nep-tre New Economics Papers
on Transport Economics
Issue of 2025–09–01
seventeen papers chosen by
Erik Teodoor Verhoef, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam


  1. The economic, social & Environmental impact of Electric Vehicle (EV) adaptation on Bangladeshi Society By Abdullah Al Noman; Hasibul Hassan Siam
  2. Understanding electric vehicle adoption: The role of information frictions and heterogeneous beliefs By Fitzpatrick, Aoife Claire
  3. Electric bicycles and public transport tickets: Ownership and car use patterns By Hönow, Nils Christian; Helmers, Viola; Yang, Eva H.
  4. Job Accessibility, Commute Time, and Efficiency of Urban Transport : Evidence from Dar es Salaam By Iimi, Atsushi
  5. Growing demand for electric cars – German exports are also picking up By Rode, Johannes; Römer, Daniel; Salzgeber, Johannes
  6. Digital Technologies and Collective Transport: Testing microtransits Added Value By Scholl, Lynn; Sabogal-Cardona, Orlando; Oviedo, Daniel; Arellana, Julián; Cantillo, Víctor; Ojeda-Diaz, Alfredo J.
  7. Greener pensions, greener choices: Linking investments to sustainable behavior By Balakina, Olga; Christiansen, Charlotte; Kallestrup-Lamb, Malene
  8. The Political Economics of China’s Electric Vehicle Industry: A Note By liu, kerry
  9. Soccer’s Record on the Road: The Effect of Late-Night Sporting Events on Fatal Car Crashes By Flynn, James; Meyers-Richter, Noah; Nencka, Peter
  10. Digging Deep: Critical Mineral Supply Chains, Electric Vehicles, and the Role of Technological Innovation By Kannan, Sangita Gayatri; Toman, Michael A.; Htun, Tinzar
  11. Integrated Warehouse Location and Inventory Decisions in a Multi-location Newsvendor Problem By Jianing Zhi; Xinghua Li; Zidong Chen
  12. The Role of High-Speed Rail in Reshaping Chinese County-Level Economic Structures By Mingzhi Xiao; Yuki Takayama
  13. Assessing the impact of climate change on mean annual wave agitation and berth downtime at two major ports of the eastern Mediterranean Sea: Port of Piraeus, Greece and Port of Limassol, Cyprus By Michalis Chondros; Andreas Papadimitriou; Anastasios Metallinos; Vasiliki Chalastani; Conrad Landis; Dimitris Spyrou; Chrysi Laspidou; Phoebe Koundouri; Vasiliki Tsoukala
  14. The Unseen Influence: How Conversational Framing Shapes Efficiency in Dhaka's Rickshaw Fare Negotiations By Junaid, Nasif
  15. Second-degree Price Discrimination: Theoretical Analysis, Experiment Design, and Empirical Estimation By Soheil Ghili; K. Sudhir; Nitish Jain; Ankur Garg
  16. BioCircular Port Models for Sustainable Trade vis-à-vis Maritime Risks: Integrating Regenerative Ecosystems and Circular Technologies By Sapovadia, Vrajlal
  17. A simulation-driven assessment of 35 European National Energy and Climate Plans By Phoebe Koundouri; Angelos Alamanos; Giannis Arampatzidis; Stathis Devves; Tatiana Pliakou; Christopher Deranian

  1. By: Abdullah Al Noman; Hasibul Hassan Siam
    Abstract: This study examines the economic social and environmental impacts of electric vehicle adoption in Bangladesh using survey data from 57 respondents and secondary research. Findings show strong public perception of electric vehicles as cost effective with ninety three percent agreement and environmentally beneficial with eighty two point five percent agreement. Electric vehicles have potential to reduce fuel imports lower operational costs and create over fifty thousand jobs by 2030. Socially electric vehicles improve mobility for low income groups with seventy five point four percent agreement and increase safety although adoption remains mostly in urban areas. Environmentally electric vehicles could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to thirty percent per kilometre and lower particulate matter levels by twenty to twenty five percent in Dhaka along with a three to five decibel reduction in traffic noise. Main barriers include high purchase costs limited charging infrastructure and low public awareness of policies. Policy recommendations include tax incentives solar powered charging stations and battery recycling regulations. This research concludes that strategic electric vehicle adoption could advance Bangladesh's sustainable transportation economic resilience and public health goals.
