Transportation Investment Research Articles

Navigating Urban Mobility: The Relationship between Car Consumption and Public Transport Usage in Malaysia

Increasing private-owned cars in Malaysia has, thus far, contributed to growing congestion, environmental pollution, and decreasing public transport utilization. Car ownership has become possible through economic growth, and convenience and status attached to cars triggered tendencies from shifting to public transit. This development contradicts investments in public transport and aggravates environmental problems. This paper examines the relationship between private car ownership and public transport usage in Malaysia from 2000 to 2022, concentrating on intercity bus services, KTM commuters, and light rail transit. The results indicate that with increased riders for intercity buses and KTM commuter services, car usage drops, while that of light rail may raise car ownership. The study emphasizes the need to upgrade intercity and KTM services to mitigate the pressures of car ownership and calls for further research into the role of light rail.

The relationship between transport infrastructure and output growth in rural nodal municipalities within South Africa

Transport infrastructure is an integral part of economic and social development in many countries, including South Africa. Economic growth theories state that a sound transport system enhances accessibility and output. Despite this, rural areas in South Africa face widespread poverty, poor infrastructure and limited access to essential services. This paper aims to examine the impact of transportation infrastructure investment on the output growth of rural nodal district municipalities in South Africa. This study focuses on two main objectives 1) investigating the relationship between transport infrastructure investment and output growth in rural nodal district municipalities and 2) understanding the causal relationship between transportation infrastructure investment and output growth in rural nodal district municipalities—this analysis uses panel data from 2012 to 2019. We used Fisher type (ADF and PP) panel unit root tests (Maddala & Wu,1999) to determine if the variables were stationary. Additionally, we employed Pedroni tests (1999) to ascertain the presence of cointegration among the variables. Once cointegration was confirmed, our study utilised the Panel VECM. A Panel Granger was then conducted to analyse the direction of causality between transportation infrastructure investment and output growth. This study recommends that the government should improve investments in transportation to improve the output of rural nodal district municipalities.

A dynamic discrete choice modelling approach for forward-looking travel mode choices

In this paper, we present a systematic approach based on dynamic discrete choice models (DDCM) to investigate individuals’ forward-looking mode choice behaviours in daily travel tours with multiple destinations. We propose a novel network transformation model that encompasses the entire decision space of all feasible mode combinations for every observed trip/tour in the dataset. By applying the well-established Recursive Logit model structure commonly used in path choice modelling, we address the tour mode choice problem effectively and quantify forward looking considerations in the mode choice process. The proposed model captures the complex considerations individuals take into account when making mode choices. The network transformation incorporates downstream mode limitations into the preceding mode choice options, enabling us to model individuals’ forward-looking behaviour and gain insights into how considerations of future trips such as a shopping in the evening, or school pick-up trip influence previous mode choice decisions earlier in the day. Uncovering and quantifying these hidden forward-looking factors can help modellers better explain the private car usage usually observed for the entire sequences of daily trips, even in presence of competitive alternative modes. The proposed network transformation also enables us to measure the effect of the requirement/preference to return private vehicles (car, motorcycle, and bicycle) home on mode choices in home-bound trips, and subsequently, on the entire daily mode choice decisions. To validate the proposed model, we utilise the VISTA household travel survey data from the Melbourne Metropolitan area in Australia. The model is compared against baseline models, demonstrating its statistical advantages. Additionally, intuitive illustrations using the data showcase the model’s efficacy. From transport planning and policy perspective, tour-based mode choice modelling provides a more comprehensive and precise understanding of travel behaviour by considering the sequence of trips made by an individual. This can help capture the interactions and dependencies between different trips, which trip-based models may overlook. The proposed model is more suitable for analysing the effects of policy interventions like congestion pricing, public transport investments, or new mobility initiatives, as they can better represent the cascading effects of such policies across multiple trips.

