Geoffrey Clifton

A Review of Pseudo Panel Data Approach in Estimating Short-run and Long-run Public Transport Demand Elasticities

Abstract The distinctions between short-run and long-run public transport demand elasticities have been highlighted in the literature, but the identification of long-run travel demand has been constrained by existing research methodology and the unavailability of longitudinal travel survey data. The pseudo panel data approach using repeated cross-sectional data has been suggested as an alternative to conducting a longitudinal travel demand analysis when genuine panel data are not available. This paper comprehensively reviews the background and the current practices of pseudo panel data research, and introduces the challenges in applied research that need further investigation, particularly for public transport. A case study using the Sydney Household Travel Survey data is presented to demonstrate pseudo panel data construction and to identify the short-run and long-run public transport demand elasticities using a pseudo panel data approach. The research findings suggest that the public transport demand elasticity of price in Sydney is −0.22 in the short run and −0.29 in the long run.

Are Network Planning Guidelines Based on Equal Access Equitable

Planning principles for public transport networks include simplicity, legibility, frequency, and spatial coverage. These principles are typically translated into a series of guidelines that set out the specific standards for network design within a jurisdiction. In practice, such guidelines usually concentrate on creating a bus network or on defining the role of buses within a multimodal network, as rail-based routes are regarded as fixed in location, and separate planning processes are typically used to design rail frequency and stopping patterns. The outcome of network planning gives rise to tradeoffs between the economic and institutional environments and is conditioned by historical legacy. Bus routes often continue because they have operated at that location. This paper offers a case study of Sydney, Australia, where network planning guidelines still place emphasis on equality of spatial coverage despite moving toward a more integrated approach to network planning. The paper asserts that guidelines focusing on equal spatial coverage may inadvertently promote inequity by not taking account of the difficulties (and therefore higher cost) of serving challenging topographical areas. The paper examines the equity impacts of implementing service planning guidelines on the basis of equal spatial coverage. Criteria relating to equity are established and then measured with the use of data on bus supply, journeys to work, and socioeconomics. The conclusions of the paper contribute to implementation of network planning, with many cities in Australia and elsewhere implementing similar guidelines to those in Sydney.

Decision Making in Flexible Transport: The Importance and Application of the ‘Golden Rule’

Abstract Purpose This chapter demonstrates how the ‘golden rule’ can be applied by operators of flexible transport services to improve investment and pricing decisions. Design/methodology/approach The chapter explains why an appropriate decision making framework is particularly important for operators of flexible transport services and compares the traditional economic framework of fixed versus variable costs to the decision-oriented approach that analyses the activities of a firm in terms of costs that are avoidable (i.e. specific to a particular activity) and costs that are shared amongst a number of activities. The chapter introduces the ‘golden rule’ of decision making and discusses issues in implementing the rule. Findings An economic framework for decision making is particularly important for smaller scale transport operations (such as flexible transport services) because ‘lumpy’ investment costs are more significant than for larger operators. The traditional economic approach divides costs into fixed costs and those which vary by patronage. A better framework for decision making divides costs into those which are specific to a particular activity and, therefore, avoidable if that activity ceases, and those costs which are common to more than one activity. Practical implications Using this framework allows operators to apply the ‘golden rule’ in pricing their services so that the avoidable costs of each activity are recovered and the enterprise covers its shared costs overall. Originality/value This chapter will be useful to operators of flexible transport services who are new to the industry or are reacting to changes in the funding environment.

Examining Estimation Bias and Efficiency for Pseudopanel Data in Travel Demand Analysis

Pseudopanel data have been increasingly applied in travel demand analysis to investigate the long-run travel demand when genuine panel data are unavailable. However, conventional estimation techniques have typically been used without a careful consideration of some unique properties of pseudopanel data. This paper shows that ignoring these properties potentially leads to estimation bias or inefficiency not observed in genuine panel data. The method used is a Monte Carlo experiment with scenarios designed to generate various data possessing pseudopanel data characteristics under conditions of limited observations; the performance of various estimator is evaluated with the use of the simulation results. This research found that the large between-group variation of the exogenous variable and the variance of unobserved group effects in pseudopanel data are the primary causes of estimation bias and inefficiency. Other factors such as cohort sizes and nonspherical errors have a smaller effect on the estimators’ performance. An empirical application using Sydney Household Travel Survey data is also presented to illustrate the simulation findings.