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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Deakin, Elizabeth SM., J.D.; Halpern, Jeremy; Parker, Madeleine |
| Abstract: | Public agencies have subsidized taxi rides for people who have difficulty driving a car or using the regular transit system – targeting older residents and people with disabilities. There is interest among public agencies to add transportation network companies (TNCs), such as Uber and Lyft, to subsidized ride programs as a travel option due to the widespread availability of TNCs and high-quality service. Key issues include the need for wheelchair accessible vehicles, subsidy needs, and clients who lack or are uncomfortable using a smartphone and credit card. This research included a review of programs nationwide and interviews with program managers and clients to identify best practices. Best practices from agencies included contracting for wheelchair accessible TNC services, offering classes to help clients learn how to use the needed technologies, arranging for prepaid debit cards, creating a centralized billing system, providing a concierge service for those who need extra assistance, and setting subsidies based on need. Other recommended practices include providing high travel needs coverage, developing straightforward pricing structures, and not imposing restrictions on trip distance or trip purposes eligible for subsidy. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Ridesourcing, paratransit services, taxi services, subsidies, persons with disabilities, aged, public transit, mobility applications, equity |
| Date: | 2020–10–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt0mw7h24f&r=all |
| By: | Olsen, Nils |
| Abstract: | The Vehicle Scheduling Problem (VSP) is a well-studied combinatorial optimization problem arising for bus companies in public transport. The objective is to cover a given set of timetabled trips by a set of buses at minimum costs. The Electric Vehicle Scheduling Problem (E-VSP) complicates traditional bus scheduling by considering electric buses with limited driving ranges. To compensate these limitations, detours to charging stations become necessary for charging the vehicle batteries during operations. To save costs, the charging stations must be located within the road network in such a way that required deadhead trips are as short as possible or even redundant. For solving the traditional VSP, a variety of solution approaches exist capable of solving even real-world instances with large networks and timetables to optimality. In contrast, the problem complexity increases significantly when considering limited ranges and chargings of the batteries. For this reason, there mainly exist solution approaches for the E-VSP which are based von heuristic procedures as exact methods do not provide solutions within a reasonable time. In this paper, we present a literature review of solution approaches for scheduling electric vehicles in public transport and location planning of charging stations. Since existing work differ in addition to the solution methodology also in the mapping of electric vehicles' technical aspects, we pay particular attention to these characteristics. To conclude, we provide a perspective for potential further research. |
| Keywords: | Vehicle Scheduling,Public Transport,Electric Buses,Charging Stations,Location Planning |
| Date: | 2020 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fubsbe:202016&r=all |
| By: | Halpern, Jeremy; Deakin, Elizabeth; Parker, Madeleine |
| Abstract: | Cities, transit agencies, and social service providers across the U.S. have implemented programs that provide taxi subsidies for people who have difficulty driving a car or using the regular transit system. These programs usually serve older residents and people with disabilities, though a few also serve low income users. Taxi subsidy programs provide curb-to-curb or door-to-door transportation at a fraction of the cost of paratransit.1 However, as Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), such as Uber and Lyft, have entered markets around the country, taxi availability has declined, resulting in lower levels of service. In response, many public agencies are considering the addition of TNCs to subsidized ride programs; however, the inclusion of TNCs in these programs is not straightforward. For example, agencies must evaluate the extent to which their clients need wheelchair accessible vehicles or other personal assistance. In addition, TNC platforms require users to request rides through a smartphone and use debit or credit cards for payment, which is problematic for unbanked customers and those who do not own or have access to a smartphone. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2020–10–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt4gk412w6&r=all |
| By: | Reinhardt, Karl; Deakin, Elizabeth SM., J.D. |
| Abstract: | This research projects evaluates the social, environmental, and safety impacts of shared electric scooters (e-scooters)’ through a literature review, a nationwide scan of state and local laws and regulations, and a case study of Oakland’s experience with e-scooters, including an analysis of the city’s user survey and our own in-depth interviews. E-scooters offer an enjoyable, low-cost travel option, but are used mainly by young, affluent, white males. To improve equity, cities are requiring e-scooter rental companies to serve low-income and minority communities and some further mandate that a share of the e-scooters accommodate people with disabilities. E-scooters are quiet and produce no tailpipe emissions, but their cumulative environmental impact depends on their manufacture, useful life, disposal, and use. In early applications, rental e-scooters survived less than a year. Some 30-50 percent of e-scooter trips replace short auto trips. Cities and states can improve e-scooter safety by encouraging helmet use, offering rider training, limiting speeds, improving pavements, managing parking, and calming traffic. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Scooters, electric vehicles, vehicle sharing, regulations, travel behavior, traffic safety, equity, environmental impacts |
| Date: | 2020–10–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt8x67x360&r=all |
| By: | Allen, Jeff (University of Toronto); Farber, Steven |
| Abstract: | Many cities have undergone spatial re-distributions of low-income populations from central to suburban neighborhoods over the past several decades. A potential negative impact of these trends is that low-income populations are concentrating in more automobile oriented areas and thus resulting in increased barriers to daily travel and activity participation, particularly for those who are unable to afford a private vehicle. Accordingly, the objective of this paper is to analyze the links between increasing socio-spatial inequalities, transport disadvantage, and adverse travel behaviour outcomes. This is examined first from a theoretical perspective, and second via a spatio-temporal analysis for the Toronto region from 1991 to 2016. Findings show that many suburban areas in Toronto are not only declining in socioeconomic status, but are also suffering from increased barriers to daily travel evidenced by longer commute times and decreasing activity participation rates, relative to central neighborhoods. Because of these adverse effects, this evidence further supports the need for progressive planning and policy aimed at curbing continuing trends of suburbanization of poverty while also improving levels of transport accessibility in the suburbs. |
