The Dutch mobility panel: Experiences and evaluation

The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the history and research experiences of the Dutch National Mobility Panel. Attention is given to the sampling strategy, the policy goals, and the representativity of the panel. It also tries to evaluate the research outcomes in terms of the original objectives and in view of more general research and policy goals. In sections one and two, a historic overview is given, starting from the first ideas to implement a longitudinal research instrument in transportation planning. In section three, some attention is devoted to longitudinal versus cross-sectional analyses. In section four, the sample design is treated in some detail. Next, various forms of bias are discussed that affect the representativity of the panel. In the sixth section, an overview is given of the research conducted with the data. Some conclusions are given in the final section.     

Preference Heterogeneity and Willingness to Pay for Travel Time Savings

We examined different model specifications to detect the presence of preference heterogeneity in a mode choice context. The specification that worked best allows for both systematic and random variations in tastes, with parameters obtained at the individual level using Bayesian methods. Subjective values of travel time (SVT) and expected individual compensated variation were derived and aggregated to obtain measures of social welfare. Results suggest that the benefit measures, both at the individual and at the social level, are sensitive to preference heterogeneity assumptions. SVT and welfare changes derived from travel time reductions could be underestimated if the traditional assumption of taste homogeneity is made (we detected differences up to 30% in both types of measures). We also obtained an empirical value for the error made when evaluating changes in social welfare using an approximation of the expected individual compensated variation (expressed as a function of individual SVT) rather than its exact expression.     

A test of the two-mode UMOT in the Netherlands

The UMOT model, presented as an alternative to conventional travel demand models, is critically examined for its feasibility to predict vehicle distance travelled and average daily traffic in The Netherlands. Using data from the National Travel Survey (OVG) 1978 a Dutch version of UMOT is developed, and an attempt is made to validate it on historical data from the period 1960 to 1980. Some comparisons are made with results of similar work using 1976 survey data in the UK by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory.     

Experimental investigations on continuous regenerative anti-lock braking system of full electric vehicle

Functions of anti-lock braking for full electric vehicles (EV) with individually controlled wheel drive can be realized through conventional brake system actuating friction brakes and regenerative brake system actuating electric motors. To analyze advantages and limitations of both variants of anti-lock braking systems (ABS), the presented study introduces results of experimental investigations obtained from proving ground tests of all-wheel drive EV. The brake performance is assessed for three different configurations: hydraulic ABS; regenerative ABS only on the front axle; blended hydraulic and regenerative ABS on the front axle and hydraulic ABS on the rear axle. The hydraulic ABS is based on a rule-based controller, and the continuous regenerative ABS uses the gain-scheduled proportional-integral direct slip control with feedforward and feedback control parts. The results of tests on low-friction road surface demonstrated that all the ABS configurations guarantee considerable reduction of the brake distance compared to the vehicle without ABS. In addition, braking manoeuvres with the regenerative ABS are characterized by accurate tracking of the reference wheel slip that results in less oscillatory time profile of the vehicle deceleration and, as consequence, in better driving comfort. The results of the presented experimental investigations can be used in the process of selection of ABS architecture for upcoming generations of full electric vehicles with individual wheel drive.     

Analyzing time sensitivity to discomfort in the Paris subway: an interval data model approach

We analyze individual travel discomfort-time tradeoffs in the Paris subway using stated choice experiments. The survey design allows to set up in a willingness-to-pay space to estimate the distributions of elasticities of values of travel time to crowd density and time multipliers. Several formulations of a generalized travel cost function are tested. Accounting for heterogeneity in preferences, the econometric models all take the form of an ordered probit with known bounds. We derive several estimates that could be used for fine-tuning of traffic simulation systems and more general transportation policy analysis.     

Transit service quality analysis using cluster analysis and decision trees: a step forward to personalized marketing in public transportation

A transit service quality study based on cluster analysis was performed to extract detailed customer profiles sharing similar appraisals concerning the service. This approach made it possible to detect specific requirements and needs regarding the quality of service and to personalize the marketing strategy. Data from various customer satisfaction surveys conducted by the Transport Consortium of Granada (Spain) were analyzed to distinguish these groups; a decision tree methodology was used to identify the most important service quality attributes influencing passengers’ overall evaluations. Cluster analysis identified four groups of passengers. Comparisons using decision trees among the overall sample of all users and the different groups of passengers identified by cluster analysis led to the discovery of differences in the key attributes encompassed by perceived quality.     

Revisiting port pricing; a proposal for seven port pricing principles

A review of seven large landlord port authorities around the world reveals a notable diversity of pricing structures. While port authorities increasingly act as commercial undertakings, port pricing often seems to be not driven by commercial considerations. In this paper, we argue that ports can be regarded as “business ecosystems” with multiple users. This provides a valuable perspective on pricing and raises the question of whether ports can be regarded as two-sided markets. We argue this is not the case. The business ecosystem perspective provides a basis for deducing seven pricing principles for port authorities that are detailed in the paper and illustrated with cases these principles. These pricing principles are broadly follow a direct user pays approach; capture value from “non-core” tenants; price aggressively for activities with a high strategic value; differentiate pricing based on price elasticity and connectivity improvements; maximize revenue from long-term lease agreements, price port dues competitively; critically consider differentiation of charges based on environmental performance; and finally use incentives to align interests of terminal operators and shipping lines. We conclude that the ecosystem perspective is central to the understanding of pricing decisions of port authorities and that various pricing issues deserve more attention.     

Multi‐criteria analysis procedure for sustainable mobility evaluation in urban areas

This paper proposes a procedure to evaluate sustainable mobility in urban areas. A set of indicators according to three dimensions of sustainability, i.e., environment, economics, and social aspects, are proposed to evaluate mobility in urban areas. The sustainable mobility evaluation is based on an Index calculated through a weighted multi‐criteria combination procedure. A group of specialists in Brazil was involved in the development of the Index by defining the weights for the criteria. An application of the methodology in the city of Belo Horizonte, capital of the State of Minas Gerais, with 2.24 million inhabitants, is presented to validate the methodology.     

Multi-agent model predictive control of signaling split in urban traffic networks

The operation of large dynamic systems such as urban traffic networks remains a challenge in control engineering to a great extent due to their sheer size, intrinsic complexity, and nonlinear behavior. Recently, control engineers have looked for unconventional means for modeling and control of complex dynamic systems, in particular the technology of multi-agent systems whose appeal stems from their composite nature, flexibility, and scalability. This paper contributes to this evolving technology by proposing a framework for multi-agent control of linear dynamic systems, which decomposes a centralized model predictive control problem into a network of coupled, but small sub-problems that are solved by the distributed agents. Theoretical results ensure convergence of the distributed iterations to a globally optimal solution. The framework is applied to the signaling split control of traffic networks. Experiments conducted with simulation software indicate that the multi-agent framework attains performance comparable to conventional control. The main advantages of the multi-agent framework are its graceful extension and localized reconfiguration, which require adjustments only in the control strategies of the agents in the vicinity.