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on Transport Economics |
| By: | Liu, Diyi; Fan, Huiying; Guin, Angshuman; Guensler, Randall |
| Abstract: | Given that morning peak period vehicle occupancy rates are generally 1.1 to 1.2 persons per vehicle in urban areas, transportation planners have long argued that effective carpooling strategies could significantly reduce traffic congestion and the carbon footprint of commuters. Community-based carpooling, which is designed to match drivers and passengers that reside within subregions and that are traveling to similar destination zones, can be exploited once technology, communication, demographic, and economic barriers are overcome. While community-based carpool has the potential to provide sustainability benefits, integration into transportation plans and models is not prevalent, due to the lack of appropriate analytical tools. CarpoolSim is a new scalable analytical framework designed evaluate the potential performance and impact of intelligent carpooling system (ICS) for regional networks. Designed to be directly integrated into the travel demand modeling process, CarpoolSim uses a two-stage approach: 1) a filtering step with a set of comprehensive filtering conditions, to eliminate unreasonable carpool matches, given spatiotemporal constraints; and 2) an optimization step, to match as many carpools as possible (and eliminate any remaining assignment conflicts). Experiments using trip-level outputs from the Atlanta Regional Commission’s activity-based travel demand model (ABM) show that, under conservative carpool matching constraints, about 24.1% of candidate single occupancy home-to-work commute trips to major employment centers along the I-85 corridor in Atlanta, GA could be carpooled by direct carpool. More than 19.2% of the same candidate commute trips could be carpooled via park-and-ride. Sensitivity analyses were applied. Among all of the control parameters, the minimum ratio between shared trip and individual trips travel time has the greatest impact on results. Although only 26, 029 trips are selected for carpool matching (less than 0.5% of total daily trips originating near I-85), the experiments show that the potential for intelligent carpooling systems to manage commute trips to major employment center is reasonable, considering the spatiotemporal travel constraints of these travelers. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Carpooling, Ridesharing, Dynamic Carpool Matching, On-demand Carpools, Route Assignment, Carpool Planning |
| Date: | 2024–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt0gt458qt |
| By: | Johansson, Magnus (Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)) |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the determinants influencing the choice of ports by shipowners routing container vessels to Swedish ports. Given Sweden's reliance on maritime transport for trade, understanding these factors is important for port authorities and policymakers to enhance port attractiveness and strengthen the national port network. The research focuses on the container market, ensuring a homogeneous product for analysis. The study employs a mixed logit model to analyze data from 2017 to 2019, including official statistics on vessel calls and AIS (automatic identification system for tracking vessel movements) data for turnaround times. Key variables considered include distance between ports, port size, port reliability, port load (the number of vessels being handled at the same time), vessel size, number of containers and if the upcoming call also is domestic. Results indicate that distance (distance cost), pilot fees, port size, and port load affect port choice, with the choice of port for smaller vessels being more sensitive to transport costs. The study also highlights the impact of repeated domestic calls on port attractiveness. The findings provide valuable insights for optimizing port operations and developing strategic policies to enhance Sweden's maritime trade infrastructure. |
| Keywords: | Port choice; Container ports; Mixed logit; AIS data |
| JEL: | R42 R42 |
| Date: | 2024–11–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:vtiwps:2024_007 |
| By: | Espeland, Sierra; LanzDuret-Hernandez, Julia; Grajdura, Sarah; Rowangould, Dana |
