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on Transport Economics |
| By: | NISHITATENO Shuhei |
| Abstract: | During the early 2000s, five prefectures in Japan introduced a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) policy that banned highly polluting diesel trucks and buses from entering. This paper analyzes effects of this policy intervention on air quality, new vehicle registrations, and birthweights. To do so we use a matching approach to construct a control group that is comparable to the designated areas in terms of pollution levels and road traffic volumes of regulated vehicles and apply a difference-in-differences (DD) design. We find that the LEZs led to a reduction in hourly suspended particulate matter concentrations and to reduced incidence of low birthweights in the treated prefectures relative to the control group, holding the gestational period and other controls constant. Evidence also suggests that the LEZs led to an increase in new registrations of trucks and buses, but not of passenger cars, which were exempt from the regulations. Our paper is the first to study such a large-scale LEZ intervention and to provide evidence linking LEZs to reduced incidence of low birthweights. |
| Date: | 2022–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:22109&r=tre |
| By: | Edward L. Glaeser; Caitlin S. Gorback; James M. Poterba |
| Abstract: | Pigouvian taxes and user fees can address environmental externalities and efficiently fund transportation infrastructure, but these policies may place burdens on poorer households. This paper presents new evidence on the distributional consequences of the gasoline tax, bus and light rail charges and a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax. Gas taxes have become more regressive over time, partially because of environmentally-oriented technological change, although the share of expenditures on gas taxes declines with expenditures much less than the share of income spent on gas taxes declines with income. Replacing the gasoline tax with a household-level VMT tax would increase the average tax burden on households in the top income and expenditure deciles, because of their greater use of hybrid-electric and battery-electric vehicles. This progressive shift would be small given current levels of hybrid and electric vehicle ownership, but will be larger in the future if such vehicles continue to be more common among higher than lower income households. An expanded commercial VMT would place a larger burden, as a share of expenditures, on lower income or expenditure households, because better-off households consume more non-tradable goods that do not require transportation. User charges for airports, subways and commuter rail are progressive, while bus fees loom much larger for lower income households. |
| JEL: | H23 R48 |
| Date: | 2022–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:30746&r=tre |
| By: | César Ducruet; Hidekazu Itoh |
| Abstract: | Based on untapped shipping and urban data, this article compares the diffusion of steam and container shipping at the port city level and at the global scale between 1880 and 2008. A temporal and multi-layered network is constructed, including the pre-existing technologies of sailing and breakbulk. The goal is to check the differences a) between innovations and their predecessors and b) between innovations, from an urban network perspective. Main results show that despite certain differences, such as historical context, voyage length, speed of diffusion, and geographical spread, the two innovations share a large quantity of similarities. They both fostered port concentration, were boosted by city size and port connectivity, bypassed upstream port sites, and diverged gradually from older technologies. This research thus contributes to the literature on cities, networks, innovation, and maritime transport. |
| Keywords: | containerization; maritime transport; port cities; regional disparity; spatial networks; steam shipping; technological change |
| JEL: | L91 N70 O18 R40 |
| Date: | 2022 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:drm:wpaper:2022-27&r=tre |
| By: | Yang, Xiuleng; McCoy, Emma; Hough, Katherine; de Nazelle, Audrey |
| Abstract: | Traffic restriction measures may create safer and healthier places for community members but may also displace traffic and air pollution to surrounding streets. Effective urban planning depends on understanding the magnitude of changes resulting from policy measures, both within and surrounding intervention areas; these are largely unstudied in the case of Low traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN). We evaluated impacts of three LTNs in the London Borough of Islington, UK, on air pollution and traffic flows in and around intervention areas, based on monthly Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and traffic volume data provided by the local authority. We identified pre- and post-intervention monitoring periods and intervention, boundary and control sites. We then adapted the generalised difference in differences approach to evaluate the effects within LTNs and at their boundary. We found that LTNs have the potential to substantially reduce air pollution and traffic in target areas, without increasing air pollution or traffic volumes in surrounding streets. These results provide sound arguments in favour of LTNs to promote health and wellbeing in urban communities. |
