Shaping carpool policies under rapid motorization: the case of Chinese cities

Rapid motorization and fuel cost hike over the past few years have made carpool a new mode of travel in Chinese cities. But transportation policy makers have been rather ambivalent, if not indifferent, about carpool. Unlike cities in highly motorized societies, little is known about carpooling behavior in emerging economies such as China. This paper provides an initial discussion of carpooling in China by exploring a series of questions. What are the current practice and issues of carpool in Chinese cities? How do carpools in China compare with those in the motorized Western cities? Can carpools help Chinese cities mitigate the negative impacts of rapid motorization? Are foreign policies such as High-Occupancy-Vehicle (HOV) lanes transferable to China? Acknowledging the social benefits of voluntary carpooling, this paper argues: (1) bus lanes may be a better choice than HOV lanes when converting general motor vehicle lanes; (2) policies subsidizing carpoolers cannot be justified on either efficiency or equity grounds because a marginal carpooler is more likely transitioning from a transit user or non-motorized traveler than from a driver. Policy suggestions are proposed to Chinese decision makers.     

Shaping urban transport policies in China: Will copying foreign policies work?

After decades of rapid economic growth, Chinese cities now face serious urban transport challenges, such as congestion, air pollution, energy shortage, and global climate change. Efficient and equitable urban transport policies are essential to China’s sustainable development, in which urbanization plays a critical role. Can Chinese cities solve these challenges by copying or modeling the policies of other nations? This paper argues that understanding the unique contexts of Chinese cities is necessary for predicting whether policies implemented elsewhere will perform well in China. The study explores four examples of hotly contested urban transport policies. The previous experience of each policy is compared with its likely efficiency and distributional consequences in China. Specific attention is paid to how the policy context – the spatial and institutional characteristics of the Chinese cities – can affect the adoption of foreign urban transport policies in China. Suggestions regarding the four policies are proposed to policy makers, followed by conclusions and discussions.     

Modeling electric taxis' charging behavior using real-world data

Charging behavior is critical to the development and deployment of electric vehicle (EV) systems, given its impacts in EV adoption, the energy and environmental performance of EVs, potential load change to the electric grid, etc. However, the general characteristics of practical charging behavior have not been well studied. Existing studies are mostly based on travel data from conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, modeled with assumed and simplified charging scenarios. The use of public charging infrastructure is often neglected. Few studies evaluate real-world charging behaviors of EVs currently in operation using public charging stations. To address this gap, this study analyzes the data of 39,372 charging events from 129 unique electric taxis in Shenzhen, China to study the distributions of daily charging frequency, charging start time, and charging duration. The insights we learned from this study are: 1) the daily frequency for a vehicle to visit charging stations is unlikely to exceed five times; 2) the distribution of charging start time have multiple peaks and can be fitted with Gaussian Mixture Models; 3) charging duration is influenced by charging start time; and 4) charging dynamics can be modeled using the distributions of daily charging frequency, charging start time, and charging duration. Results from this study can inform charging behavior modeling for EVs and charging infrastructure development.     

Examining individuals preferences for hybrid electric and alternatively fuelled vehicles

This paper examines individuals motivations when purchasing vehicles, focusing upon what factors would encourage individuals to purchase hybrid electrical vehicle (HEV) or alternatively fuelled vehicle (AFV). AFVs in this paper refer to any cars run on alternatives to petrol and diesel. This research attempts to ascertain whether reductions in fuel costs, vehicle registration tax (VRT), or green house gas emissions would encourage individuals to purchase a HEV or an AFV instead of a conventional vehicle. VRT is an Irish tax that is levied on the purchase of new vehicles. One of the motivations to conduct this research was to examine a new car tax and VRT scheme introduced by the Irish government in 2008. This new policy rewards the purchase of environmentally friendly cars, with lower VRT and car tax rates. To understand individuals’ perceptions of these new taxes a survey was sent to recent customers of a car company in Ireland. The survey asked respondents about their recently purchased vehicle and how important they considered vehicle attributes such as environmental performance, fuel cost, and safety, before making their car purchase. The survey also contained a number of stated preference experiments that were designed to ascertain what factors influence individuals’ decisions when purchasing their new car. The results showed that respondents did not rate green house gas emissions or VRT as crucial attributes when purchasing a new vehicle. The vehicle attributes that respondents rated most highly were reliability, automobile safety, fuel costs, and the cost price. The majority of respondents agreed that HEVs and AFVs are better for the environment, cheaper to run than conventional vehicles and would be the vehicle of choice in ten years time.     