| Abstract: | The challenge of meeting transportation needs is heightened in rural contexts, where destinations are more dispersed and there are fewer transportation options. A growing body of literature has established that accessibility, or the ability to reach valued destinations, is critical to satisfying a person’s fundamental needs. Conversely, difficulty accessing destinations can result in travel burdens such as high transportation costs or unmet needs, adversely affecting well-being. This study evaluates differences in travel burdens and the factors that drive them in rural and urban contexts in the United States. Using the 2017 National Household Transportation Survey, the authors first evaluate differences in travel burdens across rural versus urban communities, including i) the magnitude of travel burdens, ii) who experiences travel burdens, and iii) the individual and environmental factors that are associated with travel burdens. This study finds that people living in rural areas are more likely to report burdensome travel costs and unmet travel needs compared to people living in nonrural areas, and these differences are exacerbated for people earning a low income and those without vehicle access. The authors also observe variation across rural contexts, pointing to the role that proximity to town centers plays for providing access for those without a vehicle. To better understand the relationship between unmet need and vehicle access, the authors conducted 59 semi structured interviews with two populations living in Vermont: i) people living in the largely rural Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, and ii) Latinx migrant workers living in Vermont. The qualitative interview results illustrate the transportation experiences, barriers, and adaptations of rural car-limited populations. Findings underscore the importance of vehicle access as a determinant of mobility for many people living in rural communities. The interview findings highlight barriers to mobility such as vehicle maintenance costs as well as the mobility that personal networks and limited public transportation provide for many people without a personal vehicle. The interview results also point to substantial variation in experiences and needs across rural populations, as Latinx migrant workers’ mobility was also related to English proficiency, proximity to an international border, and availability of a driver’s privilege card. As decision makers seek more sustainable rural transportation systems and a reduced reliance on vehicles, the findings from this study underscore the importance of addressing the needs of car-limited rural populations to ensure an equitable and just climate transition. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Transport disadvantage, unmet need, rural, carless, migrant |
| Date: | 2024–12–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt3rc9f2bt |
| By: | Chuel, Cho (Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade) |
| Abstract: | Electric vehicle (EV) sales have slowed down worldwide since 2023, and this trend has continued throughout 2024, fueling concerns that EV demand has plateaued. Yet, this slowdown seems limited specifically to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), as sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are surging. This suggests that the overall march toward electrification is proceeding, but may be taking a more circuitous route. In South Korea, HEV sales have been growing rapidly as PHEV sales remain flat and BEV sales crash. This leaves the Korean EV market far more vulnerable to a reverse pivot to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles than its global counterparts. The global slowdown in BEV sales has also suppressed sales of Korean-made batteries, but this is mitigated by continued strength in HEV and PHEV sales. The global drive toward carbon neutrality has fueled optimistic expectations regarding the sales of BEVs and PHEVs, and many experts have projected that EVs would account for nearly 40 percent to 50 percent of total global car sales by 2030. These projections now seem somewhat off the mark, however, and need to be revisited in light of the current downturn in the EV market, particularly as BEV sales have stalled. China plays a central role in the global battery and EV markets and presents a major threat to other countries producing these goods. The demand for Chinese EVs is strong not just within China but also around the world, with Chinese EV makers claiming an ever-rising share of the global market. Chinese EVs account for over 10 percent of all EVs sold across Europe, and dominate the EV markets of latecomer countries and developing nations. Chinese-made EVs accounted for nearly 30 percent of all EVs sold in South Korea in the first half of 2024. The same is true in the global battery industry; Chinese batteries enjoy worldwide popularity alongside Chinese EVs, owing to their affordability. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries made in China are both technologically competitive and cost-effective, offering an extremely strong value proposition. They are poised to dominate the world market. In the long run and on the global level, BEV sales should continue to grow, albeit at a more modest rate. The Korean government and businesses therefore need to do their part to ensure that Korean EVs remain competitive on the global market. New plans are needed to support the production of Korean PHEVs as well, as these EVs are enjoying a surge in popularity worldwide. In order for Korean automakers and battery makers to compete with their Chinese competitors — both in Korea and around the world — Korean automakers need to innovate their production systems and value chains to achieve a level of efficiency on a par with their Chinese competitors. Korean producers, moreover, need to differentiate their products from their Chinese competition by providing superior autonomous driving technologies, smart features, and attractive designs. Battery makers need to adjust their plans for investing in further facilities as global battery demand is unlikely to grow at the optimistic rates projected hitherto. |
