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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Andor, Mark Andreas; Dehos, Fabian; Gillingham, Kenneth; Hansteen, Sven; Tomberg, Lukas |
| Abstract: | Accelerated by surging inflation, policymakers in many countries have introduced cheap, flat-rate access to public transport. Such measures serve two aims: to cushion the social repercussions of inflation by reducing energy expenses, and to promote more sustainable mobility. Spain, for instance, has introduced a program that allows commuters free access to public transport for regular trips. Austria offers a nationwide ticket for 1, 095 Euros per year and a regional ticket for the city of Vienna for 365 Euros per year. Luxembourg, Malta, and some cities in Europe and the United States have already introduced free public transport. This global trend towards flat fares or free public transport is based on arguments such as simplification, uniformity, and ease-of-control. Germany recently followed suit with an unprecedented reduction in public transport fares. From June to August 2022, the German government granted nationwide access to public transport for just 9 Euros per month. Germany’s experience with the so-called 9-Euro Ticket provides new insights on the impact of cheap flat-rate access to public transport. Based on our evaluation of the 9-Euro Ticket, experiences with similar programs in other European cities, and insights from economic theory, we call for a cheap and dynamic public fare system that prices peak times higher than off-peak times to avoid overcrowding during peak hours. To finance a subsidized public transport system, we propose dynamic road pricing. This would reduce the externalities of car usage by levying a per-kilometer fee that varies by congestion levels of the respective roads. |
| Date: | 2023 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:rwipos:82&r=tre |
| By: | Helm, Ines (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München); Koch, Nicolas (Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC)); Rohlf, Alexander (Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC)) |
| Abstract: | We study the effects of a large car scrappage scheme in Germany on new car purchases and local air quality by combining vehicle registration data with data on local air pollutant emissions. For identification we exploit cross-sectional variation across districts in the number of cars eligible for scrappage. The scheme had substantial effects on car purchases and did not simply reallocate demand across time in the short-term. Nevertheless, about half of all subsidized buyers benefited from windfall gains. The renewal of the car stock improved local air quality suggesting substantial mortality benefits that likely exceed the cost of the policy. While policy take-up is somewhat smaller in urban districts, improvements in air quality and health tend to be larger due to a higher car density. |
| Keywords: | cash for clunkers, local air quality, car scrappage schemes, emissions, car rebate |
| JEL: | H20 H23 Q53 Q58 |
| Date: | 2023–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16266&r=tre |
| By: | Pablo Fajgelbaum; Cecile Gaubert; Nicole Gorton; Eduardo Morales Morales; Edouard Schaal |
| Abstract: | How do political preferences shape transportation policy? We study this question in the context of California's High-Speed Rail (CHSR). Combining geographic data on votes in a referendum on the CHSR with a model of its expected economic benefits, we estimate the weight of economic and non-economic considerations in voters'preferences. Then, comparing the proposed distribution of CHSR stations with alternative placements, we use a revealed-preference approach to estimate policymakers' preferences for redistribution and popular approval. While voters did respond to expected real-income benefits, non-economic factors were a more important driver of the spatial distribution of voters' preferences for the CHSR. While the voter-approved CHSR would have led to modest income gains, proposals with net income losses also would have been approved due to political preferences. For the planner, we identify strong preferences for popular approval. A politically-blind planner would have placed the stations closer to dense metro areas in California. |
| Keywords: | transportation, infrastructure, political economy |
| JEL: | H54 P11 R13 R4 |
| Date: | 2023–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:upf:upfgen:1866&r=tre |
| By: | Belloc, Ignacio (University of Zaragoza); Gimenez-Nadal, José Ignacio (University of Zaragoza); Molina, José Alberto (University of Zaragoza) |
| Abstract: | In recent decades, global warming and its relationship to individual well-being has concerned researchers and policy makers, with research focusing on the consequences of global warming on well-being. In this paper, we analyse the relationship between weather conditions and the feelings reported by individuals during daily travel episodes. We use data from the Well-Being module of the American Time Use Survey for the years 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2021, together with county-level weather information. Our findings indicate an association between extreme temperatures and certain measures of affective well-being while commuting, and notable differences are found, depending on the main travel purpose. In the current context of global warming, when daily temperatures are expected to rise in the future and heat waves will become more frequent, our findings indicate that certain travel activities could be more sensitive to rising temperatures, from an affective perspective, which may help to complement the well-being consequences of global warming. |
| Keywords: | well-being, travel episode, purpose, extreme temperatures, time use, ATUS |
| JEL: | R40 I10 J22 |
| Date: | 2023–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16241&r=tre |
| By: | Bovin, Andreas; Bos, Iwan (RS: GSBE other - not theme-related research, Organisation, Strategy & Entrepreneurship) |
| Abstract: | Collusion theory robustly predicts non-cartel rivals to raise their price and increase their output. As the typical cartel cuts back production, its competitors are expected to gain market share during the collusive period and to lose market share in the period following the cartel's demise. We provide empirical support for this prediction by showing that it applied to the European truck cartel. We also illustrate how our analysis can be used in the prosecution stage. One truck manufacturer denied cartel participation, whereas the proposed market share test supports the European Commission's finding that this firm was, in fact, a member. |
| JEL: | L10 L40 |
| Date: | 2023–07–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unm:umagsb:2023011&r=tre |
| By: | Ana Maria Ruiz Rivadeneira; Patrick Mcmaster |
| Abstract: | Multiple institutions are responsible for and contribute to ensuring that infrastructure investments meet policy objectives. The responsibilities of these institutions have evolved over time and vary from country to country, depending on tradition, constitutional arrangements, and government capacities. While they are often complementary, sometimes these responsibilities overlap, creating an additional level of complexity.Understanding the impact of the institutions involved with infrastructure will allow policymakers to make informed decisions. This paper explores both the ‘why’ and the ‘what’ of institutional arrangements. It provides a snapshot of the various institutions involved in the planning, financing, and delivery of infrastructure across OECD Member countries and identifies three broad types of institutional arrangements. The paper contributes to a better understanding of current trends in institutional change, the strengths and challenges of these institutional arrangements, and the potential for sharing experience and expertise among institutions and countries. |
| Keywords: | infrastructure, infrastructure banks, infrastructure commissions, infrastructure governance, institutional arrangements |
| JEL: | F55 H54 O18 D02 |
| Date: | 2023–07–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:govaaa:62-en&r=tre |