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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Ioannou, Petros; Giuliano, Genevieve; Dessouky, Maged; Chen, Pengfei; Dexter, Sue |
| Abstract: | The current freight transportation network is highly unbalanced as routing decisions are made by individual users without coordination. Certain routes may become congested when chosen based on current traffic information without any anticipation that if other users do the same, these routes are no longer the best. This project developed a centrally coordinated load balancing system that considers all user demands and generates individual routes that balance freight loads across the network by minimizing cost. It is initially assumed that all vehicles are diesel and then gradually increases zero emissions vehicles such as electric trucks for a mixed fleet of trucks. The electric trucks add additional constraints due to limitation of range and charging time of batteries. As the number of electric trucks increases, the emissions reduce as expected; however, the cost of charging does not make their use less operational costly than the corresponding diesel trucks. The experiments show that for electric trucks to compete with diesel, charging should occur when drivers are off duty or in idle mode since the cost of charging is mainly due to the labor cost of the waiting driver. Several simulation experiments show the benefits of deploying electric trucks in a freight fleet with respect to environment and operational cost, provided charging is scheduled appropriately. It is shown that the proposed centrally coordinated load balancing system can easily incorporate different concepts such as the empty container re-use where the exchange of containers between users can be optimized to reduce empty trips. In order to better understand the implementation issues of a load balancing system, the report also includes results from interviews of individuals responsible for trucking operations in the Los Angeles region. All interviewed trucking companies are either drayage operations (hauling freight to and from ports or intermodal facilities) or short-haul operators that move goods between manufacturers, distribution center, and retail facilities. The answer for load balancing system varies between interviewees and it is recommended to follow an iterative fashion by first targeting trucking companies who already work collaboratively in associations and vertical markets. These clusters of firms have built working relationships, engage in communication, and have trust between members. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Load balancing of freight, zero emission vehicles, mixed fleet, diesel and electric trucks, empty container reuse |
| Date: | 2020–06–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt3ns4b894&r=all |
| By: | Habla, Wolfgang; Huwe, Vera; Kesternich, Martin |
| Abstract: | We use car-level micro data to provide empirical evidence on the usage of conventional and electric vehicles (EVs) in private and car sharing fleets in Germany. We shed light on both monetary and non-monetary barriers to EV adoption and usage by exploiting the feature that variable costs are identical for shared vehicles but different for private car owners across engine types. While drivers respond to monetary incentives when using conventional cars, this does not hold for EVs. We find that EVs are, on average, driven shorter distances than conventional vehicles, both in terms of annual and single-day mileage, even if costs are identical. We also document that car sharing intensifies the usage of conventional cars but not that of EVs. |
| Keywords: | electric vehicles,internal combustion engine vehicles,barriers to adoption,cruising range,driving patterns,car sharing,range limitations,range anxiety |
| JEL: | R41 D12 Q50 |
| Date: | 2020 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:20026&r=all |
| By: | Gøril L. Andreassen; Knut Einar Rosendahl |
| Abstract: | What factors determine whether it is optimal with one or more technologies in a decarbonized road transport sector, and what policies should governments choose? We investigate these questions theoretically and numerically through a static, partial equilibrium model for the road transport market. We find that two important factors that determine whether it will be and whether it should be one or more technologies are how close substitutes the two vehicle technologies are and the number of vehicles of the other technology. Our numerical results indicate that with two incompatible networks, two differentiated goods are optimal compared to only one if they are not too close substitutes. The first-best policy is a subsidy of the markup on charging and filling, where the markup is higher the higher the increased utility of more stations. In addition, to avoid an unwanted lock-in, a temporary stimulus may be needed to reach the stable equilibrium. |
| Keywords: | ndirect network effects, decarbonisation, climate policy, electric vehicles, hydrogen vehicles |
| JEL: | H23 L14 L91 Q58 |
| Date: | 2020 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_8298&r=all |
| By: | Hanming Fang (University of Pennsylvania); Long Wang (ShanghaiTech University); Yang Yang (The Chinese University of Hong Kong) |