| Date: | 2020–10–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:hkpfj&r=all |
| By: | Lyna González (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain); Jordi Perdiguero Garcia (Department of Applied Economics, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain); Alex Sanz Fernández (Department of Economics and Economic History, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona 08193, Bellaterra, Spain) |
| Abstract: | Many cities in Spain are wrapped in air containing excessive levels of particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone, generally a problem in big cities caused by traffic. Pollutants largely associated with volume of traffic in urban cities and their outlying areas, such as Madrid and Barcelona, which is suffering from one of the worst levels of air pollution in the country. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 96.8% of Spain population breathe pollutant air. This paper shows empirical evidence about the contribution of public transport in the air quality of Barcelona using public transport strikes, through econometric analysis based on data from 2008 - 2016. During the study period, there were 147 days affected by some type of public transport strike:bus (57), metro (21), train (71) and tram (4) system, against 4 general strikes. The estimates indicate that public transit strikes have a statistically significant and positive effect on the concentration level of SO2, CO, PM10 and NOX in all over the city, especially in the case of metro and train. These results also allows us to understand better how commuters substitute transports modes between them and what policies can be implemented to increase the use of public transports. |
| Keywords: | Air pollution; Public transport strike; Econometric regression analysis; Public Transport Substitution |
| JEL: | C33 Q53 Q56 Q58 |
| Date: | 2020–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uab:wprdea:wpdea2008&r=all |
| By: | Richard Bluhm (SoDa Laboratories, Monash University); Axel Dreher (SoDa Laboratories, Monash University); Andreas Fuchs (SoDa Laboratories, Monash University); Bradley C. Parks (SoDa Laboratories, Monash University); Austin M. Strange (SoDa Laboratories, Monash University); Michael J. Tierney (SoDa Laboratories, Monash University) |
| Abstract: | This paper studies the causal effect of transport infrastructure on the spatial concentration of economic activity. Leveraging a new global dataset of geo-located Chinese government-financed projects over the period from 2000 to 2014 together with measures of spatial inequality based on remotely-sensed data, we analyze the effects of transport projects on the spatial distribution of economic activity within and between regions in a large number of developing countries. We find that Chinese-financed transportation projects reduce spatial concentration within but not between regions. In line with land use theory, we document a range of results which are consistent with a relocation of activity from city centers to their immediate periphery. Transport projects decentralize economic activity particularly strongly in regions that are more urbanized, located closer to the coast, and less developed. |
| Keywords: | transport costs, infrastructure, development finance, spatial concentration, China |
| JEL: | F15 F35 R11 R12 P33 O18 O19 |
| Date: | 2020–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ajr:sodwps:2020-06&r=all |
| By: | Jeffrey Brinkman; Kyle Mangum |
| Abstract: | We use a panel of county-level location data derived from cellular devices in the U.S. to track travel behavior and its relationship with COVID-19 cases in the early stages of the outbreak. We find that travel activity dropped significantly as case counts rose locally. People traveled less overall, and they specifically avoided areas with relatively larger outbreaks, independent of government restrictions on mobility. The drop in activity limited exposure to out-of-county virus cases, which we show was important because such case exposure generated new cases inside a county. This suggests the outbreak would have spread faster and to a greater degree had travel activity not dropped accordingly. Our findings imply that the scale and geographic network of travel activity and the travel response of individuals are important for understanding the spread of COVID-19 and for policies that seek to control it. |
| Keywords: | travel behavior; mobility; COVID-19 pandemic; spatial dynamics; spacial networks; cellular device location |
| JEL: | R11 I18 H11 |
| Date: | 2020–09–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedpwp:88960&r=all |
| By: | Mehr, Stephan A.; Eng, P.; Miyasaki, Grant |
| Keywords: | Public Economics |
| Date: | 2020–10–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ctrf29:306000&r=all |
| By: | Pereira, Rafael Henrique Moreas; Karner, Alex |
| Abstract: | Transportation equity is a way to frame distributive justice concerns in relation to how social, economic, and government institutions shape the distribution of transportation benefits and burdens in society. It focuses on the evaluative standards used to judge the differential impacts of policies and plans, asking who benefits from and is burdened by them and to what extent. Questions of transportation equity involve both sufficientarian and egalitarian concerns with both absolute levels of wellbeing, transport-related poverty and social exclusion as well as with relative levels of transport-related inequalities. Ultimately, the study of transport equity explores the multiple channels through which transport and land use policies can create conditions for more inclusive cities and transport systems that allow different people to flourish, to satisfy their basic needs and lead a meaningful life. Transportation equity issues broadly encompass how policy decisions shape societal levels of environmental externalities and what groups are more or less exposed to them, as well as how those decisions affect the lives of different groups in terms of their ability to access life-enhancing opportunities such as employment, healthcare and education. Equity is a crucial part of a broader concern with transport and mobility justice. The call for transport justice goes beyond distributive concerns, and yet justice cannot be achieved without equity. |
| Date: | 2020–10–19 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:gykud&r=all |
| By: | Whalen, Christine; Cooper, Dean; Sproule, William J. |
| Keywords: | Public Economics |
| Date: | 2020–10–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ctrf29:306042&r=all |