Street Price Research Articles

Syringe reuse among people who inject drugs in rural Appalachian Kentucky

BackgroundPersonal syringe reuse (i.e., reuse of one's own syringes) can place people who inject drugs at increased risk for infectious disease but has received relatively little attention in published literature. The purpose of this study is to identify factors associated with syringe reuse among people who inject drugs in rural Kentucky. MethodsParticipants (n = 238) completed interviewer-administered questionnaires on syringe reuse and demographic, behavioral, and service access characteristics. Unadjusted negative binomial regression with cluster-robust standard errors was used to model the associations with a logged offset for number of injections in the past 30 days. ResultsThe average age of the sample was 35 and 59.7 % were male. Most participants (77.7 %) reused syringes at least once in the past 30 days, using each syringe a median of three times. Reuse was higher among those who were older and reported a higher street price for syringes. Syringe reuse was lower among people who were within walking distance to a syringe service program (SSP) and who obtained most of their syringes from SSPs or pharmacies. ConclusionSyringe reuse among people who inject drugs in rural Kentucky is common. However, these data suggest that increased access to syringes from SSPs and pharmacies, as well as policy-level interventions that reduce street syringe price, might reduce syringe reuse and related harms.

Law enforcement experiences with gabapentin: non-medical use, diversion, and state controlled substances laws

ABSTRACT Background Non-medical use (NMU) of gabapentin is a growing trend; data indicate that gabapentin diversion is increasing. Yet, scant information is known about the informal marketplace for this medication. Methods Qualitative data were collected to contextualize reports of gabapentin NMU and diversion and recent state-level controlled substances laws. A sample of prescription drug diversion investigators (n = 46) from 25 states completed an open-ended brief questionnaire about their experiences with gabapentin, including characteristics of users, polysubstance use, street value, and recent laws in seven states which classified gabapentin as a controlled substance. Results Respondents universally described NMU of gabapentin occurring in conjunction with other drugs, including illicit and prescription opioids (52%) and methamphetamine (33%). The most commonly reported street prices were between $1.00 and $2.00 per tablet with prices reaching $10.00 per tablet in some jurisdictions. Nearly all respondents (89%) supported laws classifying gabapentin as a controlled substance. Motivations for doing so included controlling gabapentin NMU and diversion and placing additional controls on prescribing and dispensing of gabapentin. Conclusions Gabapentin appears to be a component of polysubstance use, including opioids and methamphetamine. With strong support for state-level action to control NMU and diversion of gabapentin, continued surveillance will provide necessary data to assess these policies.

Criticising Capitalism in the City and on the Stage: The City Street Movement Occupy Wall Street and Tim Price’s Protest Song

Abstract Following the 2022 CDE conference’s concern regarding “how theatre and the city are productively embroiled and [. . .] how contemporary Anglophone theatre has redefined [. . .] [and blurred the] borders between centre and periphery, street and stage, performer and spectator” (Garson et al.), I will focus on Tim Price’s Protest Song, which was commissioned by the National Theatre and was staged there in December 2013. Setting the play in the streets of London in front of the iconic urban space of St Paul’s Cathedral, starring a homeless main character, and transgressing the boundaries between theatrical and actual spaces, Price arguably questions conventional urban and social binaries as well as economic and social hierarchies. With the help of experimental and critical strategies, he examines the city street movement Occupy Wall Street and its repercussions. The present article analyses these strategies and asks how they represent, perform, question, and assess urban hierarchies, city street activism, and the financial sector, as they are symbolised by the (urban and mental) spaces of London as capital and London as city of capital. I will furthermore look into how Price’s strategies reframe social inequality and turbo-capitalism as well as to what extent they redefine the borders between centre and periphery, street and stage, performer and spectator.

Influence of Thai Street Food Quality, Price, and Involvement on Traveler Behavioral Intention: Exploring Cultural Difference (Eastern versus Western).

Gastronomy tourism has become a phenomenal trend of the global tourism industry in the 21st century. As the tourism industry and its related foodservice businesses flourish, street food has received increasing popularity with its combination of local delights and the cultural value of the destination. This study examined the psychology of street food consumption and assessed the effect of street food quality that is represented by the cultural experience, health and safety of the food, food sensory appeal, staff service, physical environment, the meal menus with perceived reasonable prices, involvement in Thai street food, and repurchase intention from an international tourist perspective. A survey method along with a quantitative structural analysis was used. The findings revealed that Thai street food quality positively and significantly predicted the international tourists' perceived reasonable prices, involvement, and repurchase decisions. Perceived reasonable prices and involvement were found to be important mediators between Thai street food quality and repurchase intentions. Moreover, this research identified the significant moderating role of Eastern and Western cultures.

