Beliefs about energy,a factor in daily ecological mobility?

The central question is to ascertain whether general energy beliefs have any influence on transport mode choice. These beliefs are explored and determined by using one short open question. Based on an alternative approach of free associations instead of a standardised scale of behaviour, this question is included in a quantitative survey and allows us to obtain meaningful words. These exploratory results show first that beliefs about energy can be considered as general representations like a cost, a power or even an environmental issue. These beliefs are included in a logit model of mode choice that also considers more conventional factors representing socio-demographic characteristics, socio-economic aspects, as well as territorial structure and function. The final results demonstrate that energy beliefs influence mode choice if they include an environmental component, which expresses the negative effects of energy. The effects of these beliefs nonetheless are smaller than those of situational constraints.     

Urban change,mobility and transport in São Paulo: three decades,three cities

The paper analyses current transportation and traffic conditions in the São Paulo Metropolitan area and the factors that shaped them over the 1967–1997 period. Quantitative data from four subsequent Origin-Destination surveys (OD) were used. Transport progressively changed towards a motorized system, first with the intense use of buses and finally with the large increase in the use of automobiles. Public transport services experienced severe supply and quality problems and increasing fares led to the exclusion of a large number of users. Negative externalities related to the increasing use of the automobile—such as traffic accidents, congestion and pollution—skyrocketed, threatening the sustainability of the metropolis. Policies towards unsustainability continue to be supported and it also appears that even harsher negative consequences will have to be faced until a new vision of the problem is developed.     

How large is the gap between present and efficient transport prices in Europe?

In this paper, we analyse the gap between present transport prices and efficient transport prices. Efficient transport prices are those prices that maximise economic welfare, including external costs (congestion, air pollution, accidents). The methodology is applied to six urban and interregional case studies using one common optimal pricing model. The case studies cover passenger as well as freight transport and cover all modes. We find that prices need to be raised most for peak urban passenger car transport and to a lesser extent for interregional road transport. Optimal pricing results for public transport are more mixed. We show that current external costs on congested roads are a bad guide for optimal taxes and tolls: the optimal toll that takes into account the reaction of demand is often less than one third of the present marginal external cost.     

The last free-range children? Children’s independent mobility in Finland in the 1990s and 2010s

The study reports the degree of children’s independent mobility (CIM) in Finland for over two decades, from the beginning of the 1990s up to 2011. The first part of the research examined the differences of CIM in five different settlements in 2011: inner city, suburban, large town, small town, and rural village. A cross-sectional survey was used on a total of 821 7- to 15-year-old children in various settlements in different parts of Finland. Independent mobility was operationalized both as mobility licenses, meaning parental permits to perform certain activities independently, and as actual mobility, the proportion of active and independent school travel and independent weekend activities. In the second part of the study, we used the same measures to compare the independent mobility of Finnish children in the 1990s and 2010s. The second sample consisted of a total of 306 8- to 10-year-old children and their parents who participated in the CIM study in 1993–94 or in 2011. The major finding of the study was that in Finland children’s independent mobility had decreased significantly during a span of 20 years, even more noticeably in the small town and rural village settings than in the inner city settlements. Finnish children, nevertheless, still enjoy a very high degree of independent mobility when compared with the children from the 16 countries involved in the large international comparative study for which the current research was conducted. In the discussion, we give some possible factors that can provide some understanding of and explanation to these trends.     

How does ridesourcing substitute for public transit? A geospatial perspective in Chengdu,China