Deployment and utilization of plug-in electric vehicles in round-trip carsharing systems

Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) can reduce gasoline consumption, but increase vehicle acquisition costs and introduce operational constraints. We develop a comprehensive approach to EV/PHEV deployment and utilization in round-trip carsharing systems. First, we formulate and solve the tactical problem of utilizing a mix of gasoline vehicles and EVs/PHEVs to serve trip demand, using Mixed Integer Programming optimization to estimate the minimal gasoline consumption in a computationally efficient manner, and simulation to assess the effect of reservation order on realized gasoline consumption. Second, we use these results to inform the strategic deployment of EVs/PHEVs in the carsharing fleet, using meta-optimization. We implement our approach using data from a large carsharing provider. From the perspective of a carsharing operator, our results suggest that replacing some portion of existing gasoline fleets by EVs/PHEVs would result in gasoline savings likely to outweigh upfront investments and the constraints on vehicle utilization that it creates. Moreover, we find that easily implementable heuristics can capture some of these benefits, and that the integration of vehicle utilization patterns into the design of EV/PHEV deployment strategies can result in added benefits.     

Evaluating green supply chain management among Chinese manufacturers from the ecological modernization perspective

Green supply chain management (GSCM) has become an emergent ecological modernization tool amongst Chinese manufacturers to balance environmental performance with productivity and business performance gains. Ecological modernization at the society level is influenced by restructuring policies and regulations. Some of these policies and regulations in China are focusing on enhancing energy savings and pollution reduction (ESPR). Based on a survey of 376 responses, we investigate whether different Chinese manufacturer clusters varying in their extent of implementing GSCM exist from this ecological modernization perspective. We also examine if Chinese manufacturers’ awareness of domestic and international environmental ESPR-oriented compliance is related to GSCM implementation and whether a mediating effect of regulatory pressure plays a significant role. The results highlight the varying pace of Chinese manufacturers to ecologically modernize with GSCM practices and the significance of regulatory pressure to diffuse the practices adoption by Chinese manufacturing industry. Implications of this research go beyond the manufacturers investigated in this study where similar occurrence of these relationships may exist in other regions.     

Policy frames of Park-and-Ride in Europe

Transport congestion and the quality of the air in city centres is a major concern for urban planners. In recent years Park and Ride (P + R) facilities have been increasingly introduced by local authorities as an alternative for or addition to parking supply in the city centre. In this paper we present results of a survey amongst 45 major cities in Europe. We study how deployment of P + R is framed by policy makers within their broader transport policy. This paper offers three things. First, we report on present adoption levels of P + R. The survey outcomes reveal that P + R is adopted fairly unevenly across Europe. We find that a quarter of the responding cities are extensively engaged on implementing P + R, whereas another quarter has little or no engagement. It raises the question, if congestion is a problem present in most major cities across Europe, why adoption is so uneven? Therefore, secondly, we map out diversity inframing of P + R throughout European cities, by revealing current beliefs about it. We show how diversified policy-makers’ interpretation of P + R is. Thirdly, we track the salient beliefs underlying the policy frames that determine P + R implementation. Linear regression analysis suggests that economic implications of P + R, perceived demand for P + R, and organisational learning capabilities are the most important drivers for city governments whether or not to engage in P + R development, explaining 40% of the variance in their actual engagement in P + R deployment.     

Why is electric vehicle uptake low in Atlantic Canada? A comparison to leading adoption provinces

This paper investigates potential electric vehicle (EV) adoption among households in Atlantic Canada, a region lagging in terms of EV uptake. The data come from a 2015 Survey for Preferences and Attitudes of Canadians towards Electric Vehicles or SPACE, with an intent to investigate electric mobility prospects in Canada through a series of socioeconomic, attitudinal, and stated preference (SP) questions. A latent class (LC) random utility model is used to segment Atlantic respondents based on their sociodemographic and environmental attitudes, and to estimate their willingness-to-pay for different vehicular features. A separate model is estimated for leading adoption provinces (Ontario and British Columbia), and compared to the Atlantic model. Results indicate that cash incentives and the quality of battery warranty are important features shaping the choice of vehicle powertrain in the Atlantic sample. Contrary to the model obtained from the leading provinces, electric range, maintenance cost, free parking, and access to high occupancy vehicle lanes are not significant attributes in the Atlantic model. With respect to segmentation, the adoption of EVs in the Atlantic model increases with youth, education, and progressive attitudes towards the environment, while income is not a determining factor. Our results imply some support for EVs among Atlantic consumers, though at less advanced levels than the leading adoption provinces in Canada. However, the high purchase price of EVs, lack of financial incentives, and limited public charging infrastructure are seen as key reasons for low EV deployment in Atlantic Canada. The demographic profiles of the plug-in oriented group, found in this study, suggest targeted decisions regarding policy and marketing.     

