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Transportation Economics

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RAND research on the allocation of resources in the transportation sector includes work on mileage-based user fees, the relationship between travel demand and economic growth, and transportation infrastructure development.

Commentary
Pay as You Go
Using vehicle miles traveled as a means of distributing the cost of maintaining America's roads and bridges may not be the only answer. But it represents the kind of innovative thinking that is necessary when this sector of the American transportation infrastructure is desperately in need of a fix.
Jul 22, 2015
Commentary
COVID-19: The Questions Ahead for Future Travel and Transport
COVID-19 could have lasting effects on future travel patterns. Future scenarios, a method for visualizing different possible futures, can help inform decisions in deeply uncertain situations and can be used to think about policies that are important for people's quality of life regardless of how the future unfolds.
Apr 15, 2020

Explore Transportation Economics

Report
Implementing Variable Cost Pricing in the Transportation Working Capital Fund
In this companion report, researchers identify next steps toward implementing variable cost pricing for selected business lines funded by the Transportation Working Capital Fund.
Dec 16, 2021
Report
Factors influencing domestic tourism in the UK and abroad and the role of publicly funded domestic tourism marketing: A rapid evidence assessment
This research, commissioned by the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), was undertaken to identify factors that influence people's decisions to take domestic holidays and the impact of publicly funded domestic tourism marketing.
Jul 15, 2021
Report
Independent Evaluation of the Transportation Working Capital Fund: Assessment and Recommendations to Improve Effectiveness and Efficiency
The authors assess the financial viability and current structure of the Transportation Working Capital Fund, which funds U.S. Transportation Command operations, and recommend ways to restructure the fund to improve its effectiveness and efficiency.
Mar 25, 2021
Commentary
Belt and Road: Economic Gain Is Possible for All
China's true motivations for its Belt and Road Initiative may still be unclear. But the West could consider the initiative's potential to deliver sustained economic, social, and environmental benefits for all, and find ways to support infrastructure improvements in the countries involved.
Jan 30, 2020
Report
Aligning Incentives in the Transportation Working Capital Fund: Cost Recovery While Retaining Readiness in Military Transportation
Many of U.S. Transportation Command's peacetime movements are crucial preparation for wartime. But some customers think that costs are too high. This report analyzes cost recovery to better align customer peacetime decisions with the wartime mission.
May 2, 2019
Research Brief
China Belt and Road Initiative: How revival of the silk road could impact world trade
By using both qualitative and quantitative analysis, this study found improving transportation multimodal connectivity has a positive impact on multilateral trade across countries and regions along China Belt and Road Initiative.
Aug 21, 2018
Report
China Belt and Road Initiative: Measuring the impact of improving transportation connectivity on trade in the region
Using both qualitative and quantitative analysis, this study found improving transportation multimodal connectivity has a positive impact on multilateral trade across countries and regions along China Belt and Road Initiative.
Aug 21, 2018
Report
Bus fare and journey time elasticities and diversion factors for all modes: A rapid evidence assessment
In this review a substantial database of diversion-factor evidence was collated. Little recent evidence on bus fare and generalised journey time elasticities was identified. Recommendations are provided, based on analysis of the available evidence.
Jul 9, 2018
Report
Quantifying travellers' willingness to pay for the Harbour Tunnel in Copenhagen: A stated choice study
This study uses a stated choice experiment to quantify travellers' willingness to pay for a tolled tunnel in Copenhagen. Discrete choice models are used to quantify travellers' value of travel time savings.
Mar 20, 2018
Journal Article
Sample Size Implications of Multi-Day GPS-enabled Household Travel Surveys
This digest summarizes key findings of research conducted in NCHRP Project 08-36/Task 123, "Survey Sample Size and Weighting."
Dec 15, 2016
Journal Article
Understanding the Potential of Variable Tolling to Smooth Congestion on Downstream Facilities: Applications of a Joint Time-of-Day and Route Choice Model
The aim of this research was to understand the conditions under which time-varying tolls could be used to effectively smooth congestion on a downstream, untolled roadway.
Apr 6, 2016
Journal Article
Investigating Changes in Willingness to Pay for Managed-Lane Systems: Quasi-Panel Approach
This paper investigates the hypothesis that willingness to pay for managed lanes (MLs) changes through time in the aftermath of the opening and operation of a facility.
Apr 6, 2016
Report
STM3 2011 base frequency, mode-destination and car ownership models
The report documents work to update version 3 of the Sydney Strategic Model (STM3) to work with a 2011 base year instead of a 2006 base year.
Sep 28, 2015
Report
Sydney Strategic Model Re-estimation: Mode-Destination Model
This report documents the re-estimation of the mode-destination model components of the Sydney Strategic Transport Model (STM).
Sep 28, 2015
Report
Sydney Strategic Model Re-estimation: Licence, Car Ownership and Frequency Models
This report documents the re-estimation of the licence, car ownership and frequency model components of the Sydney Strategic Transport Model (STM).
Sep 28, 2015
Report
Time period choice modelling — review of practice
The report presents a review of the time period choice modelling literature undertaken to inform consideration of whether the Sydney Strategic Travel Model should be extended to model time period choice.
Sep 28, 2015
Report
The Impact of Adopting Time-of-Day Tolling: Case Study of 183A in Austin, Texas
This study evaluates the traffic and revenue impacts of moving from a fixed toll rate on the 183A Turnpike in Texas to a toll structure that varies by time of day.
Jun 18, 2015
Report
Evidence review of car traffic levels in Britain: A rapid evidence assessment
This study presents findings of a rapid evidence assessment of literature to better understand the factors and trends influencing the recent levelling off in total miles driven in Britain.
Jan 15, 2015
Report
Road traffic demand elasticities: A rapid evidence assessment
This study presents findings of a rapid evidence assessment of literature to better understand the factors driving road transport demand for both passengers and freight.
Jan 15, 2015

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Community Health and Environmental Policy