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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Zhang, Michael PhD; Musabbir, Sarder Rafee |
| Abstract: | Highway speed limits inherently represent a tradeoff between safety and mobility. While higher speed limits shorten travel times and foster economic benefits (especially for the trucking and logistics industries), they can also increase the likelihood and severity of crashes, as higher vehicle speeds require longer stopping distances and generate more energy during a collision. Highway speed limits are increasing nationwide. While there is no consensus on the optimal speed limit (Figure 1), research generally shows that lower speed limits reduce the frequency and severity of crashes. Likewise, there is mixed evidence on whether a universal speed limit (trucks and passenger vehicles subject to the same speed limit) or a differential speed limit (trucks subject to a lower speed limit than passenger vehicles) is safer. While some evidence indicates that setting lower speed limits for heavier trucks that are slow to stop has safety benefits, other research suggests that differential speed limits create bottlenecks that may actually cause more crashes as cars attempt to overtake slower trucks. California is one of only seven states that set differential speed limits. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2021–02–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt3nn0h648&r=all |
| By: | Alberini, Anna; Horvath, Marco; Vance, Colin |
| Abstract: | The demand for motor fuel should decline when its price rises, but how exactly does that happen? Do people drive less, do they drive more carefully to conserve fuel, or do they do both? To answer these questions, we use data from the German Mobility Panel from 2004 to 2019, taking advantage of the fluctuations in motor fuel prices over time and across locales to see how they affect Vehicle Kilometers Traveled (VKT) and on-road fuel economy (expressed in kilometers per liter). Our reduced-form regressions show that while the VKTs driven by gasoline cars decrease when the price of gasoline rises, their fuel economy tends to get worse. It is unclear why this happens. Perhaps attempts to save on gasoline-cutting on solo driving, forgoing long trips on the highway, driving more in the city-end up compromising the fuel economy. By contrast, both the VKTs and the fuel economy of diesel cars appear to be insensitive to changes in the price of diesel. Latent class models confirm our main findings, including the fact that while fuel prices, car attributes, and household and location characteristics explain much of the variation in the VKTs, it remains difficult to capture the determinants of on-road fuel economy. Since the price elasticity of fuel consumption is the difference between the price elasticity of VKT and the price elasticity of the fuel economy, our results suggest that the fuel economy might be the "weakest link" of price-based policies that seek to address environmental externalities, such as a carbon tax. |
| Keywords: | On-Road fuel economy,price elasticity,vehicle kilometers traveled,motor fuel prices |
| JEL: | Q41 Q53 Q54 R41 |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:rwirep:892&r=all |
| By: | Kurani, Kenneth S. |
| Abstract: | Advocates of electric, shared, and automated vehicles (e-SAVs) envision a future in which people no longer need to drive their privately owned, petroleum-fueled vehicles. Instead, for daily travel they rely on fleets of electric, automated vehicles that offer travel services, including the option to share, or “pool,” rides with strangers. The design, deployment, and operation of e-SAVs will require widespread willingness of users to share with strangers vehicles that are capable of fully automated driving. To achieve the environmental and societal goals of e-SAVs it is critical to first understand and address safety and security concerns of potential and actual users. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, reviewed the literature to understand potential users’ perceptions of safety and security risks posed by intertwined social and technical systems of e-SAVs and proposed a framework to advance research, policy, and system design. This policy brief summarizes the findings of that work and provides policy implications. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Autonomous vehicles, Car pooling (Railroads), Electric vehicles, Literature reviews, Public opinion, Risk taking, Safety and security, Shared mobility, Vehicle sharing |
| Date: | 2021–02–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt4qq6s5t6&r=all |
| By: | Shaheen, Susan; Cohen, Adam; Farrar, Emily |
| Abstract: | For as long as there have been cities, there have been suburbs. Shared mobility—the shared use of a vehicle, bicycle, or other travel mode—is an innovative transportation strategy that enables users to have short-term access to a transportation mode on an as-needed basis. Shared mobility can enhance access and reduce social exclusion in lower-density environments and provide transportation options to carless and public transit-dependent households, particularly in areas without high-quality, fixed-route public transportation service. This chapter discusses the design and evolution of suburbs and how this impacts the transportation network. Additionally, this chapter reviews suburban applications of shared mobility services and provides a case study of shared mobility service deployments in Northern Virginia. The chapter concludes with key takeaways and a discussion of the potential future of shared mobility services in lower-density built environments. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2020–01–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt8d28s4f3&r=all |
| By: | Sommer, Stephan; Vance, Colin |
