Research in Transportation Economics最新文献

In this paper, we present an extension of the agent-based travel demand model mobiTopp with a last-mile parcel delivery module called logiTopp, in which online shopping choice is modeled explicitly. Online shopping behavior is modeled using logistic and Poisson regression models, which consider both the socio-demographic characteristics of the customer and aspects of their travel behavior. As mobiTopp is a framework that simulates travel demand over one week, we are able to capture interactions between travel behavior and online shopping that do not become apparent in single-day simulations.

The results show that the integrated choice model reflects the findings presented in the literature in that male, affluent, young professionals are most likely to (frequently) order parcels online compared to other groups of the population. Application of the agent-based model to a city in Germany shows that socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics are considered realistically within the simulation.

The model presented here is a suitable simulation tool for alternative urban last-mile delivery solutions, and the open-source and modular framework allows for transfer to other regions as the underlying choice models are consistent with literature from other spatial contexts.

The findings are of interest to transportation planners and policymakers as they contribute to the understanding of how increased e-commerce demand influences the transportation system and solutions to mitigate adverse effects.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems have become increasingly common in US cities. BRT stations provide a local amenity by improving transportation options for local residents, but may also represent a local nuisance due to noise or displacement of other road users. We estimate whether BRT is priced into local real estate by studying a recently opened BRT project in Vancouver, Washington. We use a difference-in-difference method with both hedonic and repeat sales estimators to test for a price effect. We estimate a 5%–7% price premium for homes located within a 20 min walk of a BRT station. Overall, BRT generated new real estate value that exceeded the project’s construction costs by a factor of six. We discuss how government could leverage future residential property value increases to fund construction of BRT projects.

Europe is finally entering a season of liberalisation in the long-distance rail passenger market, which takes the form of on-track competition among public and private operators. The paper provides a broad-scope comparison of relevant European markets, belonging to liberalised and non-liberalised countries, aiming to point out the patterns in terms of supply, competition model and prices. The paper is based on a sample of heterogeneous 69 city-pairs, analysed in two fourteen days periods in 2019 (May/June and November). All available modes are observed, collecting info on companies, frequency of services, and cheapest price. The analysis starts from a schematisation of different business models, based on literature. Then, using the database, we study the country's supply structure, size, and level of intermodal and intra-modal competition through HHIs. Prices are analysed in two steps: the average prices and the price dispersion, searching for their main determinants, including but not limited to competition. Results show that a higher competition level is not always corresponding to low prices, which are instead determined by many other factors such as size of market, demand, socio-economic characteristics, subsidies, production costs, speed advantage, strength of the incumbent, etc. The competition level, instead, directly influences the quality, the supplied capacity, and the price dispersion.

In this study, data envelopment analysis (DEA) was used to evaluate the efficiency of the bus route network in Akita City, Akita Prefecture, Japan. The DEA efficiency indices utilized route length (km) and overlap index (number of lines/km) as input values for the network efficiency, while the number of buses per year was used as the output value for the deployment efficiency. Operating costs (yen) were used as the input value for the revenue efficiency, and Operating costs (yen) and fare revenue (yen) were used as input and output values, respectively, for the revenue efficiency. The results of this study show that the overall network efficiency is low, indicating that complex and radial bus routes are inefficient and can be improved. Next, we surveyed the attitudes of residents of Akita City, regarding the use of bus routes. The results showed that 18.5% of the respondents did not want to transfer between bus trips, whereas 69.7% could tolerate transferring up to once. Furthermore, 2.7% of the respondents were unwilling to wait for the bus, whereas 52.4% were willing to wait within 10 min, while 38.6% were willing to wait between 10 and 20 min.

Based on the results of this analysis, which was conducted by a university laboratory, suggestions were made to the local government on how to provide an efficient network. The bus routes in Akita City are operated by private operators but managed by the local government. Thus, efficient bus routes with connections can be constructed through proposals to local governments.

Inefficient bus routes were identified using DEA, and a network with transfers was examined for their improvement. When examining such a network, the attitudes of the users toward transfers must be understood; the relationship involves understanding the attitudes of the users toward inefficient bus routes using DEA. This study revealed that a large number of people could tolerate up to one transfer. The transit time is a significant factor in the acceptance.

The deregulation of the U.S. railroad industry has largely been considered a success, as costs and rates have fallen due to changes in the mix of traffic and industry consolidation. However, rates did not fall as quickly as costs, and since 2000 rates have been rising while many measures of cost have remained relatively stable. We investigate these changes in rail rates using a sample of agricultural shipments from 2000–2016. We provide evidence that even after controlling for changes in cost drivers such as fuel, the relationships between prices and determinants have changed over time, suggesting that railroad pricing rules have driven increases in rates faced by shippers.