| Abstract: | The entry of High-Speed Railways (HSR) represents a disruptive competition to air-lines, particularly for short- to medium-distance journeys. Utilizing a unique dataset that contains the details of all ?ights departing from Beijing to 113 domestic desti-nations in China since January 2009, we employ a di?erence-in-di?erences approach to examine the e?ects of HSR entry on the quality of service provided by airlines as proxied by their on-time performance, and to identify the channels through which competition leads to quality improvement. We document two main ?ndings. First, the competition from the entry of HSR leads to signi?cant reductions in the mean and variance of travel delays on the a?ected airline routes. Second, the reductions in departure delays–which are controlled mostly by airlines, and the duration of taxi-in time–which are controlled mostly by destination airports, are identi?ed as the main sources of the improvement in the airlines’ on-time performance. |
| Keywords: | Competition; Quality; Transportation; Airlines; High-speed Rail; On-time Performance |
| JEL: | L1 L91 O18 R4 |
| Date: | 2020–06–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pen:papers:20-022&r=all |
| By: | Nathan Delacrétaz; Bruno Lanz; Jeremy van Dijk |
| Abstract: | We document non-linear stock effects in the relationship linking emerging technology adoption and network infrastructure increments. We exploit 2010-2017 data covering nascent to mature electric vehicle (EV) markets across 422 Norwegian municipalities together with two complementary identification strategies: control function regressions of EV sales on flexible polynomials in the stock of charging stations and charging points, and synthetic control methods to quantify the impact of initial infrastructure provision in municipalities that previously had none. Our results are consistent with indirect network effects and the behavioral bias called "range anxiety", and support policies targeting early infrastructure provision to incentivize EV adoption. |
| Keywords: | Technology adoption; network externality; electric vehicles; charging infrastructure; two-sided markets; behavioral bias; range anxiety; environmental policy. |
| JEL: | L14 D62 L91 O33 Q48 Q55 Q58 |
| Date: | 2020–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:irn:wpaper:20-08&r=all |
| By: | Erich Muehlegger; David S. Rapson |
| Abstract: | The true net environmental benefit of an electric vehicle (EV) is measured relative to the vehicle that an EV buyer would have bought and driven had they not opted for an EV. This “counterfactual” vehicle cannot be observed, but its fuel economy can be estimated. We use quasi-experimental variation in a generous California EV subsidy program to show that buyers of EVs would have, on average, purchased relative fuel-efficient gasoline-powered cars had they not gone electric. The true incremental pollution abatement arising from the EV is thus substantially smaller when compared to this appropriate reference vehicle, as opposed to, say, the average new passenger car. |
| JEL: | Q48 Q52 Q58 R4 |
| Date: | 2020–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:27197&r=all |
| By: | Ding Wang; Brian Yueshuai He; Jingqin Gao; Joseph Y. J. Chow; Kaan Ozbay; Shri Iyer |
| Abstract: | The COVID-19 pandemic has affected travel behaviors and transportation system operations, and cities are grappling with what policies can be effective for a phased reopening shaped by social distancing. A baseline model was previously developed and calibrated for pre-COVID conditions as MATSim-NYC. A new COVID model is calibrated that represents travel behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic by recalibrating the population agendas to include work-from-home and re-estimating the mode choice model for MATSim-NYC to fit observed traffic and transit ridership data. Assuming the change in behavior exhibits inertia during reopening, we analyze the increase in car traffic due to the phased reopen plan guided by the state government of New York. Four reopening phases and two reopening scenarios (with and without transit capacity restrictions) are analyzed. A Phase 4 reopening with 100% transit capacity may only see as much as 73% of pre-COVID ridership and an increase in the number of car trips by as much as 142% of pre-pandemic levels. Limiting transit capacity to 50% would decrease transit ridership further from 73% to 64% while increasing car trips to as much as 143% of pre-pandemic levels. While the increase appears small, the impact on consumer surplus is disproportionately large due to already increased traffic congestion. Many of the trips also get shifted to other modes like micromobility. The findings imply that a transit capacity restriction policy during reopening needs to be accompanied by (1) support for micromobility modes, particularly in non-Manhattan boroughs, and (2) congestion alleviation policies that focus on reducing traffic in Manhattan, such as cordon-based pricing. |
| Date: | 2020–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2006.13368&r=all |
| By: | Matthew Turner; Gilles Duranton; Geetika Nagpal |
