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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Fitch, Dillon PhD; Mohiuddin, Hossain; Handy, Susan PhD |
| Abstract: | Cities throughout the world have implemented bike-share systems as a strategy for expanding mobility options. While these have attracted substantial ridership, little is known about their influence on travel behavior more broadly. The aim of this study was to examine how shared electric bikes (e-bikes) and e-scooters influence individual travel attitudes and behavior, and related outcomes of physical activity and transportation equity. The study involved a survey in the greater Sacramento area of 1959 households before (Spring 2016) and 988 after (Spring 2019) the Summer 2018 implementation of the e-bike and e-scooterservice operated by Jump, Inc., as well as a direct survey of 703 e-bike users (in Fall 2018 & Spring 2019). Among householdrespondents, 3–13% reported having used the service. Of e-bike share trips, 35% substituted for car travel, 30% substituted for walking, and 5% were used to connect to transit. Before- and after-household surveys indicated a slight decrease in self-reported (not objectively measured) median vehicle miles traveled and slight positive shifts in attitudes towards bicycling. Service implementation was associated with minimal changes in health in terms of physical activity and numbers of collisions. The percentages of users by self-reported student status, race, and income suggest a fairly equitable service distribution by these parameters, but each survey under-represents racial minorities and people with low incomes. Therefore, the study is inconclusive about how this service impacts those most in need. Furthermore, aggregated socio-demographics of areas where trips started or ended did not correlate with, and therefore are not reliable indicators of, the socio-demographics of e-bike-share users. Thus, targeted surveying of racial minorities and people with low-incomes is needed to understand bike-share equity. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Bicycles, vehicle sharing, electric vehicles, shared mobility, travel behavior, travel surveys, demographics, e-scooters, electric bicycles |
| Date: | 2020–03–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt2x53m37z&r=all |
| By: | Sanguinetti, Angela; Kurani, Ken |
| Abstract: | Electrification of transportation network companies (TNCs; e.g., Uber and Lyft) presents a path for reduced emissions as well as potential benefits to drivers via reduced costs for fueling and vehicle maintenance. This report describes 732 TNC PEV drivers in the United States in terms of their demographic characteristics, motivations for driving PEVs on TNCs, charging patterns, and ideas to improve the experience of driving PEVs on TNCs. Greater understanding of these early adopters can inform strategies to promote further adoption. The economic benefits of fuel and maintenance savings associated with PEVs featured in drivers’ reported motivations for PEV adoption. Most BEV and PHEV drivers reported charging their PEV every day, most often at home and overnight, and most were willing to charge once or more while actively driving on TNCs. A large cluster of TNC PEV drivers reported predominately using public DC fast charging, indicating a heavy reliance on public charging infrastructure. Range limitations topped the list of reasons why PHEV drivers did not opt for a BEV, and increased range topped the list of PEV drivers’ wishes to better support PEVs on TNCs. The next most common wish was for more charger locations. The third and fourth ranked wishes were financial bonuses for trip targets and more pre-trip information, which are more exclusively under the control of TNCs. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, electric vehicle, adoption, ride-hailing, ride-sharing, transportation network company |
| Date: | 2020–03–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt1203t5fj&r=all |
| By: | Anna Kowalska-Pyzalska; Joanna Kott; Marek Kott |
| Abstract: | A holistic approach regarding the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) of the sector of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) in Poland, with particular regard to passenger electric vehicles (EVs), has been proposed to explore and evaluate the current state and to propose some future actions lines towards sustainable development in transportation. The most important problems faced currently by the Polish EVs market include unstable and unclear regulations that may discourage both: producers and buyers from engaging in this market segment. Secondly, the much higher prices of EVs in comparison to the conventional vehicles together with many unsolved issues with the batteries and charging stations belong to the most significant barriers of adoption. The formulated portfolio of actions towards enabling sustainable development of transportation in the segment of passenger vehicles proposes the implementation of mini-maxi strategy that would minimize the current weaknesses by maximizing the potential opportunities of the market. |
| Keywords: | e-mobility; sustainable transport; electric vehicles; plug-in electric vehicles; hybrid electric vehicles; policy regulations; SWOT analysis |
| JEL: | D40 L10 L88 L91 L94 L98 |
| Date: | 2020–03–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ahh:wpaper:worms2004&r=all |
| By: | Alemi, Farzad; Rodier, Caroline |
