nep-tre New Economics Papers
on Transport Economics
Issue of 2018‒10‒15
seventeen papers chosen by
Erik Teodoor Verhoef
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

  1. Monitoring the economic and development impact of Gold Coast Light Rail By Tanja Tyvimaa; MD Kamruzzaman
  2. Evolution of Technology for Commercial Vehicle Safety By Peter Sweatman
  3. Sustainability impacts of mode shift scenarios on major European corridors By Sieber, Niklas; Doll, Claus; Van Hassel, Edwin; Köhler, Jonathan; Vaneslander, Thierry
  4. Evaluating Large Projects when there are Substitutes: Looking for Possible Shortcuts By Per-Olov Johansson; Ginés de Rus
  5. Maritime, air traffics and economic growth in Togo By Palakiyem Kpemoua
  6. Distributional Effects of Public Transport Subsidies By Börjesson, Maria; Eliasson, Jonas; Rubensson, Isak
  7. Public transport proximity impact on property value. Evidences from Bucharest residential market By Sandra Vieira Gomes; Costin Ciora; Ion Anghel
  8. The Making of the Modern Metropolis: Evidence from London By Stephan Heblich; Stephen J. Redding; Daniel M. Sturm
  9. Competition, collusion and spatial sales patterns: Theory and evidence By Hunold, Matthias; Hüschelrath, Kai; Laitenberger, Ulrich; Muthers, Johannes
  10. Agglomeration, productivity and the role of transport system improvements By Börjesson, Maria; Isacsson, Gunnar; Andersson, Matts; Anderstig, Christer
  11. Influence of introducing high speed railways on intercity travel behavior in Vietnam By Tho V. Le; Junyi Zhang; Makoto Chikaraishi; Akimasa Fujiwara
  12. Infrastructure Investment in the Western Balkans: A First Analysis By Mario Holzner; Monika Schwarzhappel
  13. Effect of timetable change on job accessibility By Hao Wu; David Levinson
  14. Selectivity correction in discrete-continuous models for the willingness to work as crowd-shippers and travel time tolerance By Tho V. Le; Satish V. Ukkusuri
  15. The Ecological Footprint of Transportation Infrastructure By Asher, Sam; Garg, Teevrat; Novosad, Paul
  16. Travel Cost and Dropout from Secondary Schools in Nepal By Sabal Sharma; David Levinson
  17. "Coastal shipping and transport change in England and Wales, 1680-1830" By Oliver Dunn

  1. By: Tanja Tyvimaa; MD Kamruzzaman
    Abstract: Over the past 50 years the Gold Coast has developed from a quiet holiday destination to an international city of 580,000 residents and over 13 million annual visitors. The G:Link light rail system began operating in July 2014 and has changed the way people move around the city. The light rail is not only transformational piece of infrastructure but it delivers wider benefits to the community. A significant increase in mixed use developments is occurring within a number of centres along the light rail corridor delivering economic benefits to the city. However, concerns have been recently raised that the light rail and associated changes to the transport network are negatively impacting on businesses within Surfers Paradise area. Surfers Paradise Boulevard functioned as a two way access road until the northbound travel lane was removed in 2014 to facilitate construction of stage 1 of the light rail. Southbound traffic volumes along the Boulevard have reduced significantly, from approximately 7,200 vehicles per day before light rail construction to approximately 4,100 vehicles per day post light rail construction. This study examines the economic impacts of the Gold Coast Light Rail on businesses in Surfers Paradise area. The property values, vacancy rates and numbers of visitors are analysed to undertake a trend analysis of property developments and identify any relationship between business sustainability and the transport network changes. Key findings from the existing literature are applied to the Surfers Paradise context and drawn conclusions about short and long term impacts of the light rail.