Monitoring Changes in Walkability Over Time: An Environmental Exposure Change Detection Framework with Implications for Equity and Social Justice

Evidence suggests that walkability and greenspace impact travel related activity patterns and vehicle emissions which affect sustainability, public health, and equity. Resulting levels of physical activity, active, or sedentary travel time impact obesity, diabetes, and heart disease which impact COVID-19 mortality. It is now possible to track changes in locally controlled land use characteristics known to impact sustainability and health. This information can provide decisionmakers with feedback required to spatially prioritize and better link state and nationally funded transportation investments with locally sanctioned land use actions. Linking the achievement of established benchmarks of health equity-based indicators with funding establishes a more performance-based approach connecting land use with transportation investment. This study longitudinally tracks neighborhood-level walkability features at the census tract level for 2013 and 2020 for the entire USA. Longitudinal volatility-based change detection models are developed to examine how changes in walkability over time correlate with racialization and social justice. Walkability tends to increase over time with significant variations across metro regions and the urban-rural continuum. Largest and smallest increases in walkability were observed in Western Pacific and Northwest states, respectively. Increased racial and social justice disparities were observed in access to more walkable infrastructure by marginalized populations (such as less-educated, older, unemployed, and black individuals). Significant heterogeneity in the spatial distribution of walkability was observed, over the variation captured by observed sociodemographic, regional, and urban/rural factors. The findings highlight the potential for an “environmental surveillance” system to support a “performance-based” approach to transportation funding that prioritizes resource allocation consistent with Justice40 and United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.

Effect of Sectoral Foreign Direct Investment on Economic Development in Nigeria: An Econometric Analysis

This study uses econometric techniques to analyze the effect of sectoral foreign direct investments on economic development in Nigeria from 1985-2022. Secondary data on real gross domestic product (RGDP), human development index (HDI), foreign direct investments (FDI) in service, transport and communications sectors were sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletin, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Report, and Word Development Indicators (WDI) of Word Bank. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) test processes was utilised as the analytical methods. The ARDL result revealed that in the long run, FDI in the long run, FDI in service sectors had had negative and insignificant effects on human development index. FDI in manufacturing, likewise transport and communications sectors had positive and insubstantial effects on human development index. In the short run, FDI in transport and communications sectors had negative and significant effects on HDI. FDI in manufacturing sector had positive and insignificant effect on HDI. However, FDI in service sector had positive and substantial effect on HDI. Hence, it was concluded that FDI had substantial impact on human capital development. Therefore, the study recommended that government should provide needed enabling environment to increase FDIs in various sectors. To achieve this, government should remove all the road blocks to foreign productive investments in Nigeria. The process ranges from fixing infrastructural deficits through addressing issues of good governance, corruption and insecurity.

Assessing the impact of urban road transport development on haze pollution in the Yangtze River Delta region

The aim of this paper is to explore whether and how urban road transport (URT) development affects haze pollution. One of the innovations of this paper is that URT development is measured by road accessibility with novel digital elevation model datasets, which have been used by few scholars. The endogenous problem caused by revere causality issue in the relationship between URT development and haze pollution is also considered. Based on the panel data of prefecture-level cities of Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region in China from 2011 to 2018, this paper uses long-lagged values of URT development as the instrumental variable, employing the two-stage least squares (2SLS) method. The study shows that URT development leads to an increase of haze pollution. Moreover, mechanism tests based on moderating and mediating models support the finding that decreasing haze pollution resulted from better connection effects, while rising agglomeration effects tend to bring about increasing haze pollution, and the latter effect is larger in magnitude than the former. Current URT development may have long-term negative consequences for livability of YRD cities, and urban decision makers should reconsider the effectiveness of the current road transport investment and construction.