The explosive growth of ridesourcing services has stimulated a debate on whether they represent a net substitute for or a complement to public transit. Among the empirical evidence that supports discussion of the net effect at the city level, analysis at the disaggregated level from a geospatial perspective is lacking. Besides, it remains unexplored the spatiotemporal pattern of ridesourcing's effect on public transit, and the factors that impact the effect. Using DiDi Chuxing data in Chengdu, China, this paper develops a three-level structure to recognize the potential substitution or complementary effects of ridesourcing on public transit. Furthermore, this paper investigates the effects through exploratory spatiotemporal data analysis, and examines the factors influencing the degree of substitution via linear, spatial autoregressive, and zero-inflated beta regression models. The results show that 33.1% of DiDi trips have the potential to substitute for public transit. The substitution rate is higher during the day (8:00–18:00), and the trend follows changes in public transit coverage. The substitution effect is more exhibited in the city center and the areas covered by the subway, while the complementary effect is more exhibited in suburban areas as public transit has poor coverage. Further examination of the factors impacting the relationship indicates that housing price is positively associated with the substitution rate, and distance to the nearest subway station has a negative association with it, while the effects of most built environment factors become insignificant in zero-inflated beta regression. Based on these findings, policy implications are drawn regarding the partnership between transit agencies and ridesourcing companies, the spatial-differentiated policies in the central and suburban areas, and the potential problems in providing ridesourcing service to the economically disadvantaged population.     

Why did the chicken cross the road,and what’s funny about it? The role of transportation cartoons in social experiences

This article samples a number of transport related situations that cartoonists sketch in the media, thereby taking a stand and offering solutions regarding transportation issues. We discuss the relationship that is created by the cartoonists and ultimately involves both the general public and transportation professionals. Our analysis offers insight into popular perceptions of transportation experiences through social commentary, transmitted as graphic humor, regarding common situations, which are observed in transport systems. A theory and qualitative research based approach is used to address the complex connections between our daily responses and transportation contexts. An analysis of topical components of transportation systems and experiences as perceived by users and policymakers utilize the representations by cartoonists. By examining how the issues interrelate, we built a storyline that presents observations and critiques.     

A comparative study of airport connectivity in China,Europe and US: Which network provides the best service to passengers?

This paper investigates the connectivity of the airport networks in China, Europe and US. Our aim is to analyze which network is most beneficial to final passengers in terms of travel time and which of the network features lead to such a result. A time-dependent minimum path approach is employed to calculate the minimum travel time between each pair of airports in the three networks, inclusive of flight times and waiting times in intermediate airports. We evaluate each fastest indirect connection in terms of waiting times and routing factors to consider the effect of the hubs’ coordination and locations. The Chinese network provides the quickest travels for passengers, but this performance is explained by a small number of airports per inhabitant. The US network is the most coordinated when considering indirect connections. The EU network provides the most homogeneous level of service when comparing airports of different sizes.     

‘Be global,go local’ – innovation and creativity in the development of alternative guiding services in Budapest

Based on qualitative research methods, the paper explores the emergence of creativity and innovation in the development of guiding services, and analyses the cultural and spatial characteristics of alternative guided tours developed for niche markets in Budapest, Hungary. The study is part of a 3-year (2011–2014) research programme entitled ‘Creativity and its contribution to niche tourism development – following and creating trends’ that aimed to investigate the potential of niche tourism products in the Hungarian market. In order to understand the development process, characteristics and significance of alternative guiding in the city, a complex methodology of interviews, participant observation and content analysis of service providers’ websites and customers’ feedback on social media sites was used. The analysis suggests that although the impact of these alternative guided tours on the city’s tourist image is currently limited, they contribute to the repositioning of the destination and enrich its ambiance.     

How do cities approach policy innovation and policy learning? A study of 30 policies in Northern Europe and North America

This paper reports on a study of current practice in policy transfer, and ways in which its effectiveness can be increased. A literature review identifies important factors in examining the transfer of policies. Results of interviews in eleven cities in Northern Europe and North America investigate these factors further.The principal motivations for policy transfer were strategic need and curiosity. Local officials and politicians dominated the process of initiating policy transfer, and local officials were also the leading players in transferring experience.A range of information sources are used in the search process but human interaction was the most important source of learning for two main reasons. First, there is too much information available through the Internet and the search techniques are not seen to be wholly effective in identifying the necessary information. Secondly, the information available on websites, portals and even good practice guides is not seen to be of mixed quality with risks of focussing only on successful implementation and therefore subject to some bias. Officials therefore rely on their trusted networks of peers for lessons as here they can access the ‘real implementation’ story and the unwritten lessons. Organisations which have a culture that is supportive of learning from elsewhere had strong and broad networks of external contacts and resourced their development whilst others are more insular or inward looking and reluctant to invest in policy lessons from elsewhere. Solutions to the problems identified in the evidence base are proposed.City to city policy transfer is a very active process in the field of transport. Not enough is yet understood about its benefits or the conditions under which it is most effective. Such understandings should help to promote and accelerate the uptake of effective and well matched policies.     