    Keywords: light rail; Property Values; transport
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2018–01–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2018_306&r=tre
  2. By: Peter Sweatman (CAVita LLC)
    Abstract: Heavy commercial vehicle technology for safety has developed in capability and application and is having a positive impact on truck safety. And the potential for further safety improvements is exciting. We wish to place the evolution of such technology in perspective with related developments for light vehicles and the rapid convergence of a number of transformational technologies in transportation. These technologies affect vehicles, drivers and infrastructure, and are now having a much broader impact on adjacent industries and new “disruptive” entrants in the transportation sector. Transformational technologies under consideration include connected vehicles (CVs) and automated vehicles (AVs), as well as shared mobility (SM), smart cities and communities (SCCs), alternative-fuel vehicles (AFVs) and big data analytics. As heavy vehicle technologies move beyond Advanced Collision Avoidance Systems (ACAS) towards connected and automated vehicles (CAV), it is important to consider contextual issues that apply to freight vehicles very differently from light vehicles. It is hoped that the roundtable will shed light on the way forward for the heavy vehicle sector in its own technological right. CV is more significant for heavy commercial vehicles than for light vehicles because the organized nature of heavy vehicle operations benefits more from connectivity. Fleets have an important role to play in deploying the technology, engaging with smart cities and communities, establishing connected corridors and precincts, and developing new accommodations for heavy vehicles, including signal priority and truck parking. AV for heavy commercial vehicles offers immediate benefits in terms of automated features that assist drivers. Automated features that support or relieve the heavy vehicle driver in well-defined circumstances will play an important role in advancement of the freight industry. Some significant uncertainties need to be navigated before highly-automated vehicles (HAVs) play an important role for heavy vehicles.
    Date: 2017–08–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2017/14-en&r=tre
  3. By: Sieber, Niklas; Doll, Claus; Van Hassel, Edwin; Köhler, Jonathan; Vaneslander, Thierry
    Abstract: This publication is one of nine working papers compiled within the study "Low Carbon Rail Freight Corridors for Europe" (LowCarb-RFC). The LowCarb-RFC study concentrates on ways for de-carbonising long-distance freight transport along major European corridors as this sector is among the most stead-ily growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, and which is most difficult to address by renewable energies and other standard climate mitigation measures in transport. This paper starts by elaborating an appropriate impacts assessment scheme, which is then applied to the transport model results for the LowCarb-RFC scenarios Pro Rail and Pro Road. [...]
    Date: 2018
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fisisi:s172018&r=tre
  4. By: Per-Olov Johansson; Ginés de Rus
    Abstract: This paper discusses how to evaluate a large project when there is a substitute. The new large project causes discrete price adjustments in the substitute market. For example, a new high-speed rail may shift the demand curve for flight tickets to the left and reduce their price, in turn shifting the demand curve for train tickets to the left. There are several different ways to handle this complication, and we hopefully provide some guidance how to proceed. In particular, we point at an approach that captures the general equilibrium effects of a considered project in its output market. In theory at least, this approach provides a simple shortcut in cost–benefit analysis of (infrastructure and other) projects that are so large that they have a noticeable impact on equilibrium prices in other markets. A similar shortcut for transport projects that affect time costs is also supplied.
    Date: 2018–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fda:fdaddt:2018-12&r=tre
  5. By: Palakiyem Kpemoua (Université de Lomé - Université de Lomé)
    Abstract: The objective of this study is to empirically evaluate the impacts of maritime traffic of goods and passenger air traffic on Togo's long-run economic growth. The empirical methodology used is based on the Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) approach proposed by Stock and Watson (1993), based on two log-quadratic models and based on cointegration techniques. The estimates use annual data for the periods 1960-2014 and 1970-2001, respectively. The empirical findings reveal two fundamental conclusions: the impact of maritime freight traffic is negative while that of air passenger traffic is positive on economic growth, all weak and significant in the long-run; furthermore the impact of maritime freight traffic is not suitable for a national level and the destination Togo is not very attractive. Such results raise the question of operational efficiency, the management of port and airport infrastructures as well as the level of Togo's exports, which are inextricably linked to economic policy.