| Abstract: | Drawing on panel data from Germany, this paper estimates the relationship between charging infrastructure and the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs). We specify models with fixed effects and instrumental variables to gauge the robustness of our findings in the face of alternative channels through which endogeneity bias may emerge. We find that charging infrastructure has a statistically significant and positive impact on EV uptake, with the magnitude of the estimate increasing with population density. The evidence further suggests that although the incidence of charging points in Germany far exceeds the European Union's recommended minimum ratio of one point to ten EVs, inadequate infrastructure coverage remains a binding constraint on EV uptake. We use the model estimates to illustrate the relative cost effectiveness of normal and fast chargers by region, which supports a geographically differentiated targeting of subsidies. |
| Keywords: | Transport policy,electric vehicles,charging infrastructure,Germany |
| JEL: | H54 H71 Q58 R40 R58 |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:rwirep:893&r=all |
| By: | Boarnet, Marlon G.; Burinskiy, Evgeny; Deaderick, Lauren; Guillen, Danielle; Ryu, Nicholas |
| Abstract: | Practitioners and scholars have traditionally held the view that building transportation infrastructure, such as highways that facilitate more driving, will improve economic development. Evidence for this view was derived from construction of new transportation networks such as the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s and 1960s that forged new regional connections and contributed to economic growth. But now, decades later, infrastructure improvements to a mature system have less-clear benefits and may simply shift economic activity around. More recently, as cities and regions have begun implementing policies to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT), the question of the economic role of less VMT has emerged. In many cases, higher economic performance is associated with walkable, pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods, designed in ways that reduce car travel. Researchers at the University of Southern California reviewed the literature on property values, business sentiment, and productivity to understand how VMT-reducing place-making can help boost neighborhood economies. Placemaking refers to transportation projects that reduce driving and become neighborhood amenities such as complete streets, pedestrian malls, or bicycle sharing. The research showed neighborhoods that support alternatives to car travel are associated with higher—not lower—economic vitality. This policy brief summarizes the findings from that research. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Economic benefits, Land use planning, Livability, Neighborhoods, Nonmotorized transportation, Social benefits, Travel demand management, Vehicle miles of travel, Walkability |
| Date: | 2021–02–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt0hx3b44m&r=all |
| By: | R. Brau; M. G. Nieddu; S. Balia |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates how a vehicle power limit on young novice drivers impacts teen traffic accidents in Italy. First introduced in 2011, the reform prevents drivers from using high-performance vehicles during their first license year. We combine rich administrative data on severe accidents over the period 2006-2016 with the driving license census to assess whether undergoing the power limit lowers the likelihood of causing a traffic accident. Our difference- in-difference estimates – we leverage on the between-cohort differences in the exposure to the reform – reveal that the power limit reduces road accidents per capita by about 18%, and accidents per licensee by 13%. The effect is entirely determined by a drop in accidents caused by above-limit vehicles and is primarily driven by fewer speed violations. Moreover, the beneficial impact of the one-year restriction period persists even after its expiration. Our findings highlight the importance of policies that, instead of directly targeting risky behaviours, are aimed at reducing exposure to high-risk settings. In frameworks where deterrence policies and screening mechanisms are hard to implement and maintain, these policies stand out as an effective, yet feasible strategy to increase teen road safety. |
| Keywords: | youth road accidents;risky behaviours;risk exposure;graduated licensing;driving restriction |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cns:cnscwp:202101&r=all |
| By: | Anna Straubinger (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam); Erik T. Verhoef (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam); Henri L.F. de Groot (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) |
| Abstract: | Recent technological developments open up possibilities for introducing a vast number of novel mobility concepts in urban environments. One of these new concepts is urban air mobility (UAM). It makes use of passenger drones for on-demand transport in urban settings, promising high travel speeds for those willing and able to pay. This research aims to answer the question how benefits from UAM will be distributed, taking into account the spatial dimension and the differential impacts on low- and high-skilled households. We develop a framework that can more generally be used to assess the welfare impacts resulting from the introduction of novel transport modes. The development of an urban spatial computable general equilibrium model building on the polycentric modelling tradition developed by Anas and co-authors allows for an analysis of mutually dependent effects on the land, labour and product markets, triggered by changes on the transport market. Allowing for an endogenous spatial structure through the introduction of agglomeration effects and an amenity-based approach, the framework investigates the relevance of the initial spatial structure for the impact of the introduction of UAM. Incorporating different skill levels of households allows to assess location choice and travel behaviour for households with different characteristics. A numerical simulation of the model shows that the different initial spatial structures impose comparable welfare changes. Variations in UAM features like marginal cost, prices, land demand for infrastructure, vertical travel speed and access and egress times have a (much) more decisive impact on modal choice and welfare effects than the initial urban structure. Simulations show that considering households of different skill levels brings additional insights, as welfare effects of UAM introduction strongly differ between groups and sometimes even go in opposing directions. |
