Luca Zamparini

Freight Transport and the Value of Travel Time Savings: A Meta-analysis of Empirical Studies

Abstract The value of travel time savings (VTTS) has been investigated by transport economists since the mid‐1960s. Although the first two decades of research were mainly devoted to VTTS in passenger transport, since the mid‐1980s several studies have analysed the VTTS in freight transport from both a theoretical and an empirical viewpoint. The first part of the paper is devoted to a review of the proposed theoretical models for the value of freight travel time savings (VFTTS), and it discusses the issues arising from the use of different methods to collect empirical VFTTS estimates. The second part is based on a meta‐analysis of a sample of empirical VFTTS observations related to several European and North American countries. It is shown that both the per‐capita gross domestic product and the transport mode are statistically significant variables that can partially explain the variability in VFTTS estimates.

Transport Developments and Innovations in an Evolving World

The book is describing technological developments as well as urban futures in the information age where development of ICT sets the pace and options. Despite this dynamic development, the book describes how stabile daily travelling still is and highlights the achievable impacts and acceptability of transport policy measures. Freight transport is discussed from the viewpoint of industry. In addition, some innovative approaches in rearranging current freight transport networks are given. Transport future is mapped from various viewpoints. Light-rail is presented as a possible back-bone of urban regions. Methods to evaluate the societal consencus related to the spatial development - linked to tranport infrastructures - are described. Methods to assess spatial planning policies are presented as well as options for brenchmarking local public transport compagnies

The Role of Gastronomy and Typical Foods in the Tourism Experience

The chapter aims at analyzing, both under a sociological and an economic perspective, the growing importance of gastronomy and typical food in the tourism experience. In this context, it will discuss the three main approaches to describe the role of food at tourist destinations. The chapter will then critically consider the reasons to choose typical foods or to rely on food that is very similar to the one consumed in everyday life. Lastly, it will analyze the role of globalization on local food consumption by tourists.

Assessing the determinants of local tourism demand: A simultaneous equations model for the Italian provinces

Traditional analysis of tourism demand has been mainly based on the consideration of economic variables aiming at explaining the evolution of either tourists’ expenditure or overnight stays or arrivals. This study is based on a collection of both economic variables and non-economic factors surveyed since 1998–2013 for 99 Italian NUTS3 (Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics) regions (provinces). It is the first study in which such a wide array of non-economic and economic variables has been investigated for a panel data at this geographical level by using a simultaneous equations model. The analysis shows that all considered variables are significant for the evolution of tourism demand and that climate, tourism supply and entrepreneurial capabilities have the largest impacts.

Hazmat Transport Safety and Alternative Transport Modes: A Study of US Accidents Between 1990 and 2010

This paper analyzes 21 years of data related to unintentional hazardous materials (hazmat) releases on air, marine, and rail transportation modes reported in the United States (U.S.) -although their origins and destinations may be outside the U.S. The authors’ analysis reveals thousands of cases have occurred and their impacts vary by mode. These impacts include material losses, carrier damages, property damages, response costs, and remediation and clean-up costs. There appears to be some reduction in the frequency of incidents and accidents as regulations have been promulgated, although the authors cannot attribute causation. They review suggests that enhanced regulations and attentiveness have probably led to better reporting of hazmat occurrences. Moreover, developing and maintaining safer processes and designing safer products, containers, and systems can play an important role in minimizing hazmat releases.

Evaluation of Infrastructure Investments: The Case of the Southern Italian Transport Network

The EU Community Support Framework (CSF), in the transport sector, aims at implementing a sustainable network characterised by a more balanced modal split and by integrated connectivity among the transport nodes. This study provides a concise description of the CSF, PON and POR programmes and tests - by means of a multicriteria approach - the degree of coherence among them. The results highlight that the strategy pursued during the 2001-2006 period sought to strengthen some priority nodes located in the TEN-T network and that there is a marked heterogeneity between the PON projects and the POR projects.