Optimizing EV-based P&R subsidy policies for commuting corridor based on cross-nested logit model

The promotion of electric vehicles (EVs) is restricted by cruising range limitation and charging station deficiency. Given the mature development of Park and Ride (P&R) mode, which is used in many cities worldwide to attract more travelers to use public transit, a new travel mode, i.e., EV-based P&R is introduced as an alternative for commuters’ daily travel. This seems quite attractive to expand the use of EVs and further increase their market share. This paper aims to investigate the impact of EV-based P&R introduction on travel mode choice along commuting corridor, and further aid in the optimal subsidy policies decision for the government. A bi-level model is proposed to model the presented problem. The lower level describes commuters’ joint mode and transfer choice behavior through a cross-nested logit (CNL) model, while the upper level minimizes the system cost. A genetic algorithm is developed to solve the formulated model with a partial linearization algorithm for solving the lower level model. And a numerical example is then used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the methodology and illustrate how the network flow pattern reshapes due to the introduction of EVs into the P&R mode and the change of corresponding subsidy policies. As the results show, improving the EV hardware, applying the intelligent supporting service system, developing new technologies for EV fast charging, appropriately improving the parking space capacity, and increasing the parking fee of transfer stations near the central business district (CBD) are all helpful to save the social cost and promote the usage of EVs.     

Light-duty electric vehicles in the gulf? Techno-economic assessment and policy implications

We investigate the economic and technological potential for adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Abu Dhabi through a parametric assessment, a public attitude survey, and a diffusion model. Abu Dhabi, similar to fossil-fuel-rich countries in its region, features a car-dependent society and energy subsidies while being situated in hot, desert environment challenging to EVs. We compare conventional vehicles and EVs in the region accounting for the higher use of air-conditioning (AC) in the actual climatic and driving pattern conditions of Abu Dhabi developing an EV AC consumption penalty model. Average annual AC penalty in fuel consumption over normal testing conditions is 16% for conventional vehicles and 25% for EVs based on hourly weather and vehicle utilization patterns. For 250 days per year, the expected EV range is higher than 75% of the nominal value. During the five hottest days of the recorded year, it can drop to 60% but still covering the average daily driving of the majority of users with a single charge with a 25kWh battery. With partial subsidies offered for both fuel and electricity, EV adoption impacts the state in terms of opportunity costs for these fuels in addition to environmental externalities. We calculate the state and user benefits in a parametric analysis dependent on driving distance and battery costs. If the battery cost is $325/kWh, direct and internalized benefits and costs are balanced when the EV is driven 60 km/day. A diffusion scenario of 5% by 2030 results in cumulative net savings of 6.4 million barrels of oil, a reduction of 517.000 tonnes of CO₂, and a cumulative net benefit of $127 million.     

Impacts of high speed rail on railroad network accessibility in China

High speed rail (HSR) is changing the overall travel accessibility of cities in China. There have been a number of studies of high speed rail in China. However, detailed spatiotemporal accessibility pattern of cities affected by the operation of high speed rail in China has not been reported. This study takes a timetable-based accessibility evaluation approach to analyze the changes in travel time, travel cost, and distance accessibility for each of the four main stages of HSR development in China: no HSR service in Stage 1 before August 2008, several HSR lines in Stage 2 between August 2008 and July 2011, reduced operating speed of HSR trains in Stage 3 between August 2011 and November 2012, and addition of new HSR lines and reduction of ticket fares in Stage 4 between December 2012 and January 2013. In addition to the “corridor effect” and the “center-diffusion” pattern, this paper investigates the impacts of HSR on changes in in-vehicle travel time and out-of-vehicle travel time with respect to the policy changes that reduced the operating speed of HSR trains, rearranged the train timetable, and lowered the ticket fare on HSR trains. The analysis results indicate the spatiotemporal pattern of Chinese cities affected by these policy changes. This study is useful for assessing HSR impacts on the accessibility of various cities across China as well as serving as a decision-making support to policies related to adjustments of HSR operation and planning of future HSR routes by considering the existing HSR and non-HSR railway lines.     