| Keywords: | Urban air mobility, spatial equilibrium, welfare effects, agglomeration effects |
| JEL: | R13 R41 C68 |
| Date: | 2021–02–24 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tin:wpaper:20210021&r=all |
| By: | Pike, Susan |
| Abstract: | There is much uncertainty over whether on-demand ridehailing services, namely Uber and Lyft, will worsen or alleviate existing transportation problems such as congestion, emissions, and inequities in access and mobility. For policymakers, transportation planners, and others in the transportation arena, these unknowns have created uncertainty over which policies would best steer ridehailing toward equitable and sustainable outcomes. To address these uncertainties, researchers at UC Davis assessed how stakeholders from different groups view the possible impacts of ridehailing and the policies that might best address those impacts. The researchers evaluated these questions through in-depth interviews with stakeholders from 38 agencies and organizations throughout California. Interviewees included transportation planners, members of state agencies, and representatives from non-profit organizations and the ridehailing industry. This policy brief summarizes those interviews, as well as findings from the research. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Exhaust gases, Interviewing, Ridesourcing, Stakeholders, Sustainable transportation, Transportation planning, Uncertainty, Vehicle miles of travel |
| Date: | 2021–03–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt6fd4f75d&r=all |
| By: | Julián Costas-Fernández; José-Alberto Guerra; Myra Mohnen |
| Abstract: | Can transport infrastructure promote intergenerational mobility? This paper estimates the causal impact of the railroad network on intergenerational occupation mobility in nineteenth century England and Wales. We create a new dataset of father and son pairs by linking individuals across the 100% censuses of 1851, 1881 and 1911. By geolocating individuals down to the street level, we measure access to the railroad network using the distance to the nearest train station. To address the non-random access to the railroad network, we create a hypothetical railway map based solely on geographic cost consideration. We fi nd that sons who grew up one standard deviation (roughly 5 km) closer to the train station are 6 percentage points more likely to work in a different occupation than their father and 5 percentage points more likely to be upward mobile. Access to the railroad network bene tted families at the top and bottom of the occupational ranking. Through a decomposition exercise, we fi nd that the majority of upward mobility is driven by improvements in local labour opportunities |
| Keywords: | intergenerational mobility, infrastructure, spatial mobility |
| JEL: | H54 J62 N13 |
| Date: | 2020–12–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:col:000089:018591&r=all |
| By: | Waetjen, David PhD; Shilling, Fraser PhD |
| Abstract: | In 2015, the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis developed a web-based method to collect all incident data that appear on the CHP real-time incident-reporting website (https://cad.chp.ca.gov/). These data are assembled into a database called CHIPS, the California Highway Incident Processing System. Previous analyses suggest that these data are more spatially accurate than other state resources (e.g., the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS)). Because they are collected and organized in real-time, they can also be shared and queried more easily. The current project developed a web-portal that supports queries for counties and specific highways (https://roadecology.ucdavis.edu/resources/covid19- traffic). The results shown make apparent the reduction in crashes and traffic during the summer 2020 peak of the COVID19 pandemic. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Traffic incidents, traffic data, crash data, crash rates, databases, websites, data fusion, real time information, geospatial data |
| Date: | 2021–02–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt078193ht&r=all |
| By: | Delucchi, Mark A |
| Abstract: | In order to assess the state of knowledge of the private and social lifetime cost (LC) of conventional and alternative-powertrain vehicles (mainly electric vehicles), we reviewed and evaluated 190 LC studies published between 2000 and 2020. Our main objective was to determine which aspects of the LC of motor vehicles were well researched and well analyzed, and which aspects were less well researched and analyzed and accordingly would benefit most from a focused new research effort. In general, few studies are comprehensive (cover all components of the LC), original (as opposed to reliant on other work), and detailed (as opposed to being based on simple assumptions). A spreadsheet accompanying this report evaluates all of the studies. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences, cost-benefit anlaysis, total cost of vehicle ownership, social lifetime cost of advanced vehicles, literature review |
| Date: | 2021–02–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt8dq1b82q&r=all |
| By: | Mads Greaker (Oslo Business School - OsloMet) |
| Abstract: | Electric vehicles (EVs) and their associated charging stations are characterized by indirect network effects. Indirect network effects may imply too slow adoption of a new good that improves welfare. Today, there are at four standards for high-speed charging in Europe. We find that policies should seek to standardize high-speed charging systems as this will unambiguously mean faster phase-in of EVs and improve welfare. We also find that governments should subsidize both the charging at each station and the entry of charging stations. The subsidies should cover a share of the private variable charging cost and the private fixed entry cost. Furthermore, the formula for setting the shares of costs to be paid by the regulator turns out to be very simple; the regulator only has to observe the percentage markup on the charging price, and can calculate the optimal share directly from that. |
