, and 47% of respondents report positive PI. Average WTP was approximately 190,000 yen ($1,650) and 290,000 yen ($2,520) for respondents with positive PI. Using regression analysis, we also analyze the determinants of PI and WTP, such as the subjective merits and demerits of FAV as well as other household and city characteristics. |
| Date: | 2017–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:17032&r=tre |
| By: | Brad R. Humphreys (West Virginia University, Department of Economics); Hyunwoong Pyun (West Virginia University, Department of Economics) |
| Abstract: | Sporting events concentrate people at specific locations on game day. No empirical evidence currently exists linking sporting events to local traffic conditions. We analyze urban mobility data from 25 US etropolitan areas with MLB teams over the period 1990 to 2014 to assess the relationship between local traffic and Major League Baseball (MLB) games. Instrumental variable regression results indicate MLB attendance causes increases in local vehicle-miles traveled. At the sample average attendance of 2.8 million, average daily vehicle-miles traveled increases by about 6.9% in cities with MLB teams. Traffic congestion increases by 2%, suggesting that MLB games generate congestion externalities. |
| Keywords: | transportation, traffic congestion, vehicle-miles traveled, Major League Baseball |
| JEL: | Z20 R41 R23 |
| Date: | 2017–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wvu:wpaper:17-05&r=tre |
| By: | Xieshu Wang (CEPN - Centre d'Economie de l'Université Paris Nord - Université Paris 13 - USPC - Université Sorbonne Paris Cité - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Joel Ruet (CEPN - Centre d'Economie de l'Université Paris Nord - Université Paris 13 - USPC - Université Sorbonne Paris Cité - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Xavier Richet (Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3) |
| Abstract: | The context of EU-China relations has dramatically changed over the past five years. China's interest in Europe has expanded geographically and substantially. At the broader diplomatic and strategic level, the OBOR initiative has come to symbolize China's growing significance in international affairs, reshaping regional dynamics. The European Commission and the Chinese government have agreed to enhance synergies in connectivity platforms. However, new investment trends and trade relations with China are highly differentiated across Europe and across sectors. The lack of a clearly defined OBOR plan in most European countries is weakening their bargaining power. In the meantime, China is following its flexible foreign policy approach when dealing with the EU. So far, the OBOR projects in Europe are mainly focusing on transport and infrastructure in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe. We are witnessing the reconfiguration of international institutions and the emergence of a more multi-polar global order. |
| Keywords: | One Belt One Road,connectivity,infrastructure,investment,governance |
| Date: | 2017–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:cepnwp:hal-01499020&r=tre |
| By: | Daniele Crotti (University of Genoa); Elena Maggi (University of Insubria) |
| Abstract: | In recent years several European municipalities have paired market-based measures with urban distribution centres (UDC) in order to reduce CO2 emissions and make more sustainable urban freight ‡ows. However, UDCs may add reloading costs and extra delivery times which have relevant impact on both urban supply chains and the competition among traditional and UDC-based logistics service providers in terms of service quality and freight rates. By using a duopolistic Hotelling framework, we show that market-based measures and subsidies might be substitutes to enhance the demand for UDC-based providers but public funding can be reduced by improving the quality of UDC services. These results can enlarge the scope for investments in UDC value-adding services in order to decrease private crowding-out effects in the long run. |
| Keywords: | Urban Distribution Centre, City logistics, Sustainable Urban Transport Policy, Hotelling Spatial Competition Model, Market-Based Measures, Public Subsidy |
| JEL: | D43 H23 L13 Q58 R41 R48 |
| Date: | 2017–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fem:femwpa:2017.17&r=tre |
| By: | Vannarith CHHEANG |
| Abstract: | This paper reviews Cambodia's economic development based on flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) and services sector liberalisation. It uses Cambodia's logistics industry as a case study. Services sector liberalisation in Cambodia has been mainly driven by its commitments under the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework and the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS). Logistics is one of the key contributors to economic growth and competitiveness. To improve the logistics sector, Cambodia needs to develop a comprehensive master plan and national council on logistics to overcome the main issues and challenges such as corruption and informal payments, lack of institutional capacity and coordination, low-quality transport infrastructure, weak urban-rural and cross-border transport networks, limited participation of the private sector, lack of skilled human resources, and low public and private investments. Promoting healthy competition in logistics and removing the impediments to investment are vital to improving the quality and coverage of logistics services. |
| Keywords: | Foreign direct investment, logistics, services, liberalisation, ASEAN, WTO |
| JEL: | F21 L80 L90 |
| Date: | 2017–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:era:wpaper:dp-2016-39&r=tre |
| By: | Matthias Fripp (University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO)) |
| Abstract: | This report outlines the effect that electric vehicles could have on the cost of transport and electricity production in the context of a 100% renewable power system (RPS). Results presented here were produced using the SWITCH power system planning model, configured to choose a least-cost plan to achieve 100% renewable power on Oahu by 2045, subject to a 5% limit on biofuel usage. |
| Date: | 2017–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hae:wpaper:2017-3&r=tre |
| By: | Alexandrov, Alexei; Pittman, Russell; Ukhaneva, Olga |
| Abstract: | Monopolists selling complementary products charge a higher price in a static equilibrium than a single multiproduct monopolist would, reducing both the industry profits and consumer surplus. However, firms could instead reach a Pareto improvement by lowering prices to the single monopolist level. We analyze administrative nationally-representative pricing data of railroad coal shipping in the U.S. We compare a coal producer that needs to ship from A to C,with the route passing through B, in two cases: (1) the same railroad owning AB and BC and (2) different railroads owning AB and BC. We find no price difference between the two cases, suggesting that the complementary monopolist pricing inefficiency is absent in this market. For our main analysis, we use a specification used by previous literature; however, we confirm our findings using propensity score blocking and machine learning algorithms. Finally, we confirm the results by using a difference-in-differences analysis to gauge the impact of a merger that made two routes wholly-owned (switched from case 2 to case 1). Our results have implications for royalty stacking and patent thickets, vertical mergers, tragedy of anti-commons, and mergers of firms selling complements. |
| Keywords: | Vertical mergers, complementary products mergers, railroads, end-to-end mergers, royalty stacking, patent thickets, Cournot, Coase |
| JEL: | D43 K21 L42 L92 O31 |
| Date: | 2017–03–20 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:78249&r=tre |
| By: | Buchheim, Lukas; Watzinger, Martin |
| Abstract: | We estimate the causal impact of a sizable German infrastructure investment program on employment at the county level. The program focused on improving the energy efficiency of school buildings, making it possible to use the number of schools as an instrument for investments. We find that the program was effective, creating one job for one year for each €25’000 of investments. The employment gains reached their peak after nine months and dropped to zero quickly after the program’s completion. The reductions in unemployment amounted to two-thirds of the job creation, and employment grew predominately in the construction and non-tradable industries |
| Keywords: | Infrastructure Investments; Job Creation; Employment Dynamics; Countercyclical Fiscal Policy |
| JEL: | E24 E62 H72 J23 |
| Date: | 2017–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lmu:muenec:34877&r=tre |