    Date: 2025–08
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2508.08398
  2. By: Fitzpatrick, Aoife Claire
    Abstract: In 2023, the transportation sector in Europe contributed 25% of CO2 emissions, with almost no reduction since 2010. Despite government policies promoting decarbonization, public adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) remains limited. This study, involving 5, 500 German participants from a pre-registered survey and experiment, identifies information frictions and mixed beliefs about EV sustainability as key barriers. Two treatments-highlighting EVs' environmental benefits and public policies-both increased participants' likelihood of choosing an EV, but only the environmental treatment raised willingness to pay more. The findings underscore the need for clear, accurate information to complement policy efforts, reducing disinformation and amplifying the impact of initiatives to meet climate goals.
    Keywords: Electric Vehicles, Consumer Behaviour, Behavioural Economics, GreenTransition
    JEL: D12 D91 G11 G18 G53
    Date: 2025
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:safewp:324654
  3. By: Hönow, Nils Christian; Helmers, Viola; Yang, Eva H.
    Abstract: Riding electric bicycles and using public transport are popular alternatives to private car use. Utilizing data from a 2022 survey of 6, 285 participants in Germany, we examine who typically owns e-bikes or public transport tickets. We firstly employ regression analyses to identify correlations between individual characteristics and ebike as well as ticket ownership, respectively. We find that e-bike owners tend to be older, earn higher incomes, often reside in more rural areas, and are more likely to be male. For public transport ticket ownership, these associations are largely reversed. Through latent class analyses, we identify distinct groups of e-bike and ticket owners. In a second step, we investigate associations between e-bike or ticket ownership and car use through propensity score matching and regression analyses. We find that, compared to non-owners, owners of either alternative exhibit lower car use, with the difference being larger for public transport ticket owners.
    Abstract: Sowohl die Nutzung von E-Bikes (Pedelecs) und als auch von öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln sind bereits beliebte Alternativen zur Autonutzung. Auf Basis von Daten aus einer 2022 Befragung mit 6, 285 Teilnehmenden aus Deutschland untersuchen wir, wer die typischen Besitzerinnen und Besitzer von E-Bikes oder Zeitkarten für den ÖPNV sind. Mithilfe von Regressionsanalysen identifizieren wir Korrelationen zwischen verschiedenen Merkmalen und dem Besitz von E-Bikes bzw. Zeitkarten. Wer ein E-Bike besitzt ist tendenziell älter, hat ein höheres Einkommen und lebt eher in ländlichen Gebieten. Bei Menschen die Zeitkarten für den ÖPNV besitzen kehren sich diese Korrelationen größtenteils um. Durch Latent Class Analysen klassifizieren wir typische Nutzergruppen von beiden Verkehrsmitteloptionen. In einem zweiten Schritt untersuchen wir mithilfe von Propensity-Score-Matching und Regressionsanalysen Zusammenhänge zwischen der Intensität der Autonutzung und dem Besitz von E-Bikes oder Zeitkarten und finden heraus, dass in beiden Fällen der Besitz mit einer geringeren Autonutzung zusammenhängt. Allerdings ist diese Korrelation bei ÖPNV-Karten-Besitz wesentlich größer.
