Measuring the benefits derived from a transportation investment

This paper reviews the problems associated with application of the concept of consumers' surplus to the measurement of benefits derived from a transportation investment. This review is warranted since such measurement is very complicated when alternative modes or different paths are available to the users and benefit measures have been proposed which, on the surface, appear not to agree. In particular, as Mohring (1976), Williams (1976) and Agnello (1977), among others, have discussed, demand curves for interdependent modes will shift in response to a modal specific improvement, i.e. a unimodal investment, thereby complicating the measurement of consumers' surplus. The perspective taken in this paper resolves seeming inconsistencies in the literature regarding the directions of demand shifts and the correct measure to be used in calculating changes in consumer's surplus following an investment. This is accomplished by introducing an aggregate, origin-destination demand curve which is independent of the alternative modes actually available and from which traditional modal demands can be derived. An approach for deriving the modal demands from the aggregate demand and the behavioral assumptions behind the aggregate supply is described; the aggregate demand is used to unequivocably determine the directions of shifts in the modal demand curves due to specific modal investments. The resulting consistency of modal and aggregate demand is shown to lead to an unambiguous measure of total consumers' surplus variation. Extensions to include producers' surplus are also given.     

海工装备业主颠簸而行

较低的石油价格使得海工装备业主出现一段时期现金流和低收益问题。如果强者抓住这个机会剔除弱者,可能会有并购和收购的好机会。没人愿意制造一个戏剧般的危机,但海洋工程装备经纪人对跌跌不休的石油价格很难做到不恐慌。最近,布伦特原油价格每桶跌破达45美元,这是6年来的最低点。高盛投资银行的能源分析师已经削减了他们对第一季度油价50%的预估,尽管低至42美元,但是没有人知道真正的地板价在哪。同时,石油公司在为新的财政年度拟定预算。唯一的讨论问题是首先应     

Equilibrium predictions in transportation markets: The state of the art

The task of predicting the short run equilibrium of a transportation market is central to the study of many transportation problems. In this paper we review the different approaches and methodologies that have been proposed to deal with the equilibrium problem in transportation markets. The problem is formulated in the most general way possible and its fundamental characteristics are analyzed. Then, different mathematical characterizations of transportation market and traffic flow equilibrium in networks are reviewed. Various available results are presented and analyzed. Finally, a discussion is given of alternative computational procedures for dealing with multiclass problems.     

A model of optimal transport maintenance with demand responsiveness

Maintenance activities can be performed throughout the lifetime of a particular facility or piece of equipment, thereby affecting its quality in a continuous fashion. It is assumed in this paper that quality of a facility is determined by natural factors, rate of use and maintenance investments while demand for the facility is assumed to be a function of its quality. A dynamic optimization model in the form of a simple linear optimal control problem is then developed in order to determine optimal maintenance policies under these circumstances. Bang-bang and singular policies are derived and given economic interpretations. An algorithm is presented for numerical solution of the Pontryagin necessary conditions. Finally, sufficiency conditions are obtained for the model structure considered.     

The use of equilibrium network models in logistics management: With application to the U.S. coal industry

This paper discusses the use in logistics management of the freight network equilibrium model, developed in Harker and Friesz (1985a, b), called the Generalized Spatial Price Equilibrium Model, or GSPEM. After this discussion, computational techniques for solving this model are presented. The application of GSPEM to the analysis of the U.S. coal economy is then presented and future extensions of this line of research are discussed.     

The role of chemical signals in copepod reproduction

Because the reproductive fitness of a copepod is influenced by its ability to discriminate between conspecific and heterospecific mates, it is important to understand the mechanisms involved in these complex mate-recognition systems. Several lines of evidence suggest that chemical communication plays a role in mate location, recognition and reproduction in copepods. However, the relative importance of chemosensory cues, as well as other factors, including hydromechanical and morphological cues, remains unclear. Some studies show that mating ‘mistakes' occasionally occur in nature, which for species that mate only once, would have considerable effects on fitness. By reducing the likelihood of heterospecific matings, species-specific mate location and recognition chemicals have high adaptive value. The relative importance and molecular characteristics of these chemicals, whether diffusible or contact signals, may explain differences in premating and copulatory behavior observed among different copepod taxa. Current research suggests that both forms of chemical communication significantly influence the reproductive success of copepods. In this review, we summarize examples from the literature that may serve as a means to critically analyze postulated ideas and offer new questions for future study.