Does low income translate into lower mobility? An investigation of activity space in Hong Kong between 2002 and 2011

Daily mobility of disadvantaged social groups, particularly low-income people, has gained increasing interest since the daily life of these people may encounter significant constraints that lead to certain social issues such as social exclusion and segregation. The concept and measure of activity space have been applied to measure the spatial barriers and inequalities faced by the low-income group in their daily life. However, research on how the daily mobility of different social strata has evolved over a longer period in parallel with urban development has been very limited. This study aims to address these gaps by investigating the activity space of the low-income group in comparison with other income groups in Hong Kong from 2002 to 2011, a period when several subway lines were opened. Four indicators were employed to capture the spatial extent and diversity of activity space. Propensity score matching was used to compare the activity space and mobility of the low-income group with those of the below-average and higher-income groups, while controlling for several confounding factors. The findings indicate that the activity space of the low-income people has not improved over the decade, despite some marked expansion of public transport infrastructure and urban development. In addition, a persistent gap in activity space between the low-income group and other income groups has remained stark in both urban areas and the new towns. Policy recommendations are put forward with a view to improving the daily mobility of the low-income group, with avenues for future research identified as well.     

Should I stay or should I go? A survey analysis of neighborhood change and residential mobility concerns around new light rail stations in Charlotte,NC

In this article, we examine the effects of rail transit investments on residents' stated mobility intentions and perceptions of neighborhood changes using a survey analysis in Charlotte, North Carolina. We ask residents in neighborhoods along a new light rail line about their reasons for residing in their current neighborhood, thoughts about moving and the light rail's effect on their neighborhood. To control for city-wide housing market pressures, responses from one station-adjacent neighborhood are compared to responses from residents in a similar neighborhood elsewhere in the city while controlling for individual characteristics. Using a mixed-methods research approach, we find that while residents attribute some changes in their property values and rents to the light rail, it is only one of many factors affecting their neighborhood. Light rail also does not appear to affect residents' stated propensity to move out of these neighborhoods. Survey respondents' view of the light rail's effect on their neighborhood is also positive, on average. We find that the stated likelihood of moving is not related to the distance to the station nor to how frequently a resident uses the light rail. This article contributes to debates on transit-induced displacement and gentrification and provides context to neighborhood-scale quantitative analyses from residents' perspective.     

Commuting patterns in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro. What differences between formal and informal jobs?

Limiting commuting trips in major cities is important from the environmental, social and economic standpoints. In order to design policies that aim to change commuting practices it is, however, necessary to have acquired a good understanding of the trips in question and their determinants. However, these trips have been subjected to very little study in the cities of developing countries. This paper is concerned with the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area (RJMA), and sets out to test the influence of “classical” socioeconomic and spatial variables on the distance and duration of the commuting trips of the region's inhabitants, especially those with the lowest incomes. The main original feature of this research is that it includes jobs in the informal sector. The results show that, all other things being equal, commuting distances and times are shorter for the informal sector, and people walk more from their homes to their place of work because jobs in the informal sector are more dispersed than jobs in the formal sectors. The notable exception is personal and household services for which employees (who are mainly women) live a long way from the city center where wealthy families (and their jobs) are concentrated.     

Residential self-selection and travel behaviour: What are the effects of attitudes,reasons for location choice and the built environment?