| Keywords: | auto industry; automotive industry; electric vehicles; EVs; batteries; car batteries; battery industry; China; Chinese EVs; Korea; Korean EVs; Hyundai; Kia; BYD; KIET |
| JEL: | L52 L62 L65 O24 Q37 |
| Date: | 2025–08–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:kietrp:2024_010 |
| By: | Stephen J. Redding (Princeton University, NBER and CEPR) |
| Abstract: | This paper reviews recent quantitative urban models. These models are sufficiently rich to capture observed features of the data, such as many asymmetric locations and a rich geography of the transport network. Yet these models remain sufficiently tractable as to permit an analytical characterization of their theoretical properties. With only a small number of structural parameters (elasticities) to be estimated, they lend themselves to transparent identification. As they rationalize the observed spatial distribution of economic activity within cities, they can be used to undertake counterfactuals for the impact of empirically-realistic public-policy interventions on this observed distribution. Empirical applications include estimating the strength of agglomeration economies and evaluating the impact of transport infrastructure improvements (e.g., railroads, roads, Rapid Bus Transit Systems), zoning and land use regulations, place-based policies, and new technologies such as remote working. |
| Keywords: | cities, commuting, transportation, urban economics |
| JEL: | R32 R41 R52 |
| Date: | 2024–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pri:cepsud:340 |
| By: | Lind, Joar (Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)) |
| Abstract: | The Swedish container port markets are analysed using the concept of captive and contestable hinterland and foreland. Using a freight transport planning tool, the Swedish national freight transport model Samgods, we identify the geographical markets of Swedish container ports and their market shares for the municipalities of Sweden. Results from the proposed method indicate that within the market segment, about half of municipalities in Sweden are captive, about a third is tied to the market-leading port. In the future, the market segment tends to be more captive, and the market-leading port will strengthen its position. |
| Keywords: | Port competition; Freight transport modelling; Hinterland; Port choice; Captive or contestable areas |
| JEL: | R41 R42 |
| Date: | 2024–11–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:vtiwps:2024_006 |
| By: | Brockmann, Fabian (Dept. of Business and Management Science, Norwegian School of Economics); Guajardo, Mario (Dept. of Business and Management Science, Norwegian School of Economics) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines how the impact of flexibility in electric vehicle (EV) charging has evolved over recent years. In contrast to previous studies that focus on shorter time frames, our analysis spans from 2019 to 2023. While daily electricity consumption patterns remained relatively stable, electricity prices became more volatile, driven by the energy price crisis. Utilizing a large real-world database of residential EV charging behavior in Norway, we develop a simulation model to generate diverse charging sessions based on factors such as demand, time, and day. A mathematical programming model is then applied to determine the optimal charging schedule under both flexible and non-flexible strategies. The model is run using actual hourly electricity prices from a densely populated area in Norway over the past five years. Our findings reveal that adopting a flexible charging strategy led to increased electricity cost savings during the energy price crisis, though the extent of savings depends significantly on the timing of EV charging sessions. |
| Keywords: | Electric vehicles; Flexible Energy Consumption; Smart Charging; Scheduling; Energy Crisis |
| JEL: | Q00 Q40 |
| Date: | 2024–12–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:nhhfms:2024_013 |
| By: | Pyddoke, Roger (Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)); From, Emma (Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)); Björklund, Gunilla (Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)); Andersson, Henrik (Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)) |