Equity And Inclusion For Access To The Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS)

The concept of equity in the Unified Health System (SUS) is crucial for ensuring a fair distribution of resources and health opportunities, taking into account the specific needs of different population groups. This principle aims not only to ensure universal access to health services but also to adjust these services to address socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural inequalities. Equity in SUS involves providing additional support to the most vulnerable populations, such as individuals with low income, those living in remote areas, and groups facing cultural and language barriers. Significant challenges include regional disparities, with inadequate health infrastructure in rural and peripheral areas, and socioeconomic inequalities that hinder access to care due to indirect costs and lack of information. To address these challenges, SUS must adopt multifaceted strategies, including increased funding and resources for underserved areas, public policies to reduce socioeconomic inequalities, and investments in transportation and health education. Inclusion in SUS is equally fundamental, requiring the removal of physical and social barriers, the promotion of a culture of respect and cultural competence among health professionals, and the active participation of diverse groups in health policy formulation. Additional strategies involve interinstitutional collaboration, community engagement, and the collection and analysis of disaggregated data to inform targeted policies. These approaches aim to create a fairer and more inclusive health system capable of meeting the needs of the entire Brazilian population

Implementation of balanced scorecard at drinking water depot

Performance measurement of a business needs to be done to determine the possibility of target deviations in the implementation of predetermined processes, which can occur at any time. Service or performance at Panca Drinking Water Depot is rated poorly by some consumers because the depot is not optimal for fulfilling high consumer demand. This may be due to limited costs for investment in refill equipment and transportation or other problems, which can makes the slow response time. In order to improve depot services for the future, measurement tools are needed to determine business performances and obtain recommendations for improvement, through the application of a Balanced Scorecard. Balanced Scorecard questionnaires were distributed to 10 workers and 152 consumers with four perspectives evaluation, which are financial, consumer, internal business process, and also growth and learning. The result are that the business has profit rate of 7.40%, cost rate of 7.45%, ROE of 7.25%, customer satisfaction index of 62.02% (satisfied), company index of 68.79% (good), employee index of 69.50% (satisfied), and learning index of 67.75% (good). Although the overall performance result is 71.43% or good service, but with the aim to realize performance results of more than 90% or best service, so the depot needs to improve the integrated information systems, increase advertising and promotions, invest on effective equipment and transportations, expand operational areas, and fix policies.

Comprehensive Sensitivity Analysis of Cost-Benefit Analysis Variables for Transport Interventions

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is the universally applied tool to assess economic viability in assisting decisions on transport investments. Its framework is heavily influenced by the numerous variables it considers through estimating and valuing the intervention’s effects. This paper – utilising the authors’ previously implemented CBA test environment – comprehensively analyses the sensitivity of significant variables of three typical CBA models for transport interventions (road, rail and urban) to understand the prevailing appraisal approach better and to help focus on further methodological improvements. Morris and Sobol methods were selected to study the global sensitivity of and the relations between the input parameters of the models. The sensitivity test of the three analysed models provided similar results regarding which variables are most influential in CBAs. Input variables such as the investment cost, the economic discount rate, forecasted GDP changes and specific elasticities to these GDP changes often have a firm but mostly linear effect. Value of time, vehicle operating cost and mode choice-related parameters such as car availability, car occupancy rate, level of service indicators (e.g. frequency of service) and potential to induce travel demand (proxied by a ‘no travel’ parameter) are inputs with considerable linear effects and greater interactive effects.

An In-Depth Look at the Trip-Deprived People of the United States

Social equity is fundamental to achieving sustainability. However, the social dimension of sustainability has received less attention than the environmental and economic dimensions. In the United States, policies mandate equitable distribution of benefits from transportation investments among all people, including the underserved populations consisting of people with disabilities, poor people, minorities, and older adults. These populations were historically considered transportation-disadvantaged because of their inability to travel like others. However, until the release of the 2022 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data in November 2023, there were no national data to comprehensively examine the validity of the assumptions about people’s inability to travel. By including a special-topic question on equity for the first time that enquires about people taking fewer-than-planned trips in a 30-day period for certain reasons, the 2022 NHTS makes it possible to take a deeper look at the trip-deprived Americans. This research uses logit models and confirmatory factor analysis with a national sample of more than 11,000 NHTS respondents to examine the personal, household, and geographic area characteristics of the trip deprived. The models controlled for variations in travel need. The results show that people with disabilities, unemployed people, people with low income, Black people, and people without cars are at a higher risk of being trip-deprived. Similar evidence was not found for older adults. Geographic area characteristics are not as important as the personal and household characteristics, but they also provide important insights for transportation planning purposes.

