CREDIT BASED CONGESTION PRICING: A POLICY PROPOSAL AND THE PUBLIC'S RESPONSE

Credit-based congestion pricing (CBCP) is a novel strategy proposed here. A revenue-neutral policy where road tolls are based on the negative externalities associated with driving under congested conditions, its generated tolls are returned to all licensed drivers in a uniform fashion, as a sort of driving "allowance". Essentially, the "average" driver pays nothing, while frequent long-distance peak-period drivers subsidize others, in effect paying them to stay off congested roads. In order to anticipate initial public response to a CBCP policy, 500 individuals completed a detailed survey regarding perceptions of, and likely travel reactions to, such a policy. Weights were developed to correct for survey biases in gender, age and household income. Analytical results suggest that 25% support this new strategy, and support is strongly related to familiarity with the concept of congestion pricing. Respondent estimates of congested travel times to work or school almost double the uncongested times. Longer-term residents and retired people consider congestion to be more of an issue. Values of travel time vary greatly across respondents, as does trip flexibility. Those without children, younger respondents, and those with fewer vehicles appear more willing to support such a policy and more likely to modify their travel behaviors. The survey results corroborate the potential of a CBCP policy to alleviate congestion and generate benefits across income groups and traveler types.

• Record URL:
  http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/167822-1.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program and by general revenues from the State of Texas.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Texas, Austin

  Center for Transportation Research, 3208 Red River Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78705

  Southwest Region University Transportation Center

  Texas A&M University
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135
• Authors:
  • Kockelman, K M
  • Kalmanje, S
• Publication Date: 2003-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 34 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Congestion pricing; Peak periods; Public opinion; Surveys; Tolls; Transportation policy; Value of time
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00974893
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: SWUTC/03/167822-1,, Research Report 167822-1
• Contract Numbers: 10727
• Files: UTC, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 17 2004 12:00AM