Changes in the Street Prices of Prescription Opioids During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study analyzed changes in prescription opioid street prices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crowdsourced prescription opioid street prices were obtained from the Researched Abuse, Diversion and Addiction-Related Surveillance System StreetRx Program. Percentage changes in street price per milligram of different opioids between April and December 2020 compared with the same months in 2019 were calculated by using linear regression. Street prices of high-potency drugs hydromorphone and oxycodone increased 23% and 12% per milligram, respectively. Prices of low-potency drugs hydrocodone and morphine increased 9% and 12% per milligram, respectively. Changes in prices of medications for opioid use disorder were not statistically significant. Decreased access to opioid analgesics during the pandemic combined with contributors to opioid demand may have led to increases in street prices of prescription opioids. Measures taken to increase access to medications for opioid use disorder were not associated with changes in those drugs' street prices.

HUMBERGER CASSAVA, THE SOLUTION OF TODAY'S FOOD CHOICES IN THE GLOBAL ERA, UTILIZING INDONESIA'S NATURAL RESOURCES

Cassava is a food raw material that is very much in existence in Indonesia. The ease of finding these raw materials makes the cassava commodity quite affordable for the community. Even considered as affordable food. Burger making is a solution for food products with a contemporary menu but at affordable prices for all people. This is a business opportunity with the hope of offering modern food at affordable prices, lime star quality, street prices. This study aims to analyze the income and strategy of developing sweet potato plants as a supporter of the food entrepreneurship program in West Sumatra. In this study, sweet potato, namely cassava, will be used as a new food business. This study uses the direct method. The first problem in this study uses the SWOT (Strength, Weaknes, Opportunity and Tehreat) method. The variety of flavors is different from most other burger business products, such as BBQ, Balado, Spicy and others, the price of cassava humberger is Rp. 10,000.

Web-Based Discussion and Illicit Street Sales of Tapentadol and Oxycodone in Australia: Epidemiological Surveillance Study.

BackgroundOpioid use disorder and its consequences are a persistent public health concern for Australians. Web activity has been used to understand the perception of drug safety and diversion of drugs in contexts outside of Australia. The anonymity of the internet offers several advantages for surveilling and inquiring about specific covert behaviors, such as diversion or discussion of sensitive subjects where traditional surveillance approaches might be limited.ObjectiveThis study aims to characterize the content of web posts and compare reports of illicit sales of tapentadol and oxycodone from sources originating in Australia. First, post content is evaluated to determine whether internet discussion encourages or discourages proper therapeutic use of the drugs. Second, we hypothesize that tapentadol would have lower street price and fewer illicit sales than oxycodone.MethodsWeb posts originating in Australia between 2017 and 2019 were collected using the Researched Abuse, Diversion, and Addiction-Related Surveillance System Web Monitoring Program. Using a manual coding process, unstructured post content from social media, blogs, and forums was categorized into topics of discussion related to the harms and behaviors that could lead to harm. Illicit sales data in a structured format were collected through a crowdsourcing website between 2016 and 2019 using the Researched Abuse, Diversion, and Addiction-Related Surveillance System StreetRx Program. In total, 2 multivariable regression models assessed the differences in illicit price and number of sales.ResultsA total of 4.7% (28/600) of tapentadol posts discussed an adverse event, whereas 10.27% (95% CI 9.32-11.21) of oxycodone posts discussed this topic. A total of 10% (60/600) of tapentadol posts discussed unsafe use or side effects, whereas 20.17% (95% CI 18.92-21.41) of oxycodone posts discussed unsafe use or side effects. There were 31 illicit sales reports for tapentadol (geometric mean price per milligram: Aus $0.12 [US $0.09]) and 756 illicit sales reports for oxycodone (Aus $1.28 [US $0.91]). Models detected no differences in the street price or number of sales between the drugs when covariates were included, although the potency of the pill significantly predicted the street price (P<.001) and availability predicted the number of sales (P=.03).ConclusionsAustralians searching the web for opinions could judge tapentadol as safer than oxycodone because of the web post content. The illicit sales market for tapentadol was smaller than that of oxycodone, and drug potency and licit availability are likely important factors influencing the illicit market.