| Abstract: | Support for massive investments in transportation infrastructure, possibly with a change in the share of spending on transit, seems widespread. Such proposals are often motivated by the belief that our infrastructure is crumbling, that infrastructure causes economic growth, that current funding regimes disadvantage rural drivers at the expense of urban public transit, or that capacity expansions will reduce congestion. In fact, most US transportation infrastructure is not deteriorating and the existing scientific literature and does not show that infrastructure creates growth or reduces congestion. However, current annual expenditure on public transit buses exceeds that on interstate construction and maintenance. The evidence suggests the importance of an examination of how funding is allocated across modes but not of massive new expenditures. |
| JEL: | R1 R4 |
| Date: | 2020–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:27254&r=all |
| By: | Polinder, G.-J.; Cacchiani, V.; Schmidt, M.E.; Huisman, D. |
| Abstract: | We aim at constructing a timetable that minimizes average perceived passenger travel time, which, in addition to the in-train and transfer times, includes the adaption time (waiting time at the origin station). Adaption time minimization allows us to avoid strict frequency regularity constraints and, at the same time, to ensure regular connections between passengers’ origins and destinations. Besides considering safety restrictions (i.e., headway times, overtaking and crossing constraints), passenger routing, based on origin- destination demand pairs, must be taken into account when building the timetable. This problem can be modelled as an extension of a Periodic Event Scheduling Problem (PESP) formulation, but cannot be directly solved by a general-purpose solver for our real-size instances. In this paper, we propose a heuristic approach consisting of two phases that are executed iteratively. First, we solve a simplified timetabling model, and determine an ideal timetable that minimizes the average perceived passenger travel time but neglects safety restrictions. Then, a Lagrangian-based heuristic makes the timetable feasible by modifying train departure and arrival times as little as possible. The obtained feasible timetable is then evaluated to compute the resulting average perceived passenger travel time, and a feedback is sent to the Lagrangian-based heuristic so as to possibly improve the obtained timetable from the passenger perspective, while still respecting safety constraints. We have tested the proposed iterative heuristic approach on real-life instances of Netherlands Railways, showing that it converges to a feasible timetable very close to the ideal one. |
| Keywords: | public transportation planning, heuristic, integration of timetabling and, passenger routing, adaption time |
| Date: | 2020–06–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ems:eureri:127816&r=all |
| By: | Buchholz, Nicholas; Doval, Laura; Kastl, Jakub; Matejka, Filip; Salz, Tobias |
| Abstract: | We estimate valuations of time using detailed consumer choice data from a large European ride hail platform, where drivers bid on trips and consumers choose between a set of potential rides with different prices and waiting times. We estimate consumer demand as a function of prices and waiting times. While demand is responsive to both, price elasticities are on average four times higher than waiting-time elasticities. We show how these estimates can be mapped into values of time that vary by place, person, and time of day. Regarding variation within a day, the value of time during non-work hours is 16% lower than during work hours. Regarding the spatial dimension, our value of time measures are highly correlated both with real estate prices and urban GPS travel flows. We apply our measures to quantify the opportunity cost of traffic congestion in Prague, which we estimate at $483,000 per day. |
| Date: | 2020–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:14666&r=all |
| By: | Dessouky, Maged; Carvajal, Santiago; Yao, Siyuan |
| Abstract: | In today’s world, there is a significant amount of investigation regarding how to efficiently distribute loaded containers from the ports to the consignees. However, to fully maximize the process and become more environmentally friendly, one should also study how to allocate the empty containers created by these consignees. This is an essential part in the study of container movement since it balances out the load flow at each location. The problem of coordinating the container movement to reuse empty containers and lower truck miles is called the “Empty Container Problem”. In this work, the authors develop a scheduling assignment for loaded and empty containers that builds on earlier models but incorporates stochastic (random) future demand. Since this problem is meant to be solved daily and the solution implemented today affects tomorrow’s starting state, incorporating future demand is an important aspect. This report shows that the truck miles needed to satisfy the demand at all locations is reduced by about 4-7% when considering future stochastic demand as opposed to only considering today’s demand. Thus, leading to a cleaner and greener solution, creating less congestion and lowering the impact of freight movement on the environment. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Container Movement, Vehicle Routing, Stochastic Demand, Double Container Trucks |
| Date: | 2020–06–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt34c676k1&r=all |
| By: | Derrick Choe; Alexander Oettl; Robert Seamans |