Representing Carbon Dioxide Transport and Storage Network Investments within Power System Planning Models

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) is frequently identified as a potential component to achieving a decarbonized power system at least cost; however, power system models frequently lack detailed representation of CO2 transportation, injection, and storage (CTS) infrastructure. In this paper, we present a novel approach to explicitly represent CO2 storage potential and CTS infrastructure costs and constraints within a continental-scale power system capacity expansion model. In addition, we evaluate the sensitivity of the results to assumptions about the future costs and performance of CTS components and carbon capture technologies. We find that the quantity of CO2 captured within the power sector is relatively insensitive to the range of CTS costs explored, suggesting that the cost of CO2 capture retrofits is a more important driver of CCS implementation than the costs of transportation and storage. Finally, we demonstrate that storage and injection costs account for the predominant share of total costs associated with CTS investment and operation, suggesting that pipeline infrastructure costs have limited influence on the competitiveness of CCS.

A Financial Analysis and Valuation of Tesla

The pressing issue of global warming, fueled by excessive carbon dioxide emissions, has spurred global concern. Researchers highlight the potential of new energy vehicles, particularly electric cars, in significantly mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. As demand for electric vehicles rises, attention turns to companies like Tesla, spearheading this transformative industry. This study delves into Tesla's financial landscape in 2023, juxtaposing it against other electric vehicle manufacturers, aiming to unveil Tesla's comparative advantages. Leveraging data sourced from Yahoo Finance, the study employs a comprehensive financial analysis, focusing on liquidity, solvency, profitability, and investment metrics. Results underscore Tesla's remarkable performance across these dimensions, showcasing its impressive profitability, operational prowess, financial stability, and investment appeal relative to its competitors. This report stands poised to guide investors intrigued by Tesla's potential, offering valuable insights into the company's financial health and positioning within the burgeoning electric vehicle sector. Through such analysis, stakeholders can make informed decisions in navigating the dynamic landscape of sustainable transportation investments.

A study of the impact of traffic investment on traffic fatalities in China, 2004–2020

PurposeRoad traffic injuries (RTIs) have been one of the most serious public health problems in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which traffic investment affects traffic fatalities in China as well as regional differences. MethodsThe study analyzed the correlation between traffic investment and traffic fatalities, incorporating additional factors such as economic conditions, road infrastructure, population density, and lighting. The selected variables included the number of traffic fatalities, traffic investment, urban per capita road area, urban road length, road mileage, urban road lighting, population size, and per capita gross domestic product. Relevant data between 2004 and 2020 were collected for an analysis using a fixed effect regression model. A p < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. To reduce the heterogeneity caused by regional differences, the provinces were divided into 6 groups according to administrative districts, and the clustering standard error analysis was carried out. ResultsOverall, there has been a significant improvement in road safety in China from 2004 to 2020, but some regions show an increase in traffic fatalities. The model reveals that traffic investment is significantly and positively correlated with the number of traffic fatalities. Holding all other factors constant, each 10,000 yuan increase in transport investment was associated with an average increase of 0.22 road traffic fatalities. In the analysis of regional differences, there was a significant positive correlation between traffic investment and traffic fatalities in the Northwest region and an increase of 10,000 yuan leads to an increase of 0.47. There was a significant negative correlation between road mileage, urban road lighting system, and population and traffic fatalities. For example, holding other factors constant, a 10,000 km reduction in road length would increase the number of traffic deaths by 45.56. The model results of urban per capita road area, urban road length, per capita gross domestic product, and the explained variables showed that p > 0.100, which was not statistically significant. ConclusionsTherefore, traffic investments are essential for governments to develop measures to enhance road safety and reduce the risk of road fatalities. Adjusting traffic road investment and other covariates is conducive to improving traffic safety and reducing the risk of road fatalities. The road safety situation in different regions of China varies greatly. Local governments should consider the actual conditions to provide better road safety configuration policies.