The Price of Homemade Street Food in Central Asia and Eastern Europe: Is There a Relation with Its Nutritional Value?

The aim was to describe the price of homemade street foods in four cities of Central Asia and Eastern Europe and to analyze its association with energy density, macronutrients, sodium and potassium contents. Cross-sectional evaluations of street food vending sites were conducted in Dushanbe, Tajikistan (n = 562), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (n = 384), Almaty, Kazakhstan (n = 236) and Chișinău, Moldova (n = 89) in 2016–2017. Information on the homemade street foods available, including price, was systematically collected; the most commonly available foods (n = 64) were sampled for chemical analysis. Prices were converted to international dollars ($) and expressed as $/serving, $/100 g and $/100 kcal. The median street food price was $1.00/serving, $0.85/100 g and $0.33/100 kcal. Traditional foods were cheaper per 100 g than the westernized ($0.77 vs. $1.00, p = 0.011). For each unit increase in energy density (kcal/g), the homemade street foods were $0.12 cheaper per 100 kcal and $0.11 more expensive per 100 g. The carbohydrate content was negatively associated with price per 100 kcal, while total fat, monounsaturated, saturated and trans-fatty acids content were positively associated with price per 100 g. Energy-dense homemade street foods were the cheapest. Further insight on food preparation might clarify the association between carbohydrates and monounsaturated fatty acids content and street food price.

Predictors of behavioral intention among tourist: the case of revisiting street food spots in Penang, Malaysia

ABSTRACT Penang is a popular destination among both local and international visitors where its street food is a major attraction. The uniqueness of Penang’s street food contributes to its reputation as a food paradise among tourists. However, studies investigating tourists’ perception of Penang street food and their behavioral intention to revisit Penang street food spots remain scarce. Thus, a case study involving 277 valid responses was designed to explore this phenomenon by identifying the main factors influencing tourist behavioral intention in revisiting Penang street food spots. Findings demonstrated that 47.4% of the variance in behavioral intention is influenced by food hygiene, food price, food quality and service quality. Furthermore, the food service quality is reported to significantly influence tourist behavioral intention in revisiting Penang street food, while hygiene and price are insignificant in this respect. The current study extends the body of knowledge concerning tourist behavioral intention in revisiting street food, thereby providing useful recommendations and important information to both food hawkers and local authorities alike.

Simple is not Easy: A Simple Strong Baseline for TextVQA and TextCaps

Texts appearing in daily scenes that can be recognized by OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tools contain significant information, such as street name, product brand and prices. Two tasks -- text-based visual question answering and text-based image captioning, with a text extension from existing vision-language applications, are catching on rapidly. To address these problems, many sophisticated multi-modality encoding frameworks (such as heterogeneous graph structure) are being used. In this paper, we argue that a simple attention mechanism can do the same or even better job without any bells and whistles. Under this mechanism, we simply split OCR token features into separate visual- and linguistic-attention branches, and send them to a popular Transformer decoder to generate answers or captions. Surprisingly, we find this simple baseline model is rather strong -- it consistently outperforms state-of-the-art (SOTA) models on two popular benchmarks, TextVQA and all three tasks of ST-VQA, although these SOTA models use far more complex encoding mechanisms. Transferring it to text-based image captioning, we also surpass the TextCaps Challenge 2020 winner. We wish this work to set the new baseline for these two OCR text related applications and to inspire new thinking of multi-modality encoder design. Code is available at https://github.com/ZephyrZhuQi/ssbaseline

Illegal drug market responses to state recreational cannabis laws.

In the United States, 15 states and the District of Columbia have implemented recreational cannabis laws (RCLs) legalizing recreational cannabis use. We aimed to estimate the association between RCLs and street prices, potency, quality and law enforcement seizures of illegal cannabis, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, amphetamine and alprazolam. We pooled crowdsourced data from 2010-19 Price of Weed and 2010-19 StreetRx, and administrative data from the 2006-19 System to Retrieve Information from Drug Evidence (STRIDE) and the 2007-19 National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS). We employed a difference-in-differences design that exploited the staggered implementation of RCLs to compare changes in outcomes between RCL and non-RCL states. Eleven RCL and 40 non-RCL US states. The primary outcome was the natural log of prices per gram, overall and by self-reported quality. The primary policy was an indicator of RCL implementation, defined using effective dates. The street price of cannabis decreased by 9.2% [β=-0.092; 95% confidence interval (CI)=-0.15-, -0.03] in RCL states after RCL implementation, with largest declines among low-quality purchases (β=-0.195; 95% CI=-0.282, -0.108). Price declines were accompanied by a 93% (β=-0.93; 95% CI=-1.51, -0.36) reduction in law enforcement seizures of cannabis in RCL states. Among illegal opioids, including heroin, oxycodone and hydrocodone, street prices increased and law enforcement seizures decreased in RCL states. Recreational cannabis laws in US states appear to be associated with illegal drug market responses in those states, including reductions in the street price of cannabis. Changes in the street prices of illegal opioids analyzed may suggest that in states with recreational cannabis laws the markets for other illegal drugs are not independent of legal cannabis market regulation.