| Abstract: | This study examines how information about the effects of increased fuel taxes on fuel consumption, and with the possibility of compensating rural inhabitants (who use their cars more), impact the acceptance of fuel taxes and the psychological nature of the acceptance. Using a stratified survey in Sweden we analyze the support for increased carbon taxes for fuels. We find that 16 to 27 percent of the respondents support the proposed policy. A prime reason for this low support appears to be that most Swedes do not believe that higher fuel prices through taxation will lead to lower CO2 emissions from road transport. Equity concerns have also been shown to be a major objection against such tax increases, with a strong correlation between equity concerns and non-support for the tax increase. Our results suggest that neither information about the expected effect from taxation on emissions, nor the potential for redistribution, had an effect on the support for the taxes. When controlling for treatment, socioeconomic variables and demographic variables, the psychological variables showed that the respondents willing to support the increased fuel tax also had a positive attitude towards the tax, and a strong belief of their capacity to perform the behavior, and also a belief that supporting the tax is up to them. |
| Keywords: | Climate; Fuel tax; Pigouvian mechanism; Equity; Public support; Acceptance |
| JEL: | D72 D91 Q54 |
| Date: | 2024–11–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:vtiwps:2024_008 |
| By: | Tegetmeyer, Inga; Neumeier, Stefan |
| Abstract: | Urbanization and demographic change are also having an impact on the demand for basic services. As a result, private and public service providers are gradually abandoning economically unattractive locations, whereby rural areas are generally more affected by these developments than urban areas. Against the backdrop of the norma-tive political goal of maintaining equivalent living conditions in all parts of the country, an important political objective in Germany is to counteract such processes. Unfortunately, apart from a few, usually spatially highly aggregated, supply indicators, there is hardly any small-scale differentiated data below the municipal level that provides information on whether, where and for whom the accessibility of basic services may be problematic. One of the areas for which there is hardly any data to date - although minimum service provision is defined by law - is the postal service. This working paper therefore examines the question of whether, where and, if so, for whom there are spatial inequalities in the accessibility of Deutsche Post AG post offices in Germany. The aim of the working paper is to create a data basis that allows us to assess the basic accessibility of Deutsche Post AG post offices, as it appears to households, for the whole of Germany. To this end, we examined the accessibility of post offices by the various means of transport - foot, bicycle, car and public transport - on a small scale in a 250×250 meters analysis grid using a GIS accessibility model from the perspective of the "households". We found that, contrary to popular belief, the accessibility or inaccessibility of post offices in Germany is not so much a spatial phenomenon that favors non-rural regions and disadvantages rural regions, as is often assumed. Instead, our study showed that the accessibility of post offices in Germany depends heavily on people's individual mobility in both rural and non-rural areas. |
| Abstract: | Urbansierung und demografischer Wandel zeigen auch Auswirkungen auf die Nachfrage nach Dienstleistungen der Grundversorgung. Das führt dazu, dass private und öffentliche Dienstleister bestrebt sind, wirtschaftlich unattraktive Standorte sukzessive aufgeben, wobei ländliche Räume von diesen Entwicklungen i. d. R. stärker betroffen sind als urbane. Vor dem Hintergrund des normativen politischen Leitbildes der Aufrechterhaltung gleichwertiger Lebensverhältnisse in allen Landesteilen besteht in Deutschland ein wichtiges Politikziel darin, solchen Prozessen entgegenzuwirken. Einer der Bereiche, für die es bislang kaum Daten gibt - obwohl die Mindestversorgung gesetzlich vorgeschrieben ist -, ist die Post. Dieses Thünen Working Paper untersucht daher die Erreichbarkeit von Postfilialen der Deutschen Post AG in Deutschland. Ziel des Thünen Working Papers ist es, eine Datengrundlage zu schaffen, die es erlaubt, die grundlegende Erreichbarkeit von Postfilialen der Deutschen Post AG, wie sie sich für die Haushalte darstellt, flächendeckend für Deutschland einzuschätzen. Dazu haben wir die Erreichbarkeit von Postämtern mit den Verkehrsmitteln Fuß, Fahrrad, Auto sowie mit dem öffentlichen Personen(nah)verkehr (ÖPNV) kleinräumig in einem 250×250 Meter-Analyseraster mit Hilfe eines GIS-Erreichbarkeitsmodells aus der Perspektive der Haushalte untersucht. Dabei haben wir herausgefunden, dass Unterschiede in der Erreichbarkeit von Postämtern in Deutschland entgegen der landläufigen Meinung weniger ein räumliches Phänomen sind, das - wie oft angenommen - nicht-ländliche Regionen begünstigt und ländliche Regionen benachteiligt. Stattdessen zeigt unsere Studie, dass die Erreichbarkeit von Postämtern in Deutschland sowohl in ländlichen als auch in nicht-ländlichen Gebieten stark von der individuellen Mobilität der Menschen abhängt. |