    Keywords: E-bike (electric bicycle), public transport, travel mode choice, car use, latent class analysis, propensity score matching
    JEL: L92 R22 R41
    Date: 2025
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:rwirep:324661
  4. By: Iimi, Atsushi
    Abstract: Many African countries are experiencing rapid urbanization. However, job creation has not kept pace, resulting in persistently high urban unemployment rates. Based on basic job search theory, the paper revisits the relationship between employment and transport connectivity at various levels, using data from Dar es Salaam, one of Africa’s fastest-growing developing cities. It shows that those who commute longer distances tend to earn higher wages. Therefore, enhancing the efficiency of urban transport systems is crucial. The paper also identifies variations in the relationship between wages and commute times across different transport modes. Commuters using motorized transportation, particularly private cars and taxis, generally earn more than those using nonmotorized transport. Hence, there is a potential risk associated with the overreliance on private transport modes. The gender wage gap persists in Dar es Salaam, but the positive effect of commuting on wages is greater for women, which can contribute to reducing the gap.
    Date: 2025–08–18
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:11186
  5. By: Rode, Johannes; Römer, Daniel; Salzgeber, Johannes
    Abstract: Demand for electric vehicles is growing, both in Germany and around the world. Electric vehicles are also becoming more important for the German export market. In the first quarter of 2025, more than one in four cars exported from Germany was a battery-electric vehicle (BEV). On average, 82, 000 BEVs worth EUR 3.4 billion were exported each month. Germany now generates a higher export surplus with BEVs than with other cars. The value of exports of BEVs exceeds the value of imports by a factor of 5. Besides, electric vehicles offer increasingly greater climate benefits. According to the KfW Energy Transition Barometer, one third of the electricity used to charge EVs in Germany is now self-generated and green, a new record. Consumer concerns about electric vehicles are decreasing. Approaches to increase EV uptake include removing information deficits, providing incentives for time-optimised charging and improving the conditions for charging in multi-family homes.
    Date: 2025–08–05
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dar:wpaper:156659
  6. By: Scholl, Lynn; Sabogal-Cardona, Orlando; Oviedo, Daniel; Arellana, Julián; Cantillo, Víctor; Ojeda-Diaz, Alfredo J.
    Abstract: Microtransit services are a midpoint between standard ride-hailing services and conventional bus fleets from public transit. Microtransit utilizes small buses or vans to provide on-demand shared transport, allowing users to reserve seats, track their trips, and receive real-time estimates of pick-up and drop-off times. While public transit systems in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region are the subject of critical and often contentious policy debates with frequent references to user discontent and an overall decline in quality, microtransit is emerging as an alternative that could improve existing transit systems. Microtransit is argued to be an effective means to extend the coverage of transit services in transit deserts, operating in areas without transit routes and where investments in stations and infrastructure might not be cost effective. Despite its potential benefits, microtransit remains under studied in the LAC region. Based on survey data gathered for Barranquilla, Colombia, and Mexico City, Mexico, this research examines the added value of digital technology features in microtransit. This paper explores individuals' perceptions of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) features present in microtransit and different variables mediating such perceptions. Employing factor analysis, and Structural Equation Models (SEM), ICT features are considered as latent variables and placed as the main outcome of the SEM. Other latent variables encompassing perceptions, such as the quality and safety of public transit, are also included in the model. Results indicate that individuals with pro-car attitudes and those who own cars are more likely to prefer ICT features in microtransit, suggesting a potential for modal shift. Similarly, insecurity in public transit also explains favorable perceptions about the ICT features in microtransit. We also found that higher levels of technological savviness and being a ride-hailing adopter are related to increased valuations of microtransit.
    Keywords: Microtransit
    JEL: O14 R42 R58 Z18
    Date: 2025–07
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:idb:brikps:14219
  7. By: Balakina, Olga; Christiansen, Charlotte; Kallestrup-Lamb, Malene
    Abstract: This paper examines how offering sustainable investment options influences sustainable consumption behavior. We combine a natural experiment in which individuals receive an option to switch to a pension plan with a strong sustainability profile with detailed household register data. This sustainable option improves sustainable consumption, as reflected in electric vehicle adoption and reduced vehicle emissions. The effect is primarily driven by individuals who do not choose the sustainable plan. We show that making sustainable investment available can create positive spillover effects on other sustainable behaviors, highlighting the potential of financial tools to support broader societal change.