| Keywords: | built environment; car-free; generalised difference-in-differences; NO; planning; policy |
| JEL: | C1 |
| Date: | 2022–11–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:117441&r=tre |
| By: | Regan, Amelia C.; Golob, Thomas F. |
| Abstract: | Most studies of the economic benefits of Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) have focused on the passenger transportation market. Few analyses have addressed the applications of ATIS to freight operations even though using ATIS to route or divert commercial vehicles can make a significant improvement in overall traffic flow and system performance. In this study, multivariate demand models were estimated based on large-scale surveys of commercial vehicle operators in California to determine the current use and perceptions of advanced information technologies, especially advanced traveler information systems (ATIS), among these firms. Data were used to identify organizational and operational characteristics that made these technologies more or less attractive, and to predict potential adoption of the technologies by carrier type. Many characteristics proved influential including company size, type and location of operation, length of load moves, provision of intermodal service and private versus for-hire status. A secondary goal was to explore the extent to which new logistics intermediaries, especially "infomediaries" are likely to develop advanced information technologies for the freight industry. Private sector providers of ATIS have not lived up to earlier expectations. While there still may be a significant future role for private sector involvement in providing this type of information, for now the burden appears to fall primarily on state and local transportation agencies. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Commercial vehicle operators, Advanced traveler information systems, Advanced driver information systems |
| Date: | 2022–12–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt2578j4bj&r=tre |
| By: | Georgios Tsiachtsiras; Deyun Yin; Ernest Miguelez (BSE - Bordeaux Sciences Economiques - UB - Université de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Rosina Moreno |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the effect of the High Speed Rail (HSR) network expansion on local innovation in China during the period 2008-2016. Using exogenous variation arising from a novel instrument - courier's stations during the Ming dynasty, we find solid evidence that the opening of a HSR station increases cities' innovation activity. We also explore the role of inter-city technology diffusion as being behind the surge of local innovation. To do it, we compute least-cost paths between city-pairs, over time, based on the opening and speed of each HSR line, and obtain that an increase in a city's connectivity to other cities specialized in a specific technological field, through the HSR network, increases the probability for the city to specialize in that same technological field. We interpret it as evidence of knowledge diffusion. |
| Keywords: | High speed rail, Innovation, Technology diffusion, Patents, Specialization |
| Date: | 2022–12–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-03891705&r=tre |
| By: | Lazarus, Jessica; Broader, Jacquelyn; Cohen, Adam; Bayen, Alexandre PhD; Shaheen, Susan PhD |
| Abstract: | The State of California is currently moving forward with a road usage charge (RUC) demonstration program, creating promising research opportunities to examine the potential social equity implications of a shift from a gas tax to a RUC system in California. RUC . To this aim, this study investigates the relative burden of gas taxes and mileage-based RUC across various sociodemographic and geographic dimensions by examining key trends in road use, vehicle ownership, fuel consumption, use of RUC-related technologies, and attitudes/opinions related to RUC adoption. Expert interviews were conducted to increase understanding of the potential opportunities and challenges of a RUC system, particularly regarding social equity. The interviews included transportation industry professionals as well as representatives from community-based and other stakeholder organizations to understand best practices for RUC design and implementation, identify stakeholders’ concerns and potential ways to address them, and inform the design and analysis of a survey of Californians. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2022–12–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt1pn404q5&r=tre |
| By: | Li, Ziqi |
| Abstract: | Ridesharing, compared to traditional solo ride-hailing, can reduce traffic congestion, cut per-passenger carbon emissions, reduce parking infrastructure, and provide a more cost-effective way to travel. Despite these benefits, ridesharing only occupies a small percentage of the total ride-hailing trips. This study provides a reproducible and replicable framework that integrates big trip data, machine learning models, and explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) to better understand the factors that influence people's decisions to take or not to take a shared ride. |