    Abstract: L'objectif de cette étude est d'évaluer empiriquement les impacts des trafics maritime de marchandises et aérien de passagers sur la croissance économique togolaise à long terme. La méthodologie empirique utilisée est basée sur l'approche Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) proposée par Stock et Watson (1993), à partir de deux modèles log-quadratiques et s'appuyant sur des techniques de cointégration. Les estimations portent respectivement sur les périodes 1960-2014 et 1970-2001. Les résultats permettent de dégager deux conclusions fondamentales : d'une part l'impact du trafic maritime de marchandises est négatif alors que celui du trafic aérien de passagers est positif sur la croissance économique, tous faibles et significatifs à long terme ; d'autre part l'étude de l'impact du trafic maritime de marchandises convient à un niveau autre que national, et que la destination Togo n'est pas très attractive. De tels résultats conduisent donc à s'interroger sur l'efficacité opérationnelle, la gestion des infrastructures portuaire et aéroportuaire ainsi que le niveau des exportations du Togo, ceux-ci étant indissociables de la politique économique. Abstract The objective of this study is to empirically evaluate the impacts of maritime traffic of goods and passenger air traffic on Togo's long-run economic growth. The empirical methodology used is based on the Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) approach proposed by Stock and Watson (1993), based on two log-quadratic models and based on cointegration techniques. The estimates use annual data for the periods 1960-2014 and 1970-2001, respectively. The empirical findings reveal two fundamental conclusions: the impact of maritime freight traffic is negative while that of air passenger traffic is positive on economic growth, all weak and significant in the long-run; furthermore the impact of maritime freight traffic is not suitable for a national level and the destination Togo is not very attractive. Such results raise the question of operational efficiency, the management of port and airport infrastructures as well as the level of Togo's exports, which are inextricably linked to economic policy.
    Keywords: corridors,Mots-Clés : Infrastructures,croissance économique,cointegration,H54,Togo Classification JEL: C32,Togo JEL Codes : C32,E62,H54 Keywords: Infrastructure,economic growth
    Date: 2018–09–15
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-01874954&r=tre
  6. By: Börjesson, Maria (CTS - Centre for Transport Studies Stockholm (KTH and VTI)); Eliasson, Jonas (Stockholm City Transport Administration); Rubensson, Isak (KTH and Stockholm Public Transport Agency)
    Abstract: We analyse the distribution of transit subsidies across population groups in Stockholm. We develop a novel methodology that takes into account that the subsidy per passenger varies across transit links, since production costs and load factors vary. With this, we calculate the subsidy per trip in the transit network and analyse the distribution of subsidies across population groups. The average subsidy rate in Stockholm is 44%, but the variation across trips turns out to be large: while 34% of the trips are not subsidized at all but generates a profit, 16% of the trips have a subsidy rate higher than 2/3. We calculate the concentration index to explore the distribution of subsidies across income groups. The average subsidy per person is similar for all income groups, except for the top income quintile. This holds not only for the current flat-fare system, but also for distance-based fares and fares with a constant subsidy rate. Transit subsidies is hence not effective as a redistribution policy in Stockholm. The largest systematic variation we find is across residential areas: the average subsidy per person is five times higher in the peripheral areas of the region compared to the regional core, and the subsidy per trip is ten times higher.
    Keywords: Public Transport; Subsidies; Equity; Progressive; Distribution effect; Concentration index
    JEL: R12 R41 R42
    Date: 2018–10–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:ctswps:2018_017&r=tre
  7. By: Sandra Vieira Gomes; Costin Ciora; Ion Anghel
    Abstract: Transport plays a crucial role in urban development by providing access for people to education, markets, employment, recreation, health care and other key services. Cities which prioritize public transport and non-motorized modes are considered at the top of surveys measuring urban quality of life. Concerns over the quality of life have spread to the growing use of active transportation modes, and as so, proximity to the public transportation system is highly valued. The relationship between public transport accessibility and residential land value is the subject of many recent researches. A house located near public transports will tend to be sold at higher prices. This is due to the convenience that public transportation brings to its influence area, enabling quick access to the network and reduced travel times. However, some studies have found that this proximity can induce adverse effects on property values.The main concern of this paper is to address the importance of a public transport subway system in urban areas, and to analyse the effect of housing distance to stations has in real estate prices.A geocoded database integrated in a geographical information system was used, containing information on housing unit’s sales from Bucharest, Romania, between 2013 and 2017. This system allowed analysing and exploring all data characteristics. The effect of housing distance to stations has in real estate prices was obtained through statistical modelling procedures, developed within an R software environment.