| Keywords: | EV policy, indirect network effects, EV charging |
| Date: | 2020–10–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oml:wpaper:202003&r=all |
| By: | Günther, Maik; Fallahnejad, Mostafa |
| Abstract: | With an increasing number of electric vehicles, the strategic planning of public charging infrastructure becomes more important. In this work, the infrastructure of the charging stations in a large city is simulated. Here, various influencing factors such as number of users, charging time, charging frequency, type of the charging station and billing model are modified in order to obtain the optimal construction and operation of public charging infra-structure. The results illustrate conditions under which a system for public charging infrastructure becomes un-stable as the number of users increases. In addition, it is shown, which measures should be used to improve the system characteristics. The results of the simulation reveal that with an increasing number of users a switch of the billing model can be more effective than the construction of additional charging station. Furthermore, it makes sense to construct distributed single charging points in a city at the beginning of the development phase and to switch to satellite systems with more charging points once the number of users has increased sufficiently. |
| Keywords: | Public charging infrastructure,billing model,user behaviour,electric vehicles,simulation |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:iubhit:12021&r=all |
| By: | Aris Christodoulou (European Commission - JRC); Panayotis Christidis (European Commission - JRC) |
| Abstract: | This is the second and final deliverable of the 1st task of the REGIOTRANSII project and refers to the results that have already been presented in two scientific journal publications: Christodoulou et al. (2020) and Christodoulou and Christidis (in press), and a JRC Technical Report: Christodoulou and Christidis (2020a). Different accessibility indicators are calculated for all urban areas with more than 250 thousand people in the EU27, the UK, Switzerland and Norway. Each city is analysed by means of a population grid of 500 m by 500 m and represented by a wider area covering both the densely populated urban centre and the commuting zone. To capture congestion, we measure accessibility for each grid cell at different times of the day that correspond to different traffic conditions using the detailed network and congestion information provided by TomTom. |
| Keywords: | accessibility, congestion, European cities, REGIOTRANS, fine resolution |
| Date: | 2020–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipt:iptwpa:jrc122735&r=all |
| By: | Kar, Armita; Le, Huyen T. K.; Miller, Harvey J. |
| Abstract: | The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly reshaped urban mobility. During the lockdown, workers teleworked if possible and left home only for essential activities. Our study investigates the spatial patterns of essential travel and their socio-economic differences during the COVID-19 lockdown phase in comparison with the same period in 2019. Using data from Columbus, Ohio, we categorized travelers into high, moderate, and low socio-economic status (SES) clusters and modeled travel demand of SES clusters for both phases using spatially weighted interaction models. Then, we characterized the SES variability in essential travel based on frequently visited business activities from each cluster. Results suggest that disparities in travel across SES clusters existed prior to COVID-19 are exacerbated during the pandemic lockdown. The diffused travel pattern of high and moderate SES cluster became localized while the pre-existing localized travel pattern of low SES cluster became diffused. During the lockdown, the low and moderate SES clusters travelled mostly for work with long and medium distance trips, respectively, while the high SES cluster travelled mostly for recreational and other non-work purposes with short distance trips. This study draws some conclusions and implications to help researchers and practitioners plan for resilient and economically vibrant transportation systems in response to future shocks. |
| Date: | 2021–02–16 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:qtkhb&r=all |
| By: | Totterman, Stephen |
| Abstract: | Vehicles can be a serious vector for human recreation disturbance to beach-nesting birds because they enable people, often with their dogs, to disperse over greater distances than they would typically walk. The objective of this study was to quantify vehicle-based recreation and compliance with regulations and codes of conduct for Seven Mile (Lennox Head), South Ballina and Airforce (Evans Head) beaches, N New South Wales, Australia. South Ballina and Airforce supported remnant beach-nesting Australian pied oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris populations. Vehicle-based recreation and compliance varied among beaches. The most frequent activities observed were picnics (31–50%), driving (14–30%) and fishing (5–16%). Picnics can be intensely disturbing for beach-nesting birds because they typically occur on the super-tidal zone and are long-duration events. Compliance was high for beach driving zones and driving below the high tide limit but variable for speed limits (33–79%) and dog zones (6–100%). The Discussion argues that regulations and codes of conduct are not effective for managing the social and environmental impacts of beach driving if they do not limit the numbers of vehicles. |
| Date: | 2021–02–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:ja8h6&r=all |
| By: | Maria Lekakou (University of Aegean); George Remoundos (University of Aegean); Evangelia Stefanidaki (University of Aegean) |
| Abstract: | This report looks at the need for Greece to redesign its inter-island transport system to make it more operational and sustainable. It takes into account the challenges of designing networks for island ecosystems and island clusters, which present even greater difficulties. Specifically, it examines applying the Island Transport Equivalent policy tool to increase island accessibility and growth potential. |
| Date: | 2021–01–19 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2021/02-en&r=all |