Stockholm congestion charging: an assessment with METROPOLIS and SILVESTER

This paper reviews and compares the performance of two dynamic transportation models – METROPOLIS and SILVESTER – which are used to predict the impacts of congestion charging for Stockholm. Both are mesoscopic dynamic models treating accumulation and dissipation of traffic queues, route choice, modal split and departure time choice. The models are calibrated independently for the baseline situation without charges and applied to forecast the effects of congestion charging. The results obtained from the two models are mutually compared and validated against the actual outcome of the Stockholm congestion charging scheme. Both models successfully predict the outcomes of the congestion charging trial at both aggregate and disaggregate levels. Results of welfare analysis, however, differ substantially due to differences in model specification.     

A forecast air pollution model applied to a hypothetical urban road pricing scheme: An empirical study in Madrid

Reducing the air pollution from increases in traffic congestion in large cities and their surroundings is an important problem that requires changes in travel behavior. Road pricing is an effective tool for reducing air pollution, as reflected currently urban road pricing outcomes (Singapore, London, Stockholm and Milan). A survey was conducted based on establishing a hypothetical urban road pricing system in Madrid (a random sample size n = 1298). We developed a forecast air pollution model with time series analysis to evaluate the consequences of possible air pollution decreases in Madrid. Results reveal that the hypothetical road pricing for Madrid could have highly significant effects on decreasing air pollution outside of the city and in the inner city during the peak operating time periods of maximum congestion (morning peak hours from 7:00 to 10:00 and evening peak hours from 18:00 to 20:00). Furthermore, this system could have significant positive effects on a shift toward using public transport and non-motorized modes inside the hypothetical toll zone. This reveals that the system has a high capacity to motivate a decrease in air pollution and impose more sustainable behavior for public transport users.     

铁路易腐货物非紧密装载方案的优化方法

结合铁路易腐货物运输实际,以建立良好的空气循环系统为条件,以提高车或箱装载量为目标,构建相应的优化数学模型.根据易腐货物装车过程的操作特点,提出一种分步启发式求解方法.实际检算结果表明,该优化算法有效可行.     

多模式交通网络的交通出行、讫点、方式和路径分配与收费定价模型

本文研究多模式交通网络中出行选择、讫点选择、方式选择、路径选择和拥挤道路收费的组合模型。模型被表示为双层规划。上层模型确定道路收费以达到系统收益最大、成本最小，下层表示出行、讫点、方式和路径选择的随机均衡模型，最后用算例说明。     

基于通勤模式的都市圈中心结构判别研究

面对日益严重的城市交通问题，城市管理者尝试从城市空间规划层面引导交通出行模式的转型，调节供需关系，缓解交通问题，而中心结构识别作为城市空间规划的重要步骤，在分析方法与数据应用等方面仍然受限。本文利用百度位置数据挖掘出的都市圈通勤数据，采用基于网格的DBSCAN(Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise)密度聚类算法，识别出我国35个主要都市圈的中心布局，并根据5种通勤模式的理论模型和相应的量化指标对都市圈中心结构进行判别，最后对主要中心结构下影响通勤效率的因素进行回归分析。研究发现，虽然不同都市圈的中心布局差异明显，但大部分都市圈表现为非均衡多中心结构。不同中心结构的 分布呈现出一定的地域特征，单中心结构都市圈主要位于中西部城市，而约束扩散结构和均衡多中心结构都市圈大多是由东部沿海开放城市发展形成。城市规模与通勤时耗的相关性最为显著，职住平衡度对通勤时耗也有较大影响。上述研究结果为针对性地制定不同都市圈的资源配 置策略和通勤效率优化策略提供了有效支撑，对都市圈空间规划和交通可持续发展具有一定的理论价值和现实指导意义。     