    Keywords: Household finance, sustainable investments, sustainable consumption, pension investments, sustainable pension plans, electric vehicles
    JEL: G11 G51 D14
    Date: 2025
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:safewp:324640
  8. By: liu, kerry
    Abstract: The rapid rise of China’s electric vehicle industry - especially its booming exports - has drawn global attention. This study provides a distinctive analysis of the industry’s political economy from a domestic Chinese perspective. Although the electric vehicle sector contributes only modestly to China’s overall economy, it remains one of the few dynamic areas in an otherwise sluggish post-COVID landscape. Drawing on Baidu Index data as of 30 June 2025, the study shows how the Chinese government showcases the electric vehicle industry as a flagship of industrial upgrading and New Quality Productive Forces, using it to boost national confidence. However, its impact varies depending on the target audience and specific events.
    Date: 2025–08–22
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:9zqk2_v1
  9. By: Flynn, James (Miami University); Meyers-Richter, Noah (Miami University); Nencka, Peter (Miami University)
    Abstract: Sleep deprivation imposes significant public health and economic burdens. While researchers studying events like daylight saving time have quantified the impacts of population-wide sleep shifts, less is known about the consequences of acute, voluntary, and recreation-driven sleep loss. This paper investigates this gap by studying the 2002 FIFA World Cup, hosted in South Korea and Japan. The extreme time difference meant that US-based fans sacrificed significant sleep to watch live matches. We track fatal car accidents in areas with large German populations on days when the German national team played early morning games. Areas with greater than 30% German heritage experienced increases in fatal car accidents of 35% relative to control areas after German games. The effects are dose-dependent and rise as the share of the German population increases. Our results are larger for crucial tournament games and non-alcohol-related incidents, consistent with sleep-deprived driving. Effects are driven by male drivers, mirroring World Cup viewer demographics. Placebo tests using the 2006 World Cup, where no games were played during normal U.S. sleeping hours, confirm that sleep disruption, not the sporting event itself, drives our findings.
    Keywords: impaired driving, fatal car accidents, sleep loss
    JEL: I12 R41 D62
    Date: 2025–07
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18050
  10. By: Kannan, Sangita Gayatri; Toman, Michael A. (Resources for the Future); Htun, Tinzar
    Abstract: Growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) increases the demand for critical minerals used in EV batteries and motors. The stability and reliability of supply chains for these materials are significant concerns because of the geographic concentration of supplies. While supply-side policies such as development of new sources are important, so is innovation in both recovering and processing minerals and in battery and magnet designs that affect mineral demands.This issue brief considers questions related to innovation that affects supply chains for EV critical minerals and the policy challenges in scaling up nascent technologies for commercial deployment. It is motivated by a March 2024 webinar organized by Resources for the Future with experts from academia, the automotive industry, and the federal government.
    Date: 2025–01–17
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rff:ibrief:ib-25-01
  11. By: Jianing Zhi; Xinghua Li; Zidong Chen
    Abstract: In this paper, we investigate a supply chain network with a supplier and multiple retailers. The supplier can either take orders from retailers directly, or choose to build a warehouse somewhere in the network to centralize the ordering from retailers. Meanwhile, we take three modes of transportation cost into account, including distance-dependent, quantity-dependent, and distance-quantity-dependent costs, to formulate six models. For the three decentralized models, we provide closed-form solutions to compute the optimal order quantity of each retailer. For the centralized models, we develop closed-form solutions for the first two models as the transportation cost only depends on either distance or order quantity; but when it depends on both, the model becomes a non-linear programming problem. We develop a solution algorithm named Q-search to find a high-quality solution that includes the order quantity and the warehouse location. The experiment results show that the centralized model outperforms the decentralized model in large networks in terms of profit and service level.