Leveraging black-market street buprenorphine pricing to increase capacity to treat opioid addiction, 2010–2018

Increasing capacity to provide buprenorphine, a treatment for opioid addiction, can help mitigate the opioid epidemic in the United States. This study models black-market pricing of buprenorphine to better understand supply and demand for opioid addiction treatment. A mixed effects linear model was used to quantify the effect of county-level racial composition, health insurance coverage, and drug characteristics on price variation. From November 2010 to June 2018, there were 2481 submissions for street buprenorphine transactions in the StreetRx dataset. The mean price was $3.95/mg (SD = $23.12/mg). Price decreased 3.05% each year and was highest in the summer and spring. Brand name buprenorphine was on average 11.18% more expensive than generic buprenorphine. Buprenorphine/naloxone combinations were on average 19.75% less expensive than pure buprenorphine. Purchases in bulk were on average 10.51% cheaper than purchases not in bulk. Street buprenorphine in film form was on average 14.34% more expensive than in pill/tablet form. Buprenorphine street price was 17.12% higher in spring and 22.26% higher in summer compared to fall. For every percentage point increase in percent white, buprenorphine sold for 0.88% higher price. For every percentage point increase in health insurance coverage, street buprenorphine sold for 0.02% lower price. Findings demonstrate that geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic factors shape the diversion of opioid addiction treatment to the black-market. Buprenorphine street pricing can help estimate public need, gaps in care and emerging public health priorities.

Carfentanil Outbreak - Florida, 2016-2017.

Increased prevalence of illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl analogs has contributed substantially to overdose deaths in the United States (1-3). On October 26, 2015, CDC issued a Health Advisory regarding rapid increases in deaths involving fentanyl. This CDC Health Advisory has been updated twice to address increases in fentanyl and fentanyl analog overdoses and their co-occurrence with nonopioids (4). Deaths involving carfentanil, an analog reportedly 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, were first reported in Florida, Michigan, and Ohio in 2016 and described in an August 2016 CDC Health Advisory (1,5). Carfentanil is used to rapidly immobilize large animals in veterinary medicine and has no U.S. approved therapeutic use in humans. Carfentanil's street price per dose is likely lower than that of heroin. During 2016 and 2017, an outbreak of carfentanil-involved fatal overdoses in Florida emerged, and the Medical Examiner jurisdiction serving Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties (the Sarasota area) was the outbreak epicenter. This report describes toxicology profiles, sociodemographic information, and geographic distributions of carfentanil-involved fatal overdoses (carfentanil deaths) in the Sarasota area compared with those in the rest of Florida (i.e., all Florida counties excluding Sarasota area) from January 2016 to December 2017. The Sarasota area accounted for 19.0% of 1,181 statewide carfentanil deaths that occurred during this time and experienced a peak in carfentanil deaths preceding the larger Florida outbreak. The report of a single carfentanil death from August to December 2017 (compared with 73 reported deaths during the same period in 2016) appeared to mark the end of the outbreak in the area. The threat of such rapid, intense fatal overdose outbreaks highlights the need for accelerated reporting, reliable data sharing systems, and novel proactive surveillance to support targeted prevention and response efforts by public health and safety organizations (6).

Web-Based Eligibility Quizzes to Verify Opioid Use and County Residence Among Rural Young Adults: Eligibility Screening Results from a Feasibility Study.