Access-based cost-benefit analysis

Current methods of cost-benefit analysis (CBA) for transport investments rely on travel-time savings for potential users. This approach presents a consistent and significant historical trend of forecast inaccuracy, and thus has been questioned and criticized. Access, or the ease of reaching valued destinations, can be used as an alternative. Access features a strong correlation with land value which can be measured through hedonic analysis, and subsequently, access gains offered by a transport initiative can be monetised via property uplift. We test this hypothesis and evaluate Sydney's South West Metro Link (SWML).We first develop linear and semi-log ordinary least square hedonic pricing models for house sales in the Sydney region. The models are set up with structural and neighbourhood attributes in addition to access measures, and result in a statistically significant fit.Next, we model changes to job access induced by the SWML. Benefits are then quantified by land value uplift and are estimated at $1.87 Billion in 2031 and between $1.53–$3.08 Billion in 2061, which reflect base and transit-oriented development (TOD) scenarios. The project is thus feasible should certain land use and economic conditions be met, including TOD to occur about station localities by 2061 and if project costs are minimal. Although limitations are noted, access-based CBA exhibits significant promise as an alternative approach to appraisal and has direct application in value capture strategy.

Impact of governance and effectiveness of expenditure on CO2 emission (air pollution): lessons from four BRIC countries

PurposeThis study conducts an analysis of the interplay between governance quality, environmental expenditure of the government, and pollution emissions (measured as CO2 emissions) within the BRIC economies.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing the FMOLS model and marginal effects, we investigate the influence of governance quality and environmental expenditure on environmental quality (CO2 emissions) over the period 1996–2020. We took data for Brazil, Russia, India and China. We excluded South Africa due to its due to its small economic size relative to other BRIC economies, sluggish industrial growth and deteriorating foreign trade which gives contrast outliers to our data.FindingsResults indicate that government investments in environmental protection contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions. However, the effectiveness of these expenditures is contingent upon the quality of governance. This underscores the significance of robust governance for realizing meaningful reductions in air pollution through environmental spending. Further, increase in GDP per capita and the industrial sector's share of GDP are associated with a significant rise in CO2 emissions across BRIC economies. Conversely, FDI and trade openness exhibit a negative impact on CO2 emissions, with this effect gaining greater resilience when accounting for governance factors.Research limitations/implicationsLike any other studies, the present study also suffers from some limitations. First, besides air quality, environmental quality encompasses multiple dimensions and various characteristics such as water purity, noise pollution, open space access, visual effects of buildings etc. But the present study included only CO2 (air quality) as a proxy of environmental quality due to various problems of data and methods. Second, CO2 (carbon dioxide) emission, which is the dependent variable in our model, is actually influenced by various quantitative and qualitative (both natural and man-made) factors. We included only nine independent variables. However, we could not include many variables due to lack of consistent data. Third, this study included only four countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) and excluded South Africa which is a member of the BRICS block due to its economic size, sluggish industrial growth and deteriorating foreign trade which gives contrast outliers to our data set of the four BRIC countries. Therefore, the future research may be carried out by addressing those issues for better understanding of the environmental problems, governance and policies thereon.Practical implications(i) Establish environmental governance committees – The four BRIC countries including South Africa should form a committee comprising government, civil society, and private sector representatives for comprehensive oversight and collaboration in environmental governance. (ii) Invest in capacity building for environmental institutions – Allocate resources to enhance environmental institutions' capacity through training, data improvement, and enforcement strengthening. (iii) Implement green procurement policies – Encourage green procurement in government agencies to drive demand for eco-friendly products and services, promoting sustainable practices. (iv) Incentivize green technology development – Offer tax credits or subsidies to stimulate green technology adoption, including renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. (v) Promote sustainable urban development – Prioritize sustainable urban strategies like public transportation investment and green space promotion to mitigate urbanizations' environmental impacts. (vi) Enhance cross-border cooperation – Foster collaboration on transboundary environmental issues among four BRIC nations including South Africa, including joint research and policy responses. (vii) Promote green finance and investment – Mobilize green finance to support sustainable development projects through instruments like green investment funds and bonds.Originality/valueThis study distinguishes itself by offering a unique analysis of both individual and combined effects of governance and environmental expenditure on environmental quality. Additionally, it encompasses various dimensions of governance, an aspect rarely explored in the BRIC countries.