Why experience changes attitudes to congestion pricing: The case of Gothenburg

Many cities have seen public support for congestion charges increase substantially after charges have been introduced. Several alternative explanations of this phenomenon have been suggested, but so far little evidence has been available to assess the relative importance of these explanations. We study attitudes to congestion pricing in Gothenburg before and after congestion charges were introduced in January 2013. Attitudes to the charges did indeed become more positive after the introduction, just as in previous cities. Using a two-wave postal survey, we separate contributions to the attitude change from a number of sources: benefits and costs being different than anticipated, use of hypothecated revenues, reframing processes, and changes in related attitudes such as attitudes to environment, equity, taxation and pricing measures in general. We conclude that the dominant reason for the attitude change is status quo bias, rather than any substantial changes in beliefs or related attitudes, although some of these factors also contribute. Contrary to a common belief, nothing of the attitude change is due to benefits being larger than anticipated.     

Do partners influence each other’s travel patterns? A new approach to study the role of social norms

To better understand the role of social norms in relation to people’s travel behavior this study addresses the question whether and to what extent partners in two-partner households influence each other’s travel patterns. For example, is the male household head more likely to start using the bicycle if the female household head also uses the bicycle (and vice versa)? While this is a straightforward question, it has, to the best of the author’s knowledge, not been explored in previous research. Using data from 958 couples from the German Mobility panel, the bidirectional effects between the travel patterns of male and female household heads are explored. To this end, the relatively new method of latent class transition analysis is used. The results show that, over time, travel pattern membership of the male household head influences travel pattern membership of the female household head and vice versa. Given that the effects are controlled for a range of individual and shared household characteristics, these results suggest that social norms at the household level play an important role. The paper concludes with an outlook on how the developed framework can be extended in the future.     

Transitioning to energy efficient vehicles: An analysis of the potential rebound effects and subsequent impact upon emissions

Given the shift toward energy efficient vehicles (EEVs) in recent years, it is important that the effects of this transition are properly examined. This paper investigates some of these effects by analyzing annual kilometers traveled (AKT) of private vehicle owners in Stockholm in 2008. The difference in emissions associated with EEV adoption is estimated, along with the effect of a congestion-pricing exemption for EEVs on vehicle usage. Propensity score matching is used to compare AKT rates of different vehicle owner groups based on the treatments of: EEV ownership and commuting across the cordon, controlling for confounding factors such as demographics. Through this procedure, rebound effects are identified, with some EEV owners found to have driven up to 12.2% further than non-EEV owners. Although some of these differences could be attributed to the congestion-pricing exemption, the results were not statistically significant. Overall, taking into account lifecycle emissions of each fuel type, average EEV emissions were 50.5% less than average non-EEV emissions, with this reduction in emissions offset by 2.0% due to rebound effects. Although it is important for policy-makers to consider the potential for unexpected negative effects in similar transitions, the overall benefit of greatly reduced emissions appears to outweigh any rebound effects present in this case study.     

Can Hong Kong price-manage its cross-harbor-tunnel congestion?

Hong Kong drivers face daily congestion, especially at the Cross Harbor Tunnel (CHT) whose tolls are substantially lower than those of the drivers’ other two tunnel options: the Eastern Harbor Crossing (EHC) and the Western Harbor Crossing (WHC). In 2013, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government issued a consultation paper, seeking public comments on three toll-change proposals that would raise the CHT’s tolls and lower the EHC’s tolls. The WHC’s tolls would remain unchanged due to its congested connecting roads. Using monthly crossing data available from the HKSAR’s Transport Department for 2000–2012, this paper uses a Generalized Leontief demand system to document that the usage patterns of the three tunnels is price-responsive. Hence, we conclude that the proposed toll changes are likely to be effective in transportation demand management, by shifting a portion of the CHT’s usage to the EHC and WHC, thereby relieving the CHT’s congestion.     

Differentiated congestion pricing of urban transportation networks with vehicle-tracking technologies

This paper explores a new type of congestion pricing that differentiates users with respect to their travel characteristics or attributes, and charges them different amounts of toll accordingly. The scheme can reduce the financial burden of travelers or lead to more substantial reduction of congestion. Given that the scheme requires tracking vehicles, an incentive program is designed to mitigate travelers’ privacy concerns and entice them to voluntarily disclose their location information.