    Date: 2025–07
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2507.09631
  12. By: Mingzhi Xiao; Yuki Takayama
    Abstract: As high-speed rail (HSR) investment accelerates across China, the question of whether such large-scale infrastructure can promote balanced regional development or exacerbate spatial inequality has become central for policymakers and scholars. This study provides systematic micro-level evidence by analyzing a balanced panel of 353 county-level divisions, including urban districts, county-level cities, and counties, along the Shanghai-Kunming and Xuzhou-Lanzhou HSR corridors from 2008 to 2019. Using a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) approach, supported by event study and propensity score matching, we quantify the heterogeneous impacts of HSR openings across administrative types and regions, with special attention to the presence of direct HSR station access. The results show that HSR expansion significantly increases secondary and tertiary sector output in urban districts (by 2.77 and 8.71 hundred million RMB) and in county-level cities, particularly in the eastern region. In contrast, counties without HSR stations or with weaker economic foundations experience much smaller gains. Some counties also see a notable contraction in the service sector, which is closely linked to substantial population outflows. Robustness checks confirm the causal interpretation. These findings challenge the prevailing view that HSR fosters uniform growth. Instead, the results reveal that infrastructure-led development can intensify spatial and administrative disparities at the county level. The study underscores the need for integrated and locally tailored policy interventions to ensure that HSR investments contribute to inclusive and sustainable regional development.
    Date: 2025–08
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2508.16079
  13. By: Michalis Chondros; Andreas Papadimitriou; Anastasios Metallinos; Vasiliki Chalastani; Conrad Landis; Dimitris Spyrou; Chrysi Laspidou; Phoebe Koundouri; Vasiliki Tsoukala
    Abstract: This study assesses the impact of climate change on mean annual wave agitation and berth downtime at two major Eastern Mediterranean ports: the Port of Piraeus, Greece, and the Port of Limassol, Cyprus. Using high-fidelity numerical modeling under two climate scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) up to 2100, changes in wave agitation within the port basins are evaluated, both with and without accounting for Sea Level Rise (SLR). Results indicate that climate change will not lead to a uniform increase in wave agitation; rather, outcomes vary depending on the adopted RCP scenario, time period, and specific location within each port basin. While SLR does not significantly alter mean annual wave agitation, its contribution is evident as a slight increase in agitation compared to scenarios excluding SLR. Regarding mean annual berth downtime, more exposed berths in both ports are projected to face significant increases. The influence of SLR on downtime is inconsistent, especially at the Port of Piraeus, where it may increase, decrease, or have negligible effects depending on location. These findings highlight the complex interplay between wave dynamics, local geomorphology, and port infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of port-specific climate resilience assessments.
    Keywords: wave agitation, numerical modelling, climate change, sea level rise, port basin, berth down time, port operability
    Date: 2025–08–28
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aue:wpaper:2551
  14. By: Junaid, Nasif
    Abstract: Navigating Dhaka's ubiquitous rickshaw system often involves daily fare negotiations, a common yet unpredictable economic interaction. This research investigated whether a subtle shift in passenger communication could enhance the efficiency of these micro-negotiations. Using a quasi-experimental design conducted from March to July 2025 in Bashundhara R/A, the study compared two conversational approaches for a fixed 2-kilometer route: a direct fare request versus one framed with "it's quite close." Findings revealed that the "Framed Approach" significantly reduced negotiation attempts, requiring an average of 2.56 rickshaws hailed compared to 3.04 for the "Direct Approach"—a 15.79% improvement. This highlights how a few well-chosen words can lead to tangible time savings and greater operational efficiency in informal urban economies. The study offers practical insights for commuters and provides real-world validation of behavioral economics principles (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979), specifically framing effects (Tversky & Kahneman, 1981), demonstrating their powerful influence on everyday economic outcomes. The study demonstrates the framing effect's strong influence on daily decision-making and resource allocation (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008) while offering crucial, useful commuter strategies and solid, empirical validation of behavioral economics concepts.