    Keywords: Accessibility; Bucharest; Metro; Public Transport; Residential pricing
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2018–01–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2018_108&r=tre
  8. By: Stephan Heblich; Stephen J. Redding; Daniel M. Sturm
    Abstract: Modern metropolitan areas involve large concentrations of economic activity and the transport of millions of people each day between their residence and workplace. We use the revolution in transport technology from the invention of steam railways, newly-constructed spatially-disaggregated data for London from 1801-1921, and a quantitative urban model to provide evidence on the role of these commuting flows in supporting such concentrations of economic activity. Steam railways dramatically reduced travel times and permitted the first large-scale separation of workplace and residence. We show that our model is able to account for the observed changes in the organization of economic activity, both qualitatively and quantitatively. In counterfactuals, we find that removing the entire railway network reduces the population and the value of land and buildings in Greater London by 20 percent or more, and brings down commuting into the City of London from more than 370,000 to less than 60,000 workers.
    JEL: O18 R12 R40
    Date: 2018–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25047&r=tre
  9. By: Hunold, Matthias; Hüschelrath, Kai; Laitenberger, Ulrich; Muthers, Johannes
    Abstract: This article studies competition in markets with transport costs and capacity constraints. We compare the outcomes of price competition and coordination in a theoretical model and find that when firms compete, they more often serve more distant customers who are closer to the competitor's plant. If firms compete, the transport distance also varies in the degree of overcapacity, but not if they coordinate their sales. Using a rich micro-level data set of the cement industry in Germany, we study a cartel breakdown to identify the effect of competition on transport distances. Our econometric analyses support the theoretical predictions.
    Keywords: capacity constraints,cartel,cement,spatial competition,transport costs
    JEL: K21 L11 L41 L61
    Date: 2018
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:dicedp:302&r=tre
  10. By: Börjesson, Maria (CTS - Centre for Transport Studies Stockholm (KTH and VTI)); Isacsson, Gunnar (Swedish Transport Administraton); Andersson, Matts (WSP); Anderstig, Christer (WSP)
    Abstract: We explore how the transport improvements impact agglomeration and thereby productivity in mid-Sweden including Stockholm 1995-2006. We measure agglomeration, and changes in agglomeration in response to transport improvements, based on travel times. This is a more accurate measure of agglomeration than previously used and also necessary for understanding how governments can impact agglomeration, and thereby productivity, by transport investments. We regress temporal changes in wages on temporal changes in agglomeration applying a FE estimator. We deal with the potential endogeneity using a novel instrument variable. Our best estimates of the agglomeration elasticity on productivity lie within the interval 0.028-0.035.
    Keywords: Agglomeration; wage; productivity; Transport investments; Wider Economic Impacts; Appraisal
    JEL: R12 R41 R42
    Date: 2018–10–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:ctswps:2018_016&r=tre
  11. By: Tho V. Le; Junyi Zhang; Makoto Chikaraishi; Akimasa Fujiwara
    Abstract: It is one of hottest topics in Vietnam whether to construct a High Speed Rail (HSR) system or not in near future. To analyze the impacts of introducing the HSR on the intercity travel behavior, this research develops an integrated intercity demand forecasting model to represent trip generation and frequency, destination choice and travel mode choice behavior. For this purpose, a comprehensive questionnaire survey with both Revealed Preference (RP) information (an inter-city trip diary) and Stated Preference (SP) information was conducted in Hanoi in 2011. In the SP part, not only HSR, but also Low Cost Carrier is included in the choice set, together with other existing inter-city travel modes. To make full use of the advantages of each type of data and to overcome their disadvantages, RP and SP data are combined to describe the destination choice and mode choice behavior, while trip generation and frequency are represented by using the RP data. The model estimation results show the inter-relationship between trip generation and frequency, destination choice and travel mode choice, and confirm that those components should not dealt with separately.
