THE RELEVANCE OF THE VALUE OF TIME SAVINGS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The lack of attention paid to the value of time in developing countries is discussed, comments are made on the economic situation of developing countries arguments are presented against the inclusion of leisure time in valuation procedures, and observations are made regarding the value of time to commercial vehicles. It is observed that the present rather mechanical methods of appraisal are inadequate. Estimates of existing traffic, changes in vehicle operating costs, time savings and all the rest of the information currently collected is necessary, but the economic planner should provide more than just the internal rate of return or present value. There should be an attempt to consider the effects of investment upon the economy as a whole. In such analysis there is little reason to arbitrarily exclude leisure time savings though the practical import of these might be small and further reduced if the consumption benefits of high groups are given a low distributional weighting. Only when such analysis is carried out will the planner be able to offer guidance regarding the overall allocation of investment.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in "Transport Planning in Developing Countries," which is a publication containing the Proceedings of Seminar U of the Summer Annual Meeting at University of Warwick, England during July, 1975.
• Corporate Authors:

  Planning and Transport Res and Computation Co Ltd

  167 Oxford Street
  London W1R 1AH,   England 
• Authors:
  • THOMAS, S
• Publication Date: 1975-7

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 73-84
• Serial:
  • Publication of: IRCOBI SECRETARIAT
  • Publisher: IRCOBI (International Research Council on the Biokinetics of Impacts)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Commercial vehicles; Developing countries; Economics; Leisure time; Productivity; Transportation planning
• Uncontrolled Terms: Time savings
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00148228
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: P128
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 23 1977 12:00AM