| Abstract: | In this chapter we draw from existing literature and a range of statistics to describe economic, entrepreneurial and innovative activities in the transportation and warehousing sector of the U.S. economy. We suggest multiple avenues for future work, and argue for more research on the role of warehousing in particular. Recent trends suggest that the warehousing and storage subsector is experiencing rapid economic and technological changes, likely reflecting shifts in how consumers purchase goods. We also review several other recent innovations, including ride-sharing and autonomous vehicles, that are starting to affect this sector of the economy. |
| JEL: | L26 L90 O18 O30 R40 |
| Date: | 2020–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:27284&r=all |
| By: | Klotz, Richard (Department of Economics, Colgate University); Berazneva, Julia (Department of Economics, Colgate University) |
| Abstract: | We examine how behavioral adjustments by regulated vessels affect welfare outcomes of a local fuel sulfur standard targeting particulate matter pollution from maritime transport. Our analysis combines one-minute scale data of vessel locations with location-specific marginal damages to obtain voyage-level measures of welfare outcomes. Exploiting the introduction of California's Ocean-Going Vessel Fuel Rule, we find sharp reductions in fuel consumption in the regulated area and a considerable emission spillover in unregulated waters. Despite these adjustments, the rule generates net benefits of close to $1 billion over 29 months because the emission spillovers occur in low marginal damage areas. |
| Keywords: | local environmental policy, behavioral adjustments, local air pollution, emission control areas |
| JEL: | D62 L51 Q51 Q52 Q53 Q58 R41 |
| Date: | 2020–06–16 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cgt:wpaper:2020-02&r=all |
| By: | Fan, Yueyue; Yang, Han; Maheshwari, Saurabh; Yang, Yudi |
| Abstract: | Nowadays, the effectiveness of any smart transportation management or control strategy would heavily depend on reliable traffic data collected by sensors. Two problems regarding sensor data quality have received attention: first, the problem of identifying malfunctioning sensors; second, reconstruction of traffic flow. Most existing studies concerned about identifying completely malfunctioning sensors whose data should be discarded. This project focuses on the problem of error detection and data recovery of partially malfunctioning sensors that could provide valuable information. By integrating a sensor measurement error model and a transportation network model, the authors propose a Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) based estimation approach to determine the parameters of systematic and random errors of traffic sensors in a road network. The proposed method allows flexible data aggregation that ameliorates identification and accuracy. The estimates regarding both systematic and random errors are utilized to conduct hypothesis test on sensor health and to estimate true traffic flows with observed counts. The results of three network examples with different scales demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method in a large variety of scenarios. This research improves fundamental knowledge on transportation data analytics as well as the effective management of data and information infrastructure in transportation practice. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Sensor health, error estimation, information resilience, data science, traffic network |
| Date: | 2020–06–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt3t15p3cs&r=all |
| By: | Jaller, Miguel; Otero, Carlos; Pourrahmani, Elham; Fulton, Lewis |
| Abstract: | Understanding the potential benefits and unintended consequences of automation and electrification revolutions in freight is challenging for academics, practitioners, and decision-makers. On one hand, these revolutions could help mitigate the disproportionate impacts of freight transportation on externalities and improve efficiency; on the other hand, they could generate additional issues such as right-of-way conflicts, crashes, and traffic incidents. To shed light on these issues, this report conducts an extensive review of the state-of-the-practice of such innovations for both long-haul and last-mile freight distribution. The study concentrates on the potential barriers, challenges, and opportunities of the different innovations, and discusses the market readiness of some of the technologies. Finally, the authors discuss planning considerations for the advent and widespread use of these innovations, and provide research and policy considerations. |
| Keywords: | Business, Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Freight transportation |
| Date: | 2020–06–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt91h9v9zm&r=all |
| By: | Emma Hooper (Direction Générale du Trésor); Sanjay Peters (Columbia University [New York]); Patrick Pintus (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) |