Vehicle pricing considering EVs promotion and public transportation investment under governmental policies on sustainable transportation development: The case of Norway

The present research investigates the advancement of sustainable transportation by promoting electric vehicles, expanding public transit, and implementing tax increases on fossil fuels and automobiles, via crucial strategies. The present study has examined a market with a fossil fuel vehicle (FFV) manufacturer, an electric vehicle manufacturer, and the government. The manufacturers' pricing strategies are geared towards optimizing profits, whereas the government's objectives for transportation are centered on attaining sustainability across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. The government has considered two strategies, one taxation-based and the other non-taxation-based, to achieve its objectives. In the taxation-based strategy, fixed taxes on fossil-fuel vehicles and fossil fuels are considered, while in the non-taxation-based strategy, subsidies for purchasing electric vehicles and the number of buses purchased for public transportation are predefined. Based on this, eight scenarios with different values for the predefined factors of each strategy have been defined to attain their respective objectives. Game theory has been utilized to determine an optimal solution based on Norwegian data, owing to the interconnected decision-making among stakeholders. By analyzing the findings, managers can enhance their decision-making capabilities. The results suggest that appropriately adjusting subsidies, taxes, and bus numbers within specific thresholds is crucial for mitigating air pollution and achieving other objectives. The assertion that electric cars are a definitive solution may not be accurate, as it depends on the source of the generated electricity. While excessive subsidies in non-renewable energy countries can lead to increased pollution, even in Norway, where most electricity is renewable, rising demand for electric vehicles contributes to air pollution due to increased production. In countries where electricity generation is not primarily from renewable resources, the growth of electric vehicles further exacerbates pollution.Simultaneous increases in fuel taxes and tariffs on fossil fuel vehicles negatively impact the demand for fossil fuel vehicles and government revenues. Therefore, it is recommended that an increase in fuel taxes be implemented to optimize both government revenues and social welfare. This approach safeguards public revenues, promotes societal well-being, and mitigates air pollution.

Sustainable gains from inland waterway investments at port-city interface

The objective of this research is to identify and quantify the sustainable impacts resulting from transportation investments at the port-city interface. These investments encompass two main components: 1) restoring the local inland waterway fairway for navigation, and 2) constructing a new railway bridge that traverses the primary waterway at the entrance of the seaport. The study is centered on the local transportation system in the northwestern region of Poland. Sustainability is assessed using an analytical tool derived from societal cost-benefit analysis and simulation in the relevant market transport performance in options with and without investment. Economic effects are evaluated in terms of savings in generalized transportation costs, which include transport operating expenses and travel durations. Environmental considerations encompass transport-related air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and well-to-tank emissions. Social aspects focus on issues like transport congestion, traffic noise, and transport-related accidents. Each type of investment yields distinct sustainable gains and distributes them among stakeholders differently. Additionally, the enhanced capacity of the rail bridge reveals the potential for a modal shift in the local passenger transport system, wherein passengers may transition from buses/cars to a fast railway. Tangible gains expressed in monetary terms allow for a sustainable assessment of transport investments. The elaborated research scheme can be employed to assess the sustainable ramifications arising from investments in intermodal transport at any port-city interface. It provides decision-makers with comprehensive insights into the economic, environmental, and social implications of various transport policies and interventions.