| Abstract: | Increasing transit use has many benefits, including reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, riders need to be able to get to a station in order to use transit. Walking is an option only for those within a limited radius of a station. Driving to a station may be feasible for some, but providing sufficient parking can be expensive and land intensive. The rise of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft presents a new opportunity for bridging the “first-mile” gap to high quality transit. Transit agencies are beginning to launch pilot projects to test public-private partnerships with ride-hailing companies to increase access to transit. This policy brief summarizes findings from researchers at UC Davis who used existing modeling tools and data to understand the potential market demand for a first-mile transit access service in the San Francisco Bay Area. They modeled the likelihood of commuters who drive alone to switch to using ride-hailing and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) rail system to get to work based on travel time, cost, and distance to a BART station. They explored the magnitude of change in overall travel time and cost for travelers who switch from driving alone to using ride-hailing and BART, as well as potential changes to vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and GHG emissions at both the regional and station level. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Accessibility, Choice models, Public transit, Ridership, Ridesharing, Ridesourcing, Simulation, Travel costs, Travel demand, Vehicle miles of travel |
| Date: | 2020–03–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt6sj207js&r=all |
| By: | Dimitrios Tsiotas; Konstantinos Raptopoulos |
| Abstract: | This article studies the Greek interregional commuting network (GRN) by using measures and methods of complex network analysis and empirical techniques. The study aims to detect structural characteristics of the commuting phenomenon, which are configured by the functionality of the land transport infrastructures, and to interpret how this network serves and promotes the regional development. In the empirical analysis, a multiple linear regression model for the number of commuters is constructed, which is based on the conceptual framework of the term network, in effort to promote the interdisciplinary dialogue. The analysis highlights the effect of the spatial constraints on the network's structure, provides information on the major road transport infrastructure projects that constructed recently and influenced the country capacity, and outlines a gravity pattern describing the commuting phenomenon, which expresses that cities of high population attract large volumes of commuting activity within their boundaries, a fact that contributes to the reduction of their outgoing commuting and consequently to the increase of their inbound productivity. Overall, this paper highlights the effectiveness of complex network analysis in the modeling of spatial and particularly of transportation network and promotes the use of the network paradigm in the spatial and regional research. |
| Date: | 2020–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2003.08096&r=all |
| By: | Rodier, Caroline; Jaller, Miguel; Pourrahmani, Elham; Pahwa, Anmol; Bischoff, Joschka; Freedman, Joel |
| Abstract: | Researchers at UC Davis explored what an automated vehicle future in the San Francisco Bay Area might look like by simulating: 1) A 100% personal automated vehicle future and its effects on travel and greenhouse emissions. 2) The introduction of an automated taxi service with plausible per-mile fares and its effects on conventional personal vehicle and transit travel. The researchers used the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s activity-based travel demand model (MTC-ABM) and MATSim, an agent-based transportation model, to carry out the simulations. This policy brief summarizes the results, which provide insight into the relative benefits of each service and automated vehicle technology and the potential market for these services. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Intelligent vehicles, Multi-agent systems, Multimodal transportation, Public transit, Ridesharing, Simulation, Traffic simulation, Travel behavior, Travel demand, Value of time |
| Date: | 2020–03–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt4sf2n6rs&r=all |
| By: | Dimitrios Tsiotas; Martha Geraki; Spyros Niavis |
| Abstract: | This article attempts to highlight the importance that transportation has in the economic development of Greece and in particular the importance of the transportation infrastructure and transportation networks, which suggest a fixed structured capital covering the total of the country. For this purpose, longitudinal and cross-sectoral statistical data are examined over a set of fundamental macroeconomic measures and metrics. Furthermore, the study attempts to highlight the structural and functional aspects composing the concept of transportation networks and to highlight the necessity of their joint consideration on the relevant research. The transportation networks that are examined in this paper are the Greek road (GRN), rail (GRAN), maritime (GMN) and air transport network (GAN), which are studied both in terms of their geometry and technical characteristics, as well as of their historical, traffic and political framework. For the empirical assessment of the transportation networks importance in Greece an econometric model is constructed, expressing the welfare level of the Greek regions as a multivariate function of their transportation infrastructure and of their socioeconomic environment. The further purpose of the article is to highlight, macroscopically, all the aspects related the study of transportation infrastructure and networks. |
| Date: | 2020–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2003.08094&r=all |
| By: | Pike, Susan; Pilatwosky Gruner, Raiza |