BackgroundWeb-based methods can be used to collect data from hidden populations, including people who use drugs (PWUD). These methods might be especially advantageous among PWUD in rural areas, where transportation barriers are prevalent, stigma may heighten concerns about confidentiality, and internet access is improving. However, Web-based research with PWUD can be challenging, especially in verifying eligibility. Administering quizzes to verify residential and substance use eligibility could prove valuable in online research among PWUD, yet the utility of this approach is currently unknown.ObjectiveThis study describes the implementation of online eligibility quizzes about the local community to verify residence in the target study area along with drug dose, appearance, and price to verify opioid misuse.MethodsTo be eligible, individuals had to live in 1 of 5 eastern Kentucky counties, report using opioids to get high in the past 30 days, and be 18 to 35 years old. Participants recruited from August 2017 to July 2018 were asked questions about their opioid use followed by a quiz about drug dose, appearance, and price to verify substance use eligibility. Residential eligibility was verified with 5-question quizzes assessing knowledge of the county where they reported living. Questions tested knowledge about towns, festivals, and landmarks; local school mascots and colors; and presence of certain retail stores, restaurants, and facilities (eg, jails). A subsample that reported using opioids in the past 24 hours was randomly selected to complete urine drug testing (UDT). Nonparametric tests were performed to explore differences across demographic subgroups.ResultsOf the 410 entries assessed for eligibility, 39.3% (161/410) were ineligible as they reported no substance use, being outside the age range, or living outside the study area. Of the remaining 249 who met the eligibility criteria based on age, residency, and opioid misuse, 94.0% (234/249) passed the eligibility quizzes. Among those who passed the heroin quiz, 99.4% (167/168) recognized the image of powdered heroin, 94.6% (159/168) answered the cap size (ie, the purchase unit) question correctly, and 97.0% (163/168) answered the street price question correctly. Among those who passed the drug quiz for prescription opioids, 95% (36/38) answered the dose question correctly, and 82% (31/38) selected the correct image. In a random sample of participants who completed UDT within 3 days of their online screening, 74% (25/34) tested positive for an opioid.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated the utility of using online eligibility screening quizzes to verify opioid misuse and residence. Participants accurately recognized heroin and prescription opioid doses, prices, and images and correctly answered questions about features of their county. Online quizzes to screen and enroll PWUD hold promise for future research as an alternative to more time- and resource-intensive approaches that could offset the advantages of Web-based methods.

Policies for Deprescribing: An International Scan of Intended and Unintended Outcomes of Limiting Sedative-Hypnotic Use in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Policies have been put in place internationally to reduce the overuse of certain medications that have a high risk of harm, such as sedative-hypnotic drugs for insomnia or opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. We explore and compare the outcomes of policies aimed at deprescribing sedative-hypnotic medication in community-dwelling older adults. Prescription monitoring policies led to the highest rate of discontinuation but triggered inappropriate substitutions. Financial deterrents through insurance scheme delistings increased patient out-of-pocket spending and had minimal impact. Pay-for-performance incentives to prescribers proved ineffective. Rescheduling alprazolam to a controlled substance raised the street drug price of the drug and shifted use to other benzodiazepines, causing similar rates of overdose deaths. Driving safety policies and jurisdiction-wide educational campaigns promoting non-drug alternatives appear most promising for achieving intended outcomes and avoiding unintended harms. Sustainable change should be supported with direct-to-patient education and improved access to non-drug therapy, with an emphasis on evaluating both intended and unintended consequences of any deprescribing-oriented policy.

Retail margins in illegal drug markets

This paper analyzes a retail margin for four common street drugs using the US Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) System to Retrieve Information on Drug Enforcement (STRIDE). The retail margin is defined as the difference between the midlevel price and street level price of the drug. We regress various supply and demand side determinants to see which has the greatest effect on retail margin using Zellner’s (1962) Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR). Law enforcement agencies can use the results to help squeeze retail margins and decrease profits. The results indicate that an increase in arrests does not decrease margins, and an increase in the DEA budget only has an effect on the retail margin for methamphetamines. We also find a decrease in marijuana prices decreases the methamphetamine retail margin but increases the cocaine retail margin.

Aktualne tendencje dotyczące czystości, działek i cen najbardziej popularnych w Polsce narkotyków

The article discusses the results of qualitative and quantitative research of samples of selected drugs confiscated in Poland in the years 2018–2019 in relation to individual voivodeships. In addition to research on the active substance, organic dilutants were also identified. On the basis of the results obtained, certain trends were observed concerning the purity of selected, most popular in Poland, the so-called classic drugs such as amphetamine, cocaine, MDMA or herbal cannabis over the last years. In addition, current data on the most popular drugs’ street samples and prices for both single street portion and per 1 gram of the drug, without taking into account its purity, are presented. Drug composition and price data were compared with European trends.

