Zhang, F orcid.org/0000-0003-3584-4679, Yang, H and Liu, W (2014) The Downs–Thomson Paradox with responsive transit service. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 70. pp. 244-263. ISSN 0965-8564
Abstract
Downs (1962) and Thomson (1977) suggested that highway capacity expansion may produce counterproductive effects on the two-mode (auto and transit) transport system (Downs–Thomson Paradox). This paper investigates the occurrence of this paradox when transit authority can have different economic objectives (profit-maximizing or breakeven) and operating schemes (frequency, fare, or both frequency and fare). For various combinations of economic objectives and operating schemes, the interaction between highway expansion and transit service is explored, as well as its impact on travelers’ mode choices and travel utilities. Further, for each combination, the conditions for occurrence of the Downs–Thomson Paradox are established. We show that the paradox never occurs when transit authority is profit-maximizing, but it is inevitable when the transit authority is running to maximize travelers’ utility while maintaining breakeven. This is because the former transit authority tends to enhance transit service (e.g., raise frequency or reduce fare) when facing an expanded highway; and on the contrary, the latter tends to compromise transit service (e.g., reduce frequency or raise fare). Both analytical and numerical examples are provided to verify the theoretical results.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | (c) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Transportation Research Part A. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Downs–Thomson Paradox; Highway capacity expansion; Transit service frequency; Transit fare; Profit-maximization; Zero-profit |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > Institute for Transport Studies (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 23 Feb 2018 13:22 |
Last Modified: | 24 Feb 2018 06:41 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.tra.2014.10.022 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:121544 |
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