110017 - TRANSPORT ECONOMICS

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Jesus Ezequiel Martínez Marín

Trimester: First term

Credits: 6

The main objective in the learning of the subject is the acquisition by the student of the basic general knowledge that allow him to understand the structure, organization and operation of the transporte system, in all the territorial fields.

 The classroom (physical or virtual) is a safe space, free of sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and discriminatory attitudes, either towards students or teachers. We trust that together we can create a safe space where we can make mistakes and learn without having to suffer the prejudices of others.

Identify basic economic concepts, as well as the microeconomic and macroeconomic functioning of markets
Select and use quantitative instruments for decision making and contrasting economic assumptions in the transporte sector.

From a methodological point of view, (1) Theoretical master classes will be combined with practical examples. (2) Face-to-face practical classes for solving exercises (3) Reading academic articles and journals specializing in transporte economics

SUBJECT 1. General concepts on transporte, logistics and economy

Key elements of the transporte economy

Communications and Technical Change

Economics of technological change in the supply chain

SUBJECT 2. The demand of transporte

Individual vs. aggregate demand

Load vs passengers 

Urban and interurban demand

Elasticity of demand derived from transporte

SUBJECT 3. The direct costs of the transporte

Transport offer

Producer costs, fixed and variable

Cost ratio: joint, common and constant costs

User costs

SUBJECT 4. External costs of the transporte

Negative externalities

Evaluation of externalities

SUBJECT 5. The price of the transporte

Infrastructures and services

Average and marginal price

Price discrimination, price differentiation and yield management

The problem of peak periods

 SUBJECT 6. Investments of transporte

The importance of transporte infrastructure

Commercial and social approaches to investment

Cost and benefit analysis

CBA and network effects

SUBJECT 7. Transport and public policies

Transport and development - Positive externalities

Regulation and deregulation, privatization

Taxation and subsidies

Urban mobility

Public service obligations

Master class: Expository class sessions based on the teacher's explanation attended by all students enrolled in the subject.

Solving exercises and problems: Activity dedicated to the resolution of practical exercises from the data provided by the teacher.  

Case study: Dynamics that starts from the study of a case, which serves to contextualize the student in a specific situation. Students will need to bring news to discuss in class.

Presentations: Students will be required to submit final work.

15% delivery of works, resolution of exercises.

10% case studies- news

20% delivery of final work and respective presentation

5% partial exam

50% final exam

The exam will contain theoretical and practical questions that can be in the format of open-ended questions, exercises to develop and multiple choice, etc. You will have to get a 5 out of 10 in the final exam to be able to average with the mark of the continuous assessment. In the resit exam you will only be able to take the final test that will calculate 50% of the final grade, as the mark of the continuous assessment will be kept (Job Submission, Partial Examination and Final Job Submission). Continuous assessment cannot be recovered.

DE RUS, G, CAMPOS, J. AND NOMBELA, G. (2003): Transport Economics. Ed. Antoni Bosch editor; Barcelona.

Prentice, BE and Prokop, D. (2015). Concepts of transporteation economics. World Scientific Publishing Co Inc.

Button, K. (2010). Transport economics. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Cramer, J., & Krueger, AB (2016). Disruptive change in the taxi business: The case of Uber. American Economic Review, 106 (5), 177-82.

Angrist, JD, Caldwell, S., & Hall, JV (2021). Uber versus taxi: A driver's eye view. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 13 (3), 272-308.

Duranton, G., Turner, MA, 2012. Urban growth and transporteation. Review of Economic Studies, 79 (4), 1407-1440.

Fageda, X., & Flores-Fillol, R. (2018). Traffic jams and pollution in large cities: Analysis and solutions (No. 2018-04). Faith.

De Rus, G., & Nombela, G. (2007). Is investment in high speed rail socially profitable ?. Journal of Transport Economics and Policy (JTEP), 41 (1), 3-23.

Agrawal, A., Galasso, A., Oettl, A. (2017). Roads and Innovation, The Review of Economics and Statistics, 99, 417-434.

Blonigen, BA, Cristea, A. (2015). Air Services and Urban Growth: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Policy Experiment. Journal of Urban Economics 86, 128-146.

Olivieri, C., & Fageda, X. (2019). Determinants of urban mobility with a focus on gender: a multilevel analysis in the Metropolitan Area of ​​Montevideo, Uruguay. Working Paper / FCS-Decon; 04/19.

Bernardo, V., & Fageda, X. (2019). Globalization, long-haul flights and inter-city connections. Economics of Transportation, 19 (C), 1-1.

Martínez, S., Tapia, A., Bernardo, V., Ricart, JE, & Planas, MR (2019). The Economic Impact of Bike Sharing in European Cities.