0000000000364805
AUTHOR
María Feo-valero
Do shippers’ characteristics influence port choice criteria? Capturing heterogeneity by using latent class models
Abstract This paper focuses on the study of Spanish ceramic tile exporters' port choice criteria, an industry that is characterized by a low unit value index. Thus, transport costs highly influence the competitiveness of their products in international markets, representing a relatively high percentage of the value of the shipment. It is therefore critical for this type of industry to have access to efficient door-to-door maritime chains. Determinants of port choice are analysed through a latent class model allowing to link class membership to specific characteristics of the shippers and their shipments such as the size of the company, the value of the shipment, the destination market and t…
The importance of the inland leg of containerised maritime shipments: An analysis of modal choice determinants in Spain
Abstract While most of the studies that address competition between road and rail transport focus on national or international non-maritime shipments, there is practically no empirical evidence on the modal choice determinants of the inland leg of maritime shipments. This paper intends to fill that gap by estimating a modal choice model between road and rail transport on the inland leg of Spanish containerised maritime freight shipments, using a mixed logit model and stated preference techniques. The results obtained confirm the vital role that frequency plays in the relative competitiveness of rail transport and also provide subjective values of transport attributes that are deemed essenti…
Understanding maritime transport route choice among Irish exporters: A latent class approach
Abstract The reduction in the level of maritime connectivity between Ireland and mainland Europe has been the focus of concern for Irish exporters since the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union in January 2019. In a post-Brexit scenario, new proposals are being sought to address Ireland's reliance on the UK land-bridge. Policy developments aimed at circumventing the potential negative impact of UK customs checks for Irish exports include the proposals by the European Commission to introduce new direct shipping routes connecting main ports in Ireland with Zeebrugge and Antwerp in Belgium, as well as with Rotterdam in the Netherlands. From a transport policy perspective, f…
Meeting the environmental challenge of port growth: A critical appraisal of the contingent valuation method and an application to Valencia Port, Spain
In order to support effective policy-making, this research is aimed to emphasise the need of measuring the negative impact - or external costs - resulting from port growth. Considering the non-market nature of these external costs, a critical appraisal of the Contingent Valuation method is made paying special attention to the problem of hypothetical bias and the suitability of a willingness to accept (WTA) scenario for damage assessment. Finally, the results of a case study, conducted in Valencia (Spain), are presented with the intention of paving the way for future research in this specific context of port growth and negative externalities. In particular, results indicate that the average …
Modelling mode choice for freight transport using advanced choice experiments
Abstract In this paper we use advanced choice modelling techniques to analyse demand for freight transport in a context of modal choice. To this end, a stated preference (SP) survey was conducted in order to estimate freight shipper preferences for the main attributes that define the service offered by the different transport modes. From a methodological point of view, we focus on two critical issues in the construction of efficient choice experiments. Firstly, in obtaining good quality prior information about the parameters; and secondly, in the improved quality of the experimental data by tailoring a specific efficient design for every respondent in the sample. With these data, different …
Valuing public acceptance of alternative-fuel buses using a Latent Class Tobit model: A case study in Valencia
Abstract The introduction of hybrid electric technology for urban public transportation can be considered a valuable stepping stone to low-carbon mobility. Using the contingent valuation method, a sample of 427 respondents were asked about their willingness to pay for the air pollution reductions associated to a scenario of gradual introduction of hybrid electric buses in Valencia, Spain. Results show that 67% of the respondents are willing to pay extra for the adoption of this electric hybrid technology, being the mean willingness to pay € 0.33 per single bus fare. This would imply a 22% hypothetical increase in current bus fares and shows that public acceptance is critical for the success…
Rail freight transport and demand requirements : an analysis of attribute cut-offs through a stated preference experiment
This paper analyses the choice between road and rail in Spain where rail market share for freight is still residual. Discrete choice models are estimated with data obtained through a two-phase fieldwork, thus allowing us to carry out a stated preference efficient design for each interviewee. We analyse the existence of attribute cut-offs and the presence of a segment of the population with a zero value of frequency. Our results show that ignoring the existence of cut-offs and segments of the population with polarised valuations can lead to erroneous conclusions in terms of the possibilities of rail for absorbing significant quota.
European Common Transport Policy and Short‐Sea Shipping: Empirical Evidence Based on Modal Choice Models
Abstract This article aims to find the determinants of mode choice decisions for Spanish full lorry and full container loads shipments to the rest of Europe in four productive sectors: agroindustry, ceramic tiles, motor vehicle parts and household appliances. To this end exhaustive fieldwork was carried out and a database constructed, including 507 observations collected from transport decision‐makers. A binary logit is used to estimate a modal choice model where the two modes considered are road transport and Short‐Sea Shipping. The estimation of the model stresses the importance of a politico‐economic evaluation of how to modify the modal split, paying particular attention to the role tha…
Valuing Freight Transport Time using Transport Demand Modelling: A Bibliographical Review
The value of time for freight transport is of major importance in infrastructure-related cost–benefit analysis and yet its study has been largely neglected when compared with its passenger counterpart. In fact, one of the attributes that could decide the profitability of a project is how much can be saved if freight vehicles use new infrastructure. Despite being the primary benefit of most investments in transport infrastructure, researchers have not yet reached agreement over either the size or the nature of the values of time that should be used when evaluating projects. This article provides a review of the estimation of freight value of time through transport demand modelling and extant…