| Date: | 2022–04–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:chy4p&r=tre |
| By: | Palm, Matthew |
| Abstract: | COVID-19 arrived in the United States and Canada at a time when the future of sustainable urban travel across the continent looked uncertain. A decade-long trend in transit ridership growth appeared to have stalled in many cities (Boisjoly et al., 2018), while automobile ownership grew. This chapter synthesizes unfolding evidence on how COVID-19 disrupted some of these existing trends in North American urban transportation while accelerating others. This synthesis is organized around three themes emerging from COVID-19 in the region: declining transit ridership, increased auto ownership or auto purchase plans, and a possible ‘new normal’ of increased telecommuting. I evaluate each theme in the context of prior trends and public policy choices feeding those trends. Untangling hype from data, the chapter concludes with recommendations on how to support travelers in the region while calling for clearer thinking from urban thought leaders and researchers on the likely long-term impact of the crisis. |
| Date: | 2022–01–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:dx258&r=tre |
| By: | Rico Krueger; Michel Bierlaire; Prateek Bansal |
| Abstract: | Ride-sourcing services offered by companies like Uber and Didi have grown rapidly in the last decade. Understanding the demand for these services is essential for planning and managing modern transportation systems. Existing studies develop statistical models for ride-sourcing demand estimation at an aggregate level due to limited data availability. These models lack foundations in microeconomic theory, ignore competition of ride-sourcing with other travel modes, and cannot be seamlessly integrated into existing individual-level (disaggregate) activity-based models to evaluate system-level impacts of ride-sourcing services. In this paper, we present and apply an approach for estimating ride-sourcing demand at a disaggregate level using discrete choice models and multiple data sources. We first construct a sample of trip-based mode choices in Chicago, USA by enriching household travel survey with publicly available ride-sourcing and taxi trip records. We then formulate a multivariate extreme value-based discrete choice with sampling and endogeneity corrections to account for the construction of the estimation sample from multiple data sources and endogeneity biases arising from supply-side constraints and surge pricing mechanisms in ride-sourcing systems. Our analysis of the constructed dataset reveals insights into the influence of various socio-economic, land use and built environment features on ride-sourcing demand. We also derive elasticities of ride-sourcing demand relative to travel cost and time. Finally, we illustrate how the developed model can be employed to quantify the welfare implications of ride-sourcing policies and regulations such as terminating certain types of services and introducing ride-sourcing taxes. |
| Date: | 2022–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2212.02178&r=tre |
| By: | Congressional Budget Office |
| Abstract: | The largest source of emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2, the most common greenhouse gas) in the United States is the transportation sector. Emissions from transportation surpassed emissions from the electric power sector five years ago and now constitute two-fifths of domestic emissions from burning fossil fuels. In this report, CBO provides an overview of CO2 emissions in the transportation sector, describing the sources of and trends in such emissions and projecting their future path. |
| JEL: | H23 H54 Q48 Q58 R42 R48 |
| Date: | 2022–12–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cbo:report:58566&r=tre |
| By: | Mark R. Jacobsen; James M. Sallee; Joseph S. Shapiro; Arthur A. van Benthem |
| Abstract: | What is a feasible and efficient policy to regulate air pollution from vehicles? A Pigouvian tax is technologically infeasible. Most countries instead rely on exhaust standards that limit air pollution emissions per mile for new vehicles. We assess the effectiveness and efficiency of these standards, which are the centerpiece of US Clean Air Act regulation of transportation, and counterfactual policies. We show that the air pollution emissions per mile of new US vehicles has fallen spectacularly, by over 99 percent, since standards began in 1967. Several research designs with a half century of data suggest that exhaust standards have caused most of this decline. Yet exhaust standards are not cost-effective in part because they fail to encourage scrap of older vehicles, which account for the majority of emissions. To study counterfactual policies, we develop an analytical and a quantitative model of the vehicle fleet. Analysis of these models suggests that tighter exhaust standards increase social welfare and that increasing registration fees on dirty vehicles yields even larger gains by accelerating scrap, though both reforms have complex effects on inequality. |