Households transport-home energy conservation strategies in response to energy price policies: A stated adaptation experiment based on portfolio choices and cross effects designs

This article explores consumer investment choice in long-term energy conservation technology and assesses trade-offs in energy saving behaviour between the housing and transportation domains. The long-term energy conservation choice problem is conceptualized as a portfolio choice problem. Consequently, to measure trade-offs between investments in housing and transport options, a cross effects choice design is developed in which respondents were shown one or more alternate ways to reduce their current energy consumption: (1) investing in new technology in the house, such as solar panels; (2) exchanging the current car for a more energy efficient car; (3) buying a new energy-efficient car, such as EV or solar car; (4) moving house to reduce current travel distances. To help respondents linking these options to their current energy consumption, a new Web-based survey system (SINA) to implement and administer stated adaptation experiments was developed. The system was used to collect two sets of data. First, data about out-of-home and in-home energy consumption, together with detailed time use data, was collected. Second, using a cross effects design, respondents were asked to select a portfolio of energy-saving strategies in response to different energy pricing policy scenarios. Results reported in this paper are based on 572 respondents who completed the survey and responded to seven adaptation questions based on their current energy expenditures. A random parameters logit model is estimated to predict the probability of choosing a particular portfolio of energy-saving options. Estimation results indicate that individuals from different socio-demographic groups exhibit varied preferences. The saving option characteristics, especially cost related characteristics have significant effects on individuals' preferences. Moreover, the results also showed significant effects of choice set composition on energy saving options. Further, the energy pricing policies had showed mixed effects on individual's preferences.     

Relationships between transport emissions and travel patterns in Britain

This paper explores the relationship between transport emissions and various measures of passenger travel patterns in Britain. The paper uses original data from the 1989/91 National Travel Survey and identifies a method for incorporating a range of vehicle operating conditions into calculations of vehicle emissions and energy consumption for each journey recorded in the National Travel Survey data. The paper shows that travel distance is a reasonable proxy for vehicle energy consumption and emissions of most pollutants. Travel distance per person is therefore a simple and readily available environmental indicator for transport. This indicator has potential application in the assessment of current transport policies and programmes and in the development of future policies and programmes.     

Interplay between ethanol and electric vehicles as low carbon mobility options for passengers in the municipality of São Paulo

The Brazilian cities as well as many of the large urban centers in the world continue to expand, increasing the demand for mobility and transport, while, at the same time, the same cities are investing in greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation to avoid climate change. Brazil's urbanization rate increased from 26% in 1940 to almost 70% in 1980. During this period, the Brazilian population tripled and the urban population multiplied by seven. In 2010, the transport sector in São Paulo accounted for 71% of the total emissions released by the energy sector. Ethanol has been considered a fuel with less greenhouse gas emissions, when compared with fossil fuels. However, ethanol production would have to double to meet the expected demand. Electric vehicles (EVs) market is expanding around the world, and is also an option to reduce the transport emissions, if powered by clean electricity. To assess whether the adoption of EVs might bring more benefits than the current ethanol, we develop prospective scenarios supported by the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) simulation tool, taking a bottom-up tank-to-wheel approach to consider the CO₂ emissions of car in São Paulo. The scenario considering a substitution of 25% of gasoline-powered cars by EV in 2030 showed a reduction in energy consumption and CO₂ emissions, around 15% and 26% respectively in that year in comparison with 2015. We discuss the interplay between ethanol and EV, also considering emission coefficients from life cycle analysis conducted in Brazil, and concluded EV will have higher positive impact on climate change mitigation than ethanol.     

Local distribution and collection for environmental and social sustainability – tricycles in central Beijing

Goods distribution is a growing proportion of intra-urban transport worldwide due to changes in supply chains and e-commerce, yet has received scant attention in research. Cities have opted for a regulatory approach to truck movement and deliveries at a local level but few have tried to develop a systematic approach to management. Following certain suggestions in the literature, a hierarchical deliveries approach is being adopted in some new developments in Europe and Australia using light vehicles at the local level. In East, South and South-East Asia, where 3-wheeled non-motorised vehicles have been a mainstay of goods and people transport for several decades, they are under renewed pressure from city governments. This study of the tricycle in Beijing examines their role for packages delivery, food and beverage distribution and waste and recycling services, which covers nearly all of the uses of utilitarian tricycles in northern Chinese cities. Drivers (n = 97) were interviewed, their usual trips were mapped, and the subsequent trip was recorded using a geo-positioning system. These trips were compared with trips executed by small, motorised vans, favoured since 2014 by Beijing government. Operations can be divided into four categories according to delivery chain organisation, field operations and vehicle type. Motorised alternatives to the tricycle are shown to be uncompetitive in terms of time, cost and energy efficiency. This first detailed examination of the operations of the tricycle in a Chinese city provides a useful base for consideration of local distribution services organisation and a possible model for cities outside China.     

