POTENTIAL OF PRICING SOLUTIONS FOR URBAN TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS: AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT (ABRIDGMENT)

This paper surveys the available empirical evidence on the elasticity of travel demand to assess the potential of pricing policies to alter travel behavior and thereby to solve various urban transportation problems. The first set of studies considers the responsiveness of fuel use to changes in gasoline price. The second set, econometric models of urban travel demand, estimates the direct and cross-price elasticities of the use of different modes with respect to different components of trip cost. The third set of evidence is composed of arc elasticity estimates based on the impacts on travel behavior of actual changes in the levels of roadway user charges and transit fares. For each study dealt with, the paper briefly summarizes its methodology, data base, and findings and subjects these to critical evaluation. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the body of results for the usefulness of pricing policies in urban transportation. (Authors)

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1979/731/731-002.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=POTENTIAL+OF+PRICING+SOLUTIONS+FOR+URBAN+TRANSPORTATION+PROBLEMS%3A+AN+EMPIRICAL+ASSESSMENT+(ABRIDGMENT)&author=J.+Pucher&author=J.+ROTHENBERG&publication_year=1979
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Task Force on Economic Analysis. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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• Authors:
  • Pucher, John
  • ROTHENBERG, JEROME
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 19-29
• Monograph Title: EVALUATING TRANSPORTATION PROPOSALS
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 731
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Econometric models; Elasticity (Mechanics); Fares; Gasoline; Prices; Pricing; Transportation policy; Travel; Travel behavior; Travel demand; Urban transportation; User charges
• Uncontrolled Terms: Trip
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Highways; Policy; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00312461
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309029864
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-028 843
• Files: HSL, TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 27 1985 12:00AM