In studies of the effect of built environment on travel behaviour, residential self-selection is an increasingly important issue. Self-selection implies that households locate in places that provide them with conducive conditions for their preferred way of travelling. In these studies, it is assumed that attitudes toward different travel modes are an important factor in location choice, and that households are unconstrained in choosing their preferred residential location. This paper challenges these assumptions, by distinguishing between the more passive travel attitude and travel considerations as a deliberate reason to locate in a certain place. Based on a survey among 355 recently relocated households in Dutch TOD locations, we find that the association between travel attitude and residential environment is weak, and that the association between travel attitude and travel as a factor in location choice is moderate at best. Multivariate models show that both travel attitude and travel being a reason for location choice influence travel mode use, suggesting that travel attitude is insufficient to fully reflect self-selection processes. In comparison to other travel modes, train travel is most influenced by the fact whether residents deliberately chose to live in an environment conducive to using this mode.     

Intellectual Capital and Business Performance: What Structural Relationships Do They Have in Upper‐Upscale Hotels?

The purpose of this study is to investigate the structural relationships among intellectual capital (INCAP) dimensions and business performance (BUPER) in upper‐upscale hotels. This study classified INCAP into three dimensions: human capital (HUCAP), organizational capital (ORCAP) and customer capital (CUCAP). This study applied a structural equation modeling to investigate the proposed model and hypotheses. The results showed that HUCAP affects ORCAP and CUCAP and that ORCAP influences CUCAP. INCAP dimensions, with the exception of HUCAP, directly affect BUPER; however, HUCAP indirectly affects BUPER via ORCAP and CUCAP. This study helps upper‐upscale hotel managers identify relevant INCAP dimensions and their indicators to enhance BUPER. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Are we keeping up? Accessibility,equity and air quality in regional planning

Many US metropolitan areas have undergone dramatic shifts in socioeconomic organization.. As urban areas gentrify, many low-income residents and communities of color have transitioned towards the exurban periphery. These suburban neighborhoods tend to have fewer employment opportunities and are fairly disconnected from public transportation networks serving the urban core. Using regional transportation plans (RTPs) for three California MPOs, we show that the transportation accessibility and environmental health issues affecting these exurban communities are unique and inadequately captured by the MPOs' current equity metrics. MPOs performance evaluation is regional and achieving equity within the urban core communities will not address emerging equity, accessibility and air quality concerns for exurban communities. With a brief history and a focused case study of RTPs for the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Fresno, we examine how air pollution, equity, and transportation interact in three different types of 21st century cities. We find that when allocating limited transportation funds, California metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) prioritize the improvement of existing public transportation in urban core areas over expansion of transit networks towards disconnected exurbs. This approach is an effective way to reduce vehicle miles traveled (and thus, air pollution) at the regional level due to high population concentrations in urban cores. However, this approach also concentrates the air quality benefits of VMT reduction in these same urban core areas. Exurban residents' on-road and near-road exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution (TRAP) will not be reduced by improving public transit within the urban core. We argue that although these suburban and exurban communities are a small percentage of the regional population, they have a right to share in the benefits of transportation investments, particularly given the historical and ongoing patterns of displacement and economic exclusion from urban core areas.     

Road traffic noise in Montreal and environmental equity: What is the situation for the most vulnerable population groups?

Road traffic noise is one of the most detrimental environmental nuisances for the population. Prolonged exposure to high road noise levels can lead to various problems in people's health and well-being. The objective of this article is to determine whether the groups most vulnerable to road noise, that is, children under 15 years old, people 65 years old and over, and the groups most likely to experience high nuisance levels, visible minorities and low-income individuals, are affected by an environmental inequity related to this nuisance. The method of estimating this nuisance employed in the study is based on a combination of several elements: that is, average traffic flows, road geometries, normal atmospheric conditions, and the characteristics of the urban environment. All of these parameters were considered for the 14 boroughs that make up the central portion of the Island of Montreal. Modelling was used to calculate the maximum daily road noise, based in part on the LimA software predictive model and according to the XPS 31-133 computation method. The results obtained from three different statistical tests and spatial regression analyses show that, on the one hand, the groups chosen on the basis of age are not affected by any environmental inequity related to the phenomenon of road traffic noise. On the other hand, low-income individuals and visible minorities live in city blocks marked by road traffic noise levels that are slightly higher than those experienced by the rest of the population.