With increasing trends in online shopping, brick-and-mortar retailers have experienced declines in businesses forcing them to close down completely, downsize or go online. Shopping malls and strip malls, for example, have been faced with less foot traffic in recent years, while struggling to retain and attract new businesses to operate in various locations. Similarly, public transit agencies in the U.S have seen declines in ridership. Using a bivariate probit model and consumer-level data to examine the inter-relationship between online shopping, mall visits and public transit use, this study seeks to determine if online shopping activities contribute to the declines in public transit ridership in the U.S. Our results indicate that public transit use is positively associated with mall visits; for consumers who are online shoppers, online shopping creates a negative effect on mall visits thereby reducing their public transit use. This effect, however, is small relative to the effect of car ownership.

The high-speed railway (HSR) performance has drawn considerable attention from international scholars and policymakers. One heatedly-discussed topic is measuring HSR efficiency and its important determinants, particularly HSR organizational structures. The main contribution of our research is the adoption of the multi-stage Network Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Tobit Model, which provides a rational and coherent method to address this issue.

We select the dataset from main HSR countries during the period of 2009–2018, and rank the efficiency of HSRs of different countries. Subsequently we examine the relationship between HSR efficiency and characteristic determinants, along with geographical and economic indicators that may influence the model.

The results have revealed the HSR productivity difference do exist among countries. Overall, Asia's HSR systems demonstrate higher efficiency compared to those in Europe; while China's HSR efficiency ranks medium in the HSR multi-stages chain but higher in the service stage. Furthermore, the determinants of organizational structure can significantly effect on the effectiveness of HSR systems under a certain transport density threshold. In conclusion, regulators and operators should endeavor to increase traffic by meeting the demand to improve system efficiency. For China, focusing on vertical integration should be the key aspect of future HSR reform.

High-speed rail (HSR) stands as one of the most significant transportation technological advancements in the global railway industry over the past half-century, attracting considerable scholarly attention regarding its impact on urban economies. However, researches remain rare as to the dynamic evolution of the HSR netwok and the economic network, as well as their relationship. Our research tackles this issue by employing social network analysis (SNA) and a complex gravity model to construct China's HSR network and economic network. Furthermore, we apply the quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) and nonlinear Granger causality test to analyze the relationship between the two networks. Results reveal a significant correlation between China's HSR and economic network from 2008 to 2020, exhibiting heterogeneity in nonlinear causal relationships across different spatial scales. Notably, the strength of the relationship between the HSR netwok and the economic network follows an inverted “U” shape. This correlation is more pronounced within smaller administrative boundaries than inter-administrative regions. Additionally, the HSR netwok and the economic network in China's central and western regions tend to foster mutually reinforcing patterns of evolution. These findings shed light on the interactive processes between HSR development and economic growth in China, providing a foundation for policy formulation in emerging economies seeking to develop a new transportation technology and promote synergistic economic growth.

Urban freight transport is expected to increase in volume and share of motorized traffic in cities. Simultaneously, stakeholders responsible for urban development lack access to detailed data on urban freight transport. Private freight actors, i.e., carriers, collect data as part of their operations, which could potentially meet the data needs within public planning. This paper explores the possibilities of exploiting such data for improved urban mobility planning through semi-structured interviews with carriers and planners. The results show that carriers are willing to share delivery data under certain conditions and even mention benefits for their own operations if such sharing leads to more informed freight planning. Furthermore, sample data provided by carriers was explored and largely proved to contain core information on carrier movements to meet the needs of the planners. However, data on vehicles and routing was lacking. As a next step, it is suggested that a public authority initiate the collection and use of carrier-provided data to maintain trust amongst stakeholders. Additionally, efficient ways of collecting and interpreting the data must be developed to obtain consistent, useable, high-quality data for sustainable urban mobility planning.

At its core public transport integration is about the collaboration of actors. Collaboration is elusive and difficult to achieve, especially in developing countries where insufficient regulation and dispersed, quasi-formal public transport operations are common. Asymmetries in information and objectives between paratransit and formal sector actors create barriers and may prevent synergies from emerging. A simplified framework for assessing the collaboration of actors during the implementation of integrated public transport projects is proposed. The position of the framework is that it is critical to identify actors’ objectives and barriers to collaboration, and then to action decisions to remove these barriers and achieve objectives at every step of the STO (Strategic Tactical Operational) decision-making process to maintain structural and horizontal consistency. The framework is tested ex-post on two public transport integration projects in Tshwane, South Africa: the Gautrain regional rapid rail and A Re Yeng Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), both of which are supported by paratransit feeders. The case study shows how collaboration is achieved when all the key actors' objectives and barriers are understood, planned for and implemented across the STO levels and how failure to do so can lead to failed integration outcomes. The framework may be useful to authorities pursuing collaboration with paratransit for the purposes of implementing integrated public transport in the Global South.