    Date: 2018–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:1810.00155&r=tre
  12. By: Mario Holzner (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw); Monika Schwarzhappel (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)
    Abstract: This study provides a first analysis of the recent development in infrastructure investment in the Western Balkans. It identifies infrastructure gaps as well as key infrastructure initiatives in the region, outlines the political dimension and provides the respective detailed infrastructure investment data as collected from the Western Balkans statistical offices. The Western Balkans are a good case study also for other regions in the EU neighbourhood that have similar developmental problems. It teaches that (i) intensity of involvement is important; (ii) the composition of the funds matters; (iii) infrastructure funding will not automatically lead to more political cooperation; (iv) infrastructure development funds can also be used as a sort of reward for more political cooperation. These principles could be applied in the EU’s neighbourhood policy for the Eastern Partnership countries as well as the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership countries, according to the local requirements.
    Keywords: Infrastructure investment, transport infrastructure, energy infrastructure, Western Balkans
    JEL: H54 L92 Q41
    Date: 2018–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wii:rpaper:rr:432&r=tre
  13. By: Hao Wu; David Levinson (TransportLab, School of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney)
    Abstract: Accessibility is often not a performance measure for transit services. This study is conducted following the introduction of new timetables which intended to improve passenger throughput for Sydney’s transit services, but resulted in major delays experienced by passengers thereafter. Accessibility at 30-minute travel threshold before and after the timetable change are calculated between 8 to 9 am, to measure accessibility benefits, if any, from the new timetable. The results show a lack of systematic improvement by the new table, and downgrade of accessibility on average. The overall person-weighted accessibility dropped by 3%, from 45,070 to 43,730, and 63.3% of the population’s access to jobs would be adversely affected after its implementation. This study advocates for the inclusion of accessibility metrics into transit performance measures to connect with people who use transit.
    Keywords: transit scheduling, Sydney, accessibility, transit timetable, public transport
    JEL: R42 L92 O18
    Date: 2018
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nex:wpaper:timetables&r=tre
  14. By: Tho V. Le; Satish V. Ukkusuri
    Abstract: The objective of this study is to understand the different behavioral considerations that govern the choice of people to engage in a crowd-shipping market. Using novel data collected by the researchers in the US, we develop discrete-continuous models. A binary logit model has been used to estimate crowd-shippers' willingness to work, and an ordinary least-square regression model has been employed to calculate crowd-shippers' maximum tolerance for shipping and delivery times. A selectivity-bias term has been included in the model to correct for the conditional relationships of the crowd-shipper's willingness to work and their maximum travel time tolerance. The results show socio-demographic characteristics (e.g. age, gender, race, income, and education level), transporting freight experience, and number of social media usages significant influence the decision to participate in the crowd-shipping market. In addition, crowd-shippers pay expectations were found to be reasonable and concurrent with the literature on value-of-time. Findings from this research are helpful for crowd-shipping companies to identify and attract potential shippers. In addition, an understanding of crowd-shippers - their behaviors, perceptions, demographics, pay expectations, and in which contexts they are willing to divert from their route - are valuable to the development of business strategies such as matching criteria and compensation schemes for driver-partners.
    Date: 2018–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:1810.00985&r=tre
  15. By: Asher, Sam; Garg, Teevrat; Novosad, Paul
    Keywords: International Development, Natural Resource Economics, Environmental and Nonmarket Valuation
    Date: 2018–06–20
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea18:274246&r=tre
  16. By: Sabal Sharma; David Levinson (TransportLab, School of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney)
    Abstract: The study relates the association between travel time to the lower secondary and secondary public schools of Nepal and the dropout grade before leaving secondary school using an ordered logit model. It is shown that as the travel time to the school increases, students are more likely to dropout from the school system in earlier grades. The results from this study will be useful to policymakers, especially from developing countries, as it places transport in the context of education.
    Keywords: Education, Transport, Nepal, Dropout, Travel Behaviour
    JEL: R40 O18 O20 R20 I24 I25
    Date: 2018
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nex:wpaper:nepal&r=tre
  17. By: Oliver Dunn (University of Cambridge)
    JEL: N00
    Date: 2017–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehs:wpaper:17021&r=tre

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