Transport Economics

Description

The research lines of transport economics group in ERI-CES are centered on a number of different topics related with: the analysis of the different pricing systems, the impact of externalities on transport, competition within and across modes of transport, the effects of changes in the structure and in the regulatory system of transport markets, and the analysis of productivity and efficiency in the transport industry.

In particular, two research lines are currently being developed:
• Theoretical and empirical research, that builds on applied industrial organization models, that analyzes the competitiveness and welfare associated to the different transport modes: road, rail, air and maritime transport. Competition between modes and within modes, externalities, different pricing systems and changes on the modal distribution are some of the issues examined. A distinction is made between interurban and urban transport, as well as between freight and passenger transport.
• Another research line evaluates deregulation and privatization measures in transport (mainly in the rail sector), the efficiency, productivity and market power in transport, and their impacts on economic growth and the environment.