| Abstract: | This study investigates how stakeholders throughout California view the potential impacts of ridehailing services, such as Uber or Lyft, on transportation systems, and how to address such impacts. The stakeholders surveyed included city planning agencies, regional transportation planning agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, state agencies, ridehailing service providers, interest groups, and non-profits. Ridehailing is one of several emerging shared use mobility alternatives, poised to impact transportation systems, for better or worse. For better, if these new services catalyze the development and maturation of well-integrated multi-model transportation systems that serve all travelers and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and transportation emissions. For worse, if these new services serve merely as a less expensive taxi, allowing more people to forego alternative modes of transportation like public transit and biking, thereby leading to increases in VMT, emissions, and congestion. The high degree of uncertainty surrounding the impacts of these services presents challenges to stakeholders involved in transportation planning and policy making. Through interviews, the researchers investigated the viewpoints of 42 transportation stakeholders throughout the state of California. They find that the diversity of interviewees is reflected in the sentiments they have about ridehailing, what issues are important and potential obstacles to achieving positive outcomes. Nonetheless, interviewees agree that regulations should balance local control with state level guidance. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, ridesourcing, transportation network companies, ridehailing, transportation planning |
| Date: | 2020–03–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt6q1382xd&r=all |
| By: | Emanuele Ciani; Guido de Blasio; Samuele Poy |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the impact of the freeway “Salerno-Reggio Calabria” on long-term local economic development. Built between 1962 and 1974, the freeway connected the southernmost region of the Italian peninsula (Calabria) to the national highway network. According to the original plan, the freeway could have been built along three different routes. The final choice was mostly influenced by powerful politicians who lobbied in favor of the path crossing their constituency (the town of Cosenza). In a dif-in-dif framework, we compare the growth of “inconsequentially” treated municipalities – traversed only because they lie on the route connecting Cosenza – with the one of municipalities on the two discarded paths. Our results suggest that the freeway caused a significant reorganization of both economic activity and population from untreated to treated locations. At the same time, the infrastructure does not seem to have helped the convergence of the overall region |
| Keywords: | highways, transport infrastructure, local development |
| JEL: | H54 R12 R42 |
| Date: | 2020–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:usi:wpaper:820&r=all |
| By: | Burke, Andrew; Sinha, Anish Kumar |
| Abstract: | The objective of this study is to project the introduction of battery-electric and fuel cell technologies into the medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicle markets and to identify which markets will be most suitable for each of technologies and the factors (technical, economic, operational) which will be most critical to their successful introduction. The use of renewable energy sources to generate electricity and produce hydrogen are key considerations of the analysis. The present status of the battery-electric and hydrogen/fuel cell technologies are reviewed in detail and the futures of these technologies are projected. The design and performance of various types of buses and trucks are described based on detailed simulations of the various electrified vehicles. The total cost of ownership (TCO) of each bus/truck type were calculated using EXCEL spreadsheets and their market prospects projected for 2020-2040. It was concluded that before any of the electrified vehicles can be cost competitive with the corresponding diesel powered vehicle, the unit cost of batteries must be $80-100/kWh and the unit cost of the fuel cell system must be $80-100/kW. The long term economics of battery-electric buses and trucks looks more favorable than that for the fuel cell/hydrogen option if the range requirement (miles) for the vehicle can be met using batteries. This is primarily due to the significantly lower energy operating cost ($/mi) using electricity than hydrogen. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Battery-electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, trucks, buses, sustainable fueling, hydrogen storage and production |
| Date: | 2020–03–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt7s25d8bc&r=all |
| By: | Dimitrios Tsiotas |
| Abstract: | This article studies the interregional Greek road network (GRN) by applying complex network analysis (CNA) and an empirical approach. The study aims to extract the socioeconomic information immanent to the GRN's topology and to interpret the way in which this road network serves and promotes the regional development. The analysis shows that the topology of the GRN is submitted to spatial constraints, having lattice-like characteristics. Also, the GRN's structure is described by a gravity pattern, where places of higher population enjoy greater functionality, and its interpretation in regional terms illustrates the elementary pattern expressed by regional development through road construction. The study also reveals some interesting contradictions between the metropolitan and non-metropolitan (excluding Attica and Thessaloniki) comparison. Overall, the article highlights the effectiveness of using complex network analysis in the modeling of spatial networks and in particular of transportation systems and promotes the use of the network paradigm in the spatial and regional research. |
| Date: | 2020–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2003.08091&r=all |
| By: | Kathrin Goldmann (Institute of Transport Economics, Muenster); Gernot Sieg (Institute of Transport Economics, Muenster) |
| Abstract: | When tra |
| Keywords: | hypercongestion, congestion costs, stochastic capacity, phantom jams, external costs |
| JEL: | L91 R41 |
| Date: | 2020–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mut:wpaper:30&r=all |