| Abstract: | An in-depth econometric analysis of US state-level data on an annual frequency, from 1976 to 2008, sheds new light on a plausible causal link between infrastructure investments, namely public spending on highways, and income inequality. This causal relationship is drawn out by using the number of seats in the US House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations (HRCA) as an instrument to identify quasi-random variations in state-level spending on highways. An exogenous pattern which emerges when a state gains an additional member to the HRCA is that it is allocated with new federal grants. This increase in federal transfers for infrastructure financing results in slashing of expenditures on highways and a crowding-out effect of federal funding for state investments on highways. Spending cuts on highways produced by a new HRCA member being attained by a state can unwittingly cause income inequality to rise over a short two-year time horizon. Similar challenges with decentralized development to finance infrastructure via federal transfers to state and sub-national governments may be encountered by other industrially advanced, emerging and low-income developing economies. US data over the mentioned period reveal a strong positive correlation with state spending on highways and wages paid for construction jobs. Suggestive evidence indicates that the construction sector also plays an important role in the transmission channel from a rise in state spending on highways to lowering income inequality, albeit during specific intervals, as opposed to on a long-term basis. |
| Keywords: | Public Infrastructure,Highways,Income Inequality,US State Panel Data,Instrument Variable |
| Date: | 2020–05–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-02736095&r=all |
| By: | Richard Batley (University of Leeds); Thijs Dekker (University of Leeds); Iven Stead (Department for Transport) |
| Abstract: | This paper outlines the rationale, methodologies, key findings and policy implications of the national Value of Travel Time Savings (VTTS) study conducted in Britain during 2014-15. The study found VTTS varied with distance, trip purpose and mode of travel but not with worthwhile use of travel time. Using two case studies, the paper discusses the approach to implementation of the new VTTS estimates and lessons for other countries. |
| Date: | 2020–03–23 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2020/04-en&r=all |
| By: | Jaller, Miguel; Fulton, Lewis; Otero, Carlos; Pourrahmani, Elham |
| Abstract: | This study aims to provide an overview of the different technologies of electrification, automation and shared mobility (3Rs) in freight transportation for the long-haul and last mile. The study provides a view of their penetration status and explores the potential, challenges, and unintended consequences of their arrival in the transportation system. An overview is also provided of the required changes and the driving forces needed to foster the 3Rs in freight. The results can help inform the development of the next phases and future steps, plans, and policies or initiatives needed for the next generation of the freight transportation system, especially in urban areas. This research brief summarizes those findings. |
| Keywords: | Business, Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Freight transportation |
| Date: | 2020–06–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt17v510z7&r=all |
| By: | Sebastian Benz (OECD); Frédéric Gonzales (OECD); Annabelle Mourougane (OECD) |
| Abstract: | This report casts light on the impact of regulatory restrictions on the movement of people across international borders on services trade costs. Such restrictions were implemented on health and safety grounds following the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020. The analysis relies on several illustrative scenarios in which all the countries are assumed to close their borders to passengers, but leave freight trade open. Services trade costs are estimated to increase by an average of 12% of export values across sectors and countries in the medium term in such a hypothetical scenario. The analysis identifies a large variability in the increase in services-trade costs across sectors and across countries, reflecting the stringency of initial regulations and the relative importance of business travel and labour mobility to international services trade. |
| Keywords: | COVID-19 (coronavirus), trade in services, travel bans |
| JEL: | F2 F68 F14 |
| Date: | 2020–07–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:traaab:237-en&r=all |
| By: | KONDO Keisuke |
| Abstract: | This study evaluates the disutility of long-distance commuting by structurally estimating a random utility model of commuting choice. Using estimated structural parameters for commuting preferences and considering the factors that produce heterogeneity across workers, the study quantifies the extent to which workers incur disutility from commuting under a counterfactual scenario in which they commute the same distance before and after marriage. Using inter-municipal commuting flow data in Japan, the counterfactual simulations uncover a significant gender gap in the disutility of commuting, particularly because having children after marriage greatly increases the disutility of commuting for female but not for male workers. Residential relocation plays a role in mitigating the disutility of commuting for female workers, implying that the additional disutility that arises after marriage can be offset through endogenous residential location choice. |
| Date: | 2020–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:20031&r=all |