Singapore's motorization policies 1960–2000

Because of the rapid economic growth it sustained over the last 40 years and the small physical space at its disposal, Singapore has had to give special attention to managing the process of motorization—the spread of private motor vehicle ownership and use. Despite the inevitable imperfections of the policies adopted—and, more seriously, of related land-use and resettlement policies—the motorization restraints had no major negative side-effect on economic growth and generated substantial funds for the improvement of social welfare. The package of policies applied merits close examination by developing- and transition-country cities that need urgently to find new ways of raising financial resources to meet the huge needs arising from population growth and resettlement.     

The factors in residents' mobility in rural towns of China: Car ownership,road infrastructure and public transport services

The improvement of rural people's mobility in developing countries has informed many policies. Still, debates remain on which policies are efficient, for instance, building more roads, providing public transport or promoting car ownership. The empirical evidence for these debates at the national level remains scarce. As a result, this paper aims to provide fresh evidence for discussions by examining residents' mobility in China using nationwide survey data with 12,524 respondents from 119 rural towns. The results of the analysis show car ownership is the most significant factor influencing rural people's mobility than other factors. Higher car ownership relates to a higher travel frequency to counties or cities. Other kinds of transport vehicles (i.e. electric cars, motorcycles and electric bikes) also have positive but relatively weaker impacts on rural mobility. For public transport, it is more accessible to access bus stops, which encourages travel to higher-order centres rather than increasing the frequency of county bus services. The accessibility of high-quality road systems tends to have a negative influence and has combined effects with levels of local services. People from towns with insufficient local services and poor access to highways travel the most frequently to higher-order centres. This study highlights the critical role of road investments and car ownership enhancement policies in improving mobility. Moreover, this study also underscores the supplemental role of public transport services given the current low car ownership rates in rural towns of China and the global consensus on sustainable green transport development. It highlights the importance of engaging eco-friendly and locally adaptive transport alternatives, such as electric cars and electric bikes. It also calls for a rational distribution of bus stops and more flexible, convenient, and physically accessible public transport and carshare modes in rural China.     

Beijing: urban transport issues in a socialist Third World setting (1949–1992)

Post-1949 development of urban transport in Beijing, the national capital of the People's Republic of China, has been for a long time shaped by the ideology of the Chinese communists, in a setting of rapid urban growth and industrialization with general neglect of the ‘consumption’ needs of the urban populace. The Old City of feudal Beijing which the municipality inherited in 1949 and the need to preserve its pre-industrial street pattern, set by the city wall and the former Imperial Court (the Forbidden City), for historical and cultural reasons added another interesting and almost insurmountable constraint to the city's urban transport development.This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the situation and development of urban transport in the city from 1949 to 1992, outlining its major characteristics and problems. The effects of the new Open Door and modernization policies since 1978 and their impact on a new approach emphasizing market forces are evaluated. Wherever feasible, comparative figures and materials from the western and Third World city are used to provide better appreciation of Beijing's situation. The experience of the new policy of Market Socialism that started in 1978 provides valuable evidence for other large Third World cities.     

The spatial distribution of employment around major Chinese airports

This paper examines the spatial distribution of employment around major Chinese airports. While the impacts of airports on employment have been debated within the European and North American contexts, airport-related urban development in China has been less well studied. Such an analysis is also timely given rapid urban and airport development in Chinese cities. Focusing on fifty-nine major airports in mainland China, employment centers are identified using gridded enterprise registration information. Our analysis suggests that there are few airports with nearby employment centers. However, planned airport economic zones (AEZs) with stronger policy support, longer periods of development, and located in major cities are more likely to have employment clusters. Furthermore, employment centers that do exist near airports are more likely specialize in manufacturing, transportation and logistics, and wholesale and retail trade rather than in financial and business services.     

Comparison of major air freight network hubs in the U.S. and China

The increase in global economic connectivity spurred by ties between Chinese manufacturing and a global market, particularly in high value low weight goods, pushed establishment of air cargo networks. These remain under-examined but impactful particularly for second and third tier metropolitan hub cities. This research looks at the air freight connections within China, a major rapidly developing trade center, and use of the aerotropolis concept to accelerate growth in the lagging inland region. References are made to FedEx and UPS networks within their U.S. headquarter region and in China to note differences in political economic contexts and China’s adaptation of developed world models. The theoretical framework includes global production networks strategically coupled by transport logistics linked to aerotropolis type development. Data comes from government aviation and transportation sources, research analyses, corporate and industry reports, and interviews with Chinese officials. Focus falls particularly on Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province in central China and the country’s first airport-centered economic zone. The conclusion finds that Chinese hub cities more closely correspond to major manufacturing and population centers and central policy directives for development dispersion.