Analysis of long-distance vacation travel demand in the United States: a multiple discrete–continuous choice framework

This study analyzes the annual vacation destination choices and related time allocation patterns of American households. More specifically, an annual vacation destination choice and time allocation model is formulated to simultaneously predict the different vacation destinations that a household visits in a year, and the time (no. of days) it allocates to each of the visited destinations. The model takes the form of a multiple discrete–continuous extreme value (MDCEV) structure. Further, a variant of the MDCEV model is proposed to reduce the prediction of unrealistically small amounts of vacation time allocation to the chosen destinations. To do so, the continuously non-linear utility functional form in the MDCEV framework is replaced with a combination of a linear and non-linear form. The empirical analysis was performed using the 1995 American Travel Survey data, with the United States divided into 210 alternative destinations. The model estimation results provide several insights into the determinants of households’ vacation destination choice and time allocation patterns. Results suggest that travel times and travel costs to the destinations, and lodging costs, leisure activity opportunities (measured by employment in the leisure industry), length of coastline, and weather conditions at the destinations influence households’ destination choices for vacations. The annual vacation destination choice model developed in this study can be incorporated into a larger national travel modeling framework for predicting the national-level, origin–destination flows for vacation travel.     

Use and Effects of Advanced Traveller Information Services (ATIS): A Review of the Literature

Abstract

Rapid technological developments in the field of personal communication services probe visions of a next generation in Advanced Traveller Information Services (ATIS). These technological developments provoke a renewed interest in the use and effect of such next‐generation ATIS among academia as well as practitioners. To understand better the potential use and effects of such next‐generation ATIS, a thorough review is warranted of contemporary conceptual ideas and empirical findings on the use of travel information (services) and their effects on travellers’ choices. This paper presents such a review and integrates behavioural determinants such as the role of decision strategies with manifest determinants such as trip contexts and socio‐economic variables into a coherent framework of information acquisition and its effect on travellers’ perceptions.     

In Search of the Link between Ship Size and Operations

Abstract

Since 1990s the liner shipping industry has faced a period of restructuring and consolidation, and been confronted with a continuing increase in container vessel scale. The impact of these changes is noticeable in trade patterns, cargo handling methods and shipping routes, in short ‘operations’. After listing factors influencing size, growth in container ship size is explained by economies of scale in deploying larger vessels. In order to quantify economies of scale, this paper uses the liner service cash flow model. A novelty in the model is the inclusion of +6000-20-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) vessels and the distinction in costs between single and twin propeller units on ships. The results illustrate that scale economies have been – and will continue to be – the driving force behind the deployment of larger container vessels. The paper then assesses the link between ship size and operations, given current discussions about the increase in container vessel scale. It is found that (a) ship size and operations are linked; (b) optimal ship size depends on transport segment (deep-sea vs. short-sea shipping, SSS), terminal type (transhipment terminals vs. other terminals), trade lane (East-West vs. North-South trades) and technology; and (c) a ship optimal for one trade can be suboptimal for another.     

Counting the different efficient paths for transportation networks and its applications

This paper deals with an interesting problem about how to efficiently compute the number of different efficient paths between an origin‐destination pair for a transportation network because these efficient paths are the possible paths used by drivers to some extent. Based on a novel triangle operation derived, it first presents a polynomial‐time combinatorial algorithm that can obtain the number of different simple paths between any two nodes for an acyclic network as well as the total travel cost of these paths. This paper proceeds to develop a combinatorial algorithm with polynomial‐time complexity for both counting the different efficient paths between an origin‐destination pair and calculating the total travel cost of these paths. As for applications, this paper shows that the preceding two algorithms can yield the lower and upper bounds for the number of different simple paths between an origin‐destination pair, while it has already be recognized that a polynomial‐time algorithm getting such a number does not exist for a general network. Furthermore, the latter algorithm can be applied for developing a heuristic method for the traffic counting location problem arising from the origin‐destination matrix estimation problems.     

Hinterland strategies of port authorities: A case study of the port of Barcelona

Port authorities generally focus on the development of the local port area and play a minor role in the development of port hinterlands, whereas shippers, forwarders, barge and rail operators have always been involved in the port-hinterland connection. The increasing importance of intermodal hinterland networks for the competitive position of ports has urged port authorities to become active in the hinterland. This new role has already been suggested by different academics. However, limited empirical evidence exists of port authorities taking stakes in inland terminals or developing transport services. Barcelona, as one of the leading port authorities in this respect, is used as a case study in this paper. The case study provides insight in the components and execution of the hinterland strategy of Barcelona. It shows that the strategy of the port authority of Barcelona and the consequent active involvement in the hinterland has had a significant impact on attracting container volumes from distant hinterlands and improving the accessibility of the port.     

压力钢带式无级变速器技术降低油耗的潜能分析(二)

参考CVT装在一辆奔驰A190车辆上，在3个测试循环及两种恒速状态下，通过认可的方法对油耗进行测量。表2所示的是采用绝对安全系数Sfabs=1.3的目前策略与新的控制策略之间的减少量。     

The market potential for plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles in Flanders: A choice-based conjoint analysis

This paper considers the market potential for battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in Flanders, Belgium. Making use of a large-scale survey conducted in 2011 and applying a choice-based conjoint experiment, it is predicted that by 2020, battery electric vehicles could have a market share of about 5% of new vehicles, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles could have a share of around 7%. By 2030, these figures could increase to 15% and 29%. The speed of up-take of electric vehicles, however, is sensitive to purchase costs.     

Using system dynamics in maritime economics: an endogenous decision model for shipowners in the dry bulk sector

In this paper, we consider the benefits of applying system dynamics in maritime economics. We build an endogenous shipowners' model for the dry bulk sector, incorporating both the decision process of individual shipowners and traditional shipping market conditions. The aim is to arrive at a simulation tool that can be used for a variety of applications, both for teaching/learning and for research purposes. Within the endogenous shipping model, we can distinguish between the strategic and the tactical choices shipowners face. As an application, we focus explicitly on a strategic decision-making process that is relevant to any shipowner, i.e. the sale of a vessel. System dynamics seems to be a tool well-suited for the detailed modelling of strategic and operational behaviour in the maritime business.     

Do the selected Trans European transport investments pass the cost benefit test?

This paper assesses the economic justification for the selection of priority projects defined under the auspices of the Trans-European transport network. Three different transport models are used to analyse the costs and benefits associated with the current list of 30 priority projects. Most of these projects fail the cost-benefit test and few of the economically justifiable projects would need European subsidies to ensure their viability. Two remedies are proposed to minimise the inefficiencies surrounding project selection. The first remedy would oblige each member state or group of states to perform a cost-benefit analysis, followed by peer review and ensure that the results were published publicly prior to the ranking of federally funded priority projects. The second remedy would require federal funding to be made available only for projects with important spillovers to other countries in order to avoid pork barrel political behaviour.