| JEL: | H21 H23 H7 Q5 Q50 R4 |
| Date: | 2022–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:30702&r=tre |
| By: | OECD |
| Abstract: | Recalling the centrality of transport infrastructure in any development strategy and economic recovery and resilience plan, the paper stresses the importance of increasing territorial connectivity in Colombia to sustain future progress. It describes the variety of financing models for transport infrastructure in the country and globally and identifies five key factors that Colombia should take into account when choosing between models in the future. Le document rappelle le rôle central de l’investissement dans les infrastructures de transport pour toute stratégie de développement et de relance économique, soulignant l'importance de la connectivité territoriale pour la Colombie. Il présente l'évolution des modèles de financement des infrastructures de transport dans le pays et globalement, et identifie les cinq facteurs clés que la Colombie doit prendre en compte dans les choix à venir entre différents modèles. |
| Keywords: | Colombia, Financing models, Infrastructure, Public-Private Partnerships, Roads |
| JEL: | F63 H54 L32 O18 R42 R48 O23 |
| Date: | 2022–12–16 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:dcdaab:45-en&r=tre |
| By: | Gonzalez, Felipe (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile); Miquel-Florensa, Josepa; Prem, Mounu; Straub, Stéphane |
| Abstract: | Transportation infrastructure is associated with economic development, but it can also be used for social control and to benefit the governing elite. We explore the connection between the construction of road networks, state-led repression, and land allocations in the longest dictatorship in South America: Alfredo Stroessner military regime in Paraguay. Using novel panel data from the truth and reconciliation commission, we show that proximity to roads facilitated state-led repression and the illegal allocation of agricultural plots to dictatorship allies. These results suggest that infrastructure projects can also hinder economic development. |
| Date: | 2022–12–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:zetmq&r=tre |
| By: | Howell, Sabrina T. (New York University); Jang, Yeejin (UNSW Sydney); Kim, Hyeik (University of Alberta); Weisbach, Michael S. (Ohio State University and ECGI, Brussels) |
| Abstract: | Infrastructure assets have undergone substantial privatization in recent decades. How do different types of owners target and manage these assets? And does the contract form—control rights (concession) vs. outright ownership (sale)—matter? We explore these questions in the context of global airports, which like other infrastructure assets have been privatized by private firms and private equity (PE) funds. Our central finding is that PE acquisitions bring marked improvements in airport performance along a rich array of dimensions such as passengers per flight, total passengers, number of routes, number of airlines, cancellations, and awards. Net income increases after PE acquisitions, which does not reflect lower costs or layoffs. In contrast, in the few cases where non-PE acquisitions bring some improvement, it appears to reflect targeting rather than operational changes. Overall, we find little evidence that privatization alone increases airport performance; instead, infrastructure funds improve performance both in privatization and subsequent acquisitions from non-PE private firms. These effects are largest when there is a competing airport nearby. Finally, we show that outright ownership rather than control rights alone is associated with the most improvement after privatization. |
| JEL: | G32 G38 H54 L32 R42 |
| Date: | 2022–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ecl:ohidic:2022-10&r=tre |
| By: | Calamunci, Francesca (Sapienza University of Rome); Lonsky, Jakub (University of Liverpool) |
| Abstract: | The United States witnessed an unprecedented crime wave in the second half of the twentieth century, with the total index crime rate more than tripling between 1960-1980. Little is known about the causes of this surge in criminal activity across the country. This paper investigates the role played by the Interstate Highway System (IHS), an ambitious federal government project that led to the construction of over 40,000 miles of highways between 1956-1992. Using a staggered difference-in-differences design and a county-by-year panel dataset spanning all US counties between 1960-1993, we find that a highway opening in a county led to a 5% rise in the local index crime. This effect is driven by property crime (namely larceny and motor vehicle theft), while violent crime remained unaffected. Exploring potential mechanisms, we show that the increase in crime could be explained by the positive effect of IHS on local economic development. At the same time, we find that increases in the local law enforcement size and presence in the affected communities mitigated any substantial crime surge induced by the highway construction. |
| Keywords: | Interstate Highway System, local crime, economic development, local law enforcement |
| JEL: | H54 K42 O18 |
| Date: | 2022–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp15800&r=tre |