Comparative venation costs of monocotyledon and dicotyledon species in the eastern Colorado steppe.

Leaf vein network cost (total vein surface area per leaf volume) for major veins and vascular bundles did not differ between monocot and dicot species in 21 species from the eastern Colorado steppe. Dicots possessed significantly larger minor vein networks than monocots. Across the tree of life, there is evidence that dendritic vascular transport networks are optimized, balancing maximum speed and integrity of resource delivery with minimal resource investment in transport and infrastructure. Monocot venation, however, is not dendritic, and remains parallel down to the smallest vein orders with no space-filling capillary networks. Given this departure from the "optimized" dendritic network, one would assume that monocots are operating at a significant energetic disadvantage. In this study, we investigate whether monocot venation networks bear significantly greater carbon/construction costs per leaf volume than co-occurring dicots in the same ecosystem, and if so, what physiological or ecological advantage the monocot life form possesses to compensate for this deficit. Given that venation networks could also be optimized for leaf mechanical support or provide herbivory defense, we measured the vascular system of both monocot and dicots at three scales to distinguish between leaf investment in mechanical support (macroscopic vein), total transport and capacitance (vascular bundle), or exclusively water transport (xylem) for both parallel and dendritic venation networks. We observed that vein network cost (total vein surface area per leaf volume) for major veins and vascular bundles was not significantly different between monocot species and dicot species. Dicots, however, possess significantly larger minor vein networks than monocots. The 19 species subjected to gas-exchange measurement in the field displayed a broad range of Amax and but demonstrated no significant relationships with any metric of vascular network size in major or minor vein classes. Given that monocots do not seem to display any leaf hydraulic disadvantage relative to dicots, it remains an important research question why parallel venation (truly parallel, down to the smallest vessels) has not arisen more than once in the history of plant evolution.

Residential location choices and commuting patterns considering telecommuting

The COVID-19 pandemic has initiated more telecommuting (or working from home) than ever. This paper provides an economic analysis of the impacts of telecommuting on the residential location choice equilibrium. In particular, this paper employs a simplified monocentric city model of urban spatial structure to analytically examine the impacts of telecommuting on residential location choices and the associated commuting pattern in a city, considering that telecommuting may have positive, zero, or negative impact on individual income level. We found that the income effect of telecommuting and its relative magnitude against the commuting cost govern whether telecommuting will attract more to live in the suburb or the downtown. Moreover, the impacts of housing supply and commuting costs on the residential location choice equilibrium are dependent on the level of telecommuting, where such impacts diminish when the level of telecommuting increases. Furthermore, this paper derives and examines analytical solutions for the optimal level of telecommuting, the optimal housing supply and the optimal transport investment (that reduces commuting cost) in order to improve social welfare or the housing operator’s profit in the context of telecommuting. How these optimal solutions are related to the level of telecommuting is also analyzed. This study provides understanding on how telecommuting may affect the joint equilibrium of residential location choice and commuting and how housing supply and transport investment should be adjusted in response to telecommuting.

The impact of Chinese overseas industrial parks on the productive capability of BRI host countries

Overseas industrial parks (OIPs) offer platforms to host countries for foreign and domestic company agglomeration in key industries to promote economic development. This study examined 123 Chinese OIPs in “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) countries to study the productive effects in the host countries for a sample period of 2010 to 2018. It was found that Chinese OIPs, especially high-tech, logistics, multi-sector and state-owned ones, significantly increased local productive capabilities through trade promotion and employment generation. Host countries with higher level of governance, business environment, finance, transport, and bilateral investment protection had more pronounced effects. This paper provides evidence for China's industrial park spillovers and insights into the internationalization performances of developing economies.