Cecilia Jakobsson

Moderating effects of social value orientation on determinants of proenvironmental behavior intention

A sample of 524 car owners living in a metropolitan area of Sweden answered survey questions measuring intention to perform collective proenvironmental behavior, awareness of egoistic, social-altruistic, and biospheric environmental consequences, personal norm, and ascribed responsibility. A measure derived from the survey responses was used to classify individuals in prosocial vs. proself value orientations. A structural model was estimated positing that proenvironmental behavior intentions are causally related to personal norm that in turn is causally related to ascribed responsibility and awareness of the different types of environmental consequences. Prosocials differed from proselfs in that to them social-altruistic consequences were more and egoistic consequences less salient.

A cross-country study of fairness and infringement on freedom as determinants of car owners' acceptance of road pricing

Jakobsson et al. (2000) found that in Sweden public acceptance of road pricing decreases if it is perceived to be unfair and to infringe on freedom. The present study reports a survey investigating whether the same effects are found in the Asian countries of Japan and Taiwan. The results indicate that fairness plays the same role. However, income had a direct effect on acceptance in Taiwan but not in Japan or Sweden.

EFFECTS OF ECONOMIC DISINCENTIVES ON PRIVATE CAR USE

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of economic disincentives on private car use. Eighty two-adult households who were owners of at least one car were randomly assigned to three experimental groups and one control group. Both experimental and control groups logged their car trips during one week before, one week during, and one week after treatment. The treatment consisted of charging two of the experimental groups approximately 100% of normal cost per kilometer of driving during 2 weeks, and charging the third experimental group this amount per kilometer of driving during 4 weeks. With the purpose of investigating whether deliberate planning increases the effect of economic disincentives, the households in one of the former and in the latter group were asked to fill out a prospective car log for the following week. The control group was not charged or requested to fill out a prospective car log but was in other respects treated in the same way. Analyses of the car logs and odometer readings during and at the end of treatment showed a weak reduction of car use due to the economic disincentives that however were almost completely dependent on planning.

Acceptability of Road Pricing

Transport pricing is high on the political agenda throughout the world, but as the authors illustrate, governments seeking to implement this often face challenging questions and significant barriers. The associated policy and research questions cannot always be addressed adequately from a mono-disciplinary perspective. This book shows how a multi-disciplinary approach may lead to new types of analysis and insights, contributing to a better understanding of the intricacies of transport pricing and eventually to a potentially more effective and acceptable design of such policies. The study addresses important policy and research themes such as the possible motives for introducing road transport pricing and potential conflicts between these motives, behavioural responses to transport pricing for households and firms, the modelling of transport pricing, and the acceptability of pricing.

Adaptation of Private Car Use in Response to Travel Demand Management Measures: Potential Roles of Intelligent Transportation Systems

Travel demand management (TDM) measures targeting changed or reduced private car use in urban areas prompt individuals and households to choose more efficient car use (chaining trips, car pooling, choosing closer destinations), to suppress trips and activities, or to switch travel mode. We conjecture that these choices are made sequentially over time according to a cost-minimization principle. In general, less costly changes may however be less effective. Several potential ways are proposed in which intelligent transportation systems may reduce the costs of changes or reduction in car use, thus presumably rendering TDM measures more effective.

A Cost-Minimisation Principle of Adaptation of Private Car Use in Response to Road Pricing Schemes

In this chapter, a theoretical framework is proposed with the aim of understanding reduction or changes in private car use in response to road pricing. It is argued that economic disincentives may activate car-use reduction or change goals in individuals and households. However, for car-use reduction or change goals to occur, other travel demand management measures are needed that make alternative travel options attractive. A review and classification of these other measures is provided followed by an assessment of their potential effectiveness.