Scoring the best deal: Quantity discounts and street price variation of diverted oxycodone and oxymorphone

Diverted prescription opioids are significant contributors to drug overdose mortality. Street price has been suggested as an economic metric of the diverted prescription opioid black market. This study examined variables that may influence the street price of diverted oxycodone and oxymorphone. A cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing data from the previously validated, crowdsourcing website StreetRx. Street price reports of selected oxycodone and oxymorphone products, between August 22, 2014 and June 30, 2016, were considered for analysis. Geometric means and 95% confidence intervals were calculated comparing prices per milligram of drug in US dollars. Univariate and multivariable regressions were used to examine the influence of dosage strength, drug formulation, and bulk purchasing on street price. A total of 5611 oxycodone and 1420 oxymorphone reports were analyzed. Across various dosages and formulations, geometric mean prices per milligram ranged between $0.12 and $1.07 for oxycodone and $0.73 and $2.90 for oxymorphone. For a 2-fold increase in dosage strength, there is a 24.0% (95% CI: -28.1%, -19.6%, P<0.001) and a 22.5% (95% CI: -24.2%, -20.8%, P<0.001) decrease on average in price per milligram for oxycodone and oxymorphone, respectively. Lower potency, high dosage strength, crush-resistant opioids, and those purchased in bulk were significantly cheaper. Street prices for diverted oxycodone and oxymorphone are influenced by multiple factors including potency, dosage, formulation, and bulk purchasing. Buyers who purchase large quantities of low potency, large dosage, crush-resistant formulation prescription opioids can expect to achieve the lowest price.

Street food eating habits in Bangladesh: A study on Dhaka city

There is a very high demand of the street foods in Dhaka city of Bangladesh. The reasons can be attributed by the tastes and varieties of foods, easily accessibility, low price, readily made, attraction to the foods, and above all, needs of the street people. Dhaka is the most populous city of Bangladesh. It is also the capital of the country. There are more than 18 million people, as of 2016 in Greater Dhaka city, living here in this city. It is also one of the most populated cities in the world with a density of 23,234 people per square kilometer within a total area of 300 square kilometers. Street food entrepreneurs are still unable to fulfill the demands of this huge population of this city. Due to the rise in income of the city dwellers, they are coming out from their congested houses to the parks and streets on the vacations and holidays and eating street foods. Sometimes, this is a fashion of the young people eating foods standing at the street. Although, a significant portion of these people think that the street foods are unhygienic and unhealthy even then they eat those foods when they are outside their houses. Therefore, this paper seeks to identify the reasons for which the street foods are eaten by the people living in Dhaka city. This study has been conducted among the people who eat street foods at their leisure time or vacations. To conduct this study, a total of 340 street food lovers were interviewed with the help of a structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Multivariate analysis techniques were used to identify the factors having influence on the habits of street food eaters in Dhaka city. The confirmatory factor analysis identified six factors such as, pleasure and soundness, convenience and variety, cost, attractiveness, food value, & taste and image. Results also show that the street food eating habit of the people of Dhaka City is significantly influenced by the pleasure and soundness, convenience and variety, cost, and attractiveness to the foods. This study suggests that the tastes and variety of street foods, accessibility, price and attractiveness should be emphasized to increase the attraction of the street food eaters towards the street foods in Dhaka City of Bangladesh.

Tackling cruising for parking with an online system of curb parking space reservations

Cruising for parking represents a loss of efficiency to the private car. It generates a waste of time and fuel, worsens congestion and increases pollutant emissions.Most approaches trying to mitigate cruising on the street use price to manage demand. Here, an online system of curb parking space reservations is proposed. Reservations eliminate the uncertainties that lead to cruising, and by designing the system within the new paradigm of parking planning and management, transport policy objectives of equity and sustainability can be pursued.To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed system, a case study in Lisbon was conducted. Firstly, cruising for parking was assessed, and showed a daily average of 10% of observed traffic to be cruising, in an area with several transit alternatives. Then, potential demand for the reservations service was also addressed. Next, a model of traffic and cruising behavior was developed and calibrated with the observed data, and a stochastic discrete-event micro-simulator was implemented and validated. Finally, simulations were used to compare scenarios of variable allocation of parking spaces to reservations.The results show a statistically significant reduction of total travel time of up to 3% of the value without reservations.