    Date: 2025–08–05
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:95b72_v1
  15. By: Soheil Ghili; K. Sudhir; Nitish Jain; Ankur Garg
    Abstract: We build on theoretical results from the mechanism design literature to analyze empirical models of second-degree price discrimination (2PD). We show that for a random-coefficients discrete choice ("BLP") model to be suitable for studying 2PD, it must capture the covariance between two key random effects: (i) the "baseline" willingness to pay (affecting all product versions), and (ii) the perceived differentiation between versions. We then develop an experimental design that, among other features, identifies this covariance under common data constraints in 2PD environments. We implement this experiment in the field in collaboration with an international airline. Estimating the theoretically motivated empirical model on the experimental data, we demonstrate its applicability to 2PD decisions. We also show that test statistics from our design can enable qualitative inference on optimal 2PD policy even before estimating a demand model. Our methodology applies broadly across second-degree price discrimination settings.
    Date: 2025–07
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2507.13426
  16. By: Sapovadia, Vrajlal
    Abstract: This research paper explores the conceptual framework and practical implications of "BioCircular Ports" as a transformative solution for the post-carbon era of international trade. Moving beyond conventional notions of sustainability, BioCircular Ports are envisioned as closed-loop ecosystems that integrate advanced bio-technologies and circular economy principles to minimize environmental impact while maximizing resource efficiency. Key features include integrated aquaponics for local food production, advanced rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems for water self-sufficiency, and on-site manufacturing of ship parts from recycled ocean plastics using 3D printing technologies. This paper discusses the potential for BioCircular Ports to revolutionize maritime logistics, reduce carbon footprints, enhance resilience, and create new economic opportunities. Through a detailed literature review, a proposed research methodology, and a discussion of potential challenges and future research directions, this paper aims to lay the groundwork for the development and implementation of these innovative port models. Imagine ports as closed-loop ecosystems—integrating aquaponics, rainwater harvesting, and 3D-printed ship parts from recycled ocean plastic
    Keywords: BioCircular Ports, Post-Carbon Trade, Circular Economy, Aquaponics, Rainwater Harvesting, 3D Printing, Ocean Plastic, Maritime Logistics, Sustainable Ports.
    JEL: A11 G32
    Date: 2025–07–08
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:125230
  17. By: Phoebe Koundouri; Angelos Alamanos; Giannis Arampatzidis; Stathis Devves; Tatiana Pliakou; Christopher Deranian
    Abstract: Achieving climate neutrality in Europe is a critical goal, yet there is no model-based assessment detailing the key factors and assumptions of each Member State's National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). Filling that gap, we evaluated 35 NECPs and simulated them together in a single energy-emissions model, creating a consolidated European National Commitments (NC) scenario. We built a LEAP (Low Emissions Analysis Platform) model covering energy consumption and production in the residential, industrial, agricultural, transport (terrestrial, maritime, aviation), and services sectors. For each fuel type and end use, we calculated multi�pollutant greenhouse gas emissions. Under the NC scenario, significant emissions reductions emerge across all sectors by 2050, driven by energy efficiency gains and cleaner fuel mixes. However, achieving these reductions depends on fully implementing 35 NECPs, which vary substantially in their timelines, ambition levels, data granularity, and fuel-trade assumptions. We highlight these inconsistencies and offer policy recommendations tailored by sector, country, and policy frameworks, providing critical insights to ensure a feasible, holistic and equitable transition.
    Keywords: National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), Europe, Energy-Emissions, LEAP, Policy Recommendations
    Date: 2025–08–26
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aue:wpaper:2550

This nep-tre issue is ©2025 by Erik Teodoor Verhoef. It is provided as is without any express or implied warranty. It may be freely redistributed in whole or in part for any purpose. If distributed in part, please include this notice.
General information on the NEP project can be found at https://nep.repec.org. For comments please write to the director of NEP, Marco Novarese at <director@nep.repec.org>. Put “NEP” in the subject, otherwise your mail may be rejected.
NEP’s infrastructure is sponsored by the School of Economics and Finance of Massey University in New Zealand.