| Keywords: | Thünen-Erreichbarkeitsmodell, Postdienstleistungen, Deutschland, GIS, Erreichbarkeit, Thünen-Accessibility Model, post-market, Germany, accessibility |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:jhtiwp:307122 |
| By: | Baciu, Dan Costa (Architektur Studio Bellerive) |
| Abstract: | This article explores the complex relationship between mobility, diversity, and perceived urban value by studying urban “chains of activities” that define city life. Introducing chains-of-activities-models (CHOAMs), we present a method for systematically analyzing how individuals move through the city and engage in a variety of urban activities. We also show that changing mobility options or the supply of activities can directly influence the ways people experience and the extent to which they value the urban environment. By facilitating rapid modeling and testing of scenarios, our research framework empowers urban planners, designers, and policymakers to envision cities as dynamic systems and leverage the relationship between mobility and diversity to optimize human-scale benefits. Through these insights obtainable through CHOAMs, the present article opens the door to a future of automated, proactive, and value-driven urban design. |
| Date: | 2024–12–26 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:wuyp9 |
| By: | Wesley Blundell; Juan Sebastián Vélez-Velásquez |
| Abstract: | The impact of carbon taxes on consumer welfare and emissions in the transportation sector is influenced by both regulatory and market dynamics. As the sources of climate emissions from transportation evolve, how will this impact change in the future? Utilizing extensive data from retail fuel stations and wholesalers in Colombia, we estimate the factors affecting the pass-through of a carbon tax on gasoline prices. Our findings reveal that the pass-through to Colombian consumers is significant, often exceeding one. This phenomenon of "overshifting" vanishes when markets are regulated or when gas stations are vertically integrated with wholesalers. These results indicate that as the global use of carbon taxes to address climate externalities from automobile use increases, the welfare loss for consumers may be greater than what current literature, often focused on the United States, suggests. **** RESUMEN: El impacto de los impuestos al carbono sobre el bienestar de los consumidores y las emisiones en el sector del transporte está influenciado tanto por la dinámica regulatoria como por la del mercado. A medida que evolucionan las fuentes de emisiones climáticas del transporte, ¿cómo cambiará este impacto en el futuro? Utilizando datos para un amplio número de estaciones de servicio minoristas y mayoristas en Colombia, estimamos los factores que afectan la transferencia de un impuesto al carbono a los precios de la gasolina. Nuestros hallazgos revelan que la transferencia a los consumidores colombianos es significativa, a menudo superior a uno. Este fenómeno de "sobretransferencia" desaparece cuando los mercados están regulados o cuando las estaciones de servicio están integradas verticalmente con los mayoristas. Estos resultados indican que a medida que aumenta el uso global de los impuestos al carbono para abordar las externalidades climáticas del uso del automóvil, la pérdida de bienestar para los consumidores puede ser mayor que lo que sugiere la literatura actual, a menudo centrada en los Estados Unidos. |
| Keywords: | carbon tax, transportation, tax incidence, overshifting, gasoline, Impuesto al carbono, transporte, incidencia de impuestos, sobretransferencia, gas |
| JEL: | L91 L98 Q54 H23 |
| Date: | 2024–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bdr:borrec:1292 |
| By: | Javier Asensio (Departament d'Economia Aplicada, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) & Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).); Anna Matas (Departament d'Economia Aplicada, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) & Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).) |
| Abstract: | Spain operates a ‘competition for the market’ system to award the regulated monopoly rights to run intercity bus services across its different regions. Such tendering system has undergone different changes since 2007. We assess the impact of those changes on different outcomes of the auctions, such as participation, submitted prices and frequencies, as well as on outcomes of the whole process in terms of prices and frequencies offered to final consumers. The results show that the design of the terms of tender can significantly modify the conditions under which bus services are operated. The weight given to price bids in the score function is shown to be a relevant variable to increase competition for the market. |
| Keywords: | Tendering, Intercity bus, Coach, Score function auctions, Spain. |
| Date: | 2024–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uab:wprdea:wpdea2406 |