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This paper investigates the spatial spillover effects of built environment features on household car and motorcycle ownership through aggregate ward-level analysis and household-level disaggregated analysis. Using a primary data collected in Hubli-Dharwad city in Southern India, the paper estimates Spatial Durbin models to assess the direct and spillover effects of socio-economic characteristics (household income, the number of children and household size), built environment characteristics (population density, diversity, distance, and subjective built environment measures), travel attitudes (pro-car, pro-NMT and pro-public transport), and commute behavior (distance and time) on household car and motorcycle ownership. The paper finds that spatial dependencies exist in both aggregate and disaggregate levels of analysis. There is a significant spatial dependency in car ownership due to household income, household size, the number of children, and pro-car attitude, and the correlations are significant in both aggregate and disaggregate levels of analysis. The positive lag effects of these variables suggests that socio-economic settings and attitudes of neighboring wards affect car and motorcycle ownership in a ward. The effects of diversity on car and motorcycle ownership maintain similar correlations in both levels of analysis. The likelihood of motorcycle ownership increases with improvements in diversity, while car ownership likelihood decreases. The study also shows that the spatial effects of built environment features could vary between the aggregate and disaggregate levels of analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined driving behavior, vehicle operational performance, and exhaust emissions data at a roundabout level. The relative positive acceleration, power demand, speed, acceleration, vehicular jerk, Vehicle Specific Power modes, mass carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions were evaluated by roundabout type (single-lane, compact two-lane, and multi-lane) and sub-segment (downstream, circulating area, and upstream). Real-world vehicle tailpipe emissions, internally observable variables, dynamic and location data were measured along six conventional roundabouts in Portugal (1 Hz resolution). Although the multilane roundabout yielded the lowest amounts of carbon dioxide, it resulted in highly volatile behaviors based on vehicular jerk thresholds. The emission hotspots were found downstream roundabouts while drivers tend to adopt highly volatile behaviors close to the circulatory roadway. This paper brings valuable knowledge to researchers and transportation practitioners, who are involved in intersection design and control strategies, about the impacts of roundabout design and location based on several criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how political-institutional factors influence the transition towards automated vehicles (AVs) in New Zealand (NZ). Using the lens of 'mobilities paradigm' and analysing policy documents along with interviews data from government officials, the findings reveal the complexity of governing AVs transition due to fragmented responsibility, contested visions, and high interdependency across government agencies. The findings suggest that strong political leadership coupled with infrastructure investments and building regulators' capability are important catalysts of change towards AVs transition in NZ. The paper concludes that the complex governance environment, and the central government action and inaction to set priority for the AVs agenda, may hinder or facilitate a smooth transition towards AVs in NZ. This paper contributes to the mobilities paradigm by enriching our understanding of the political-institutional challenges associated with the emergence of AVs and offers illuminating policy guidance to better inform decision-making around governing the future transition towards AVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a reply to the recently published paper Road markings and microplastics- A critical literature review. In our opinion, that paper presented a deceptive picture, of why we found it necessary to write a short reply where we comment on two major flaws: the stated lack of road markings in environmental samples, and the definition of microplastics. We discuss possible reasons for the absence of positive findings in environmental samples and relate that to two of the major issues within the research area of microplastics- the complexity of environmental samples and the analytical difficulties. We also argue that it can be relevant for upcoming studies to report both total microplastic concentration and polymer content to facilitate the comparison between studies since the definition of microplastics might change over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Vessel train in ocean shipping offers environmental and economic benefits. • Multi-scenario analysis reveals diverse applications of vessel train. • Case study from Yangshan Port to Port of Piraeus showcases the potentials of vessel train. • Sensitivity analysis emphasizes dependence of vessel train on shipping productivity. This paper introduces the concept of vessel train, a new mode in maritime transport offering both environmental and economic advantages. The study provides a framework for analyzing the economic feasibility of vessel train in ocean shipping, focusing on four different scenarios to evaluate its impact on navigation speed and productivity for both round-trip and year-long operations. Using the container ship route from Yangshan Port to the Port of Piraeus as a case study, the research compares vessel train with traditional shipping methods by categorizing shipping costs. It also includes a sensitivity analysis considering factors like route length, frictional resistance reduction, and variations in the container freight index, fuel prices, and carbon tax rates. The findings indicate that vessel train can reduce transportation costs and fuel emissions. The paper concludes that vessel train could significantly contribute to a competitive and sustainable future in shipping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports new insights into how the selection of route based characteristic parameters can influence the predicted energy consumption for next generation battery electric buses. 24 characteristic parameters have been studied to understand their relative importance on vehicle energy consumption and to develop new data-driven prediction models. The parameters are grouped into two scenarios, representative of the varying levels of route information available to a typical bus operator. A combination of feature selection methods was used to determine which characteristic parameters had the greatest influence on energy consumption. Regression based prediction models were developed, and models were then validated using standard and real vehicle drive cycles. The prediction models had a mean absolute percentage difference of 2.10–10.67%. This paper presents a novel methodology to estimate energy consumption of operating zero emission vehicles, which will support public transport operators, policy makers and energy suppliers in the decarbonisation of public transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freight curbside management has become a contentious issue as various stakeholders claim access to public urban space. Although prior research has offered solutions to mitigate freight-related conflicts in the use of space, a deeper understanding of the extent to which those interventions contribute to cities' sustainable development goals is needed. This paper presents the results of a meta -analysis that examines the effects of four freight curbside interventions: curbside space allocation for freight, data sharing, parking duration limits, and enforcement. The paper pinpoints benefits and drawbacks of those interventions on last-mile deliveries, the urban environment, and the use of public transport infrastructure. The findings suggest positive impacts and underscore the necessity of incorporating people-centred approaches in the design, implementation, and evaluation of policies concerning public space. Nevertheless, trade-offs when implementing those interventions have been identified. The paper concludes by outlining directions for future research and suggesting implications for urban freight policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric ships are becoming a promising way in shipping decarbonization. Nevertheless, the promotion of electric ships encounters obstacles related to indirect emissions, energy and costs. This paper proposes the Shipping Emission-Energy-Economic Impact Assessment Model (SE3IAM) to assess the decarbonization potential of electric ships. China is selected for the case study. This paper also analyzes the impact of climate policies and other factors on CO 2 emissions. Results indicate that as the market share of electric ships gradually reaches 1%, 20%, and 35% by 2050, accompanied by advancements in other technological aspects, the total emissions to 2050 are estimated to be around 2, 1.5, and 1 billion tons, respectively. There is a positive correlation between energy demand and decarbonization costs with the level of economic development. Technological progress can alleviate pressures on energy and costs. It is recommended to advance decarbonization at a fundamental level by enhancing energy efficiency and fostering electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NO 2 Protocol of Madrid establishes vehicle restrictions in the event of high pollution episodes. • We analyze travelers' behavior of a commuting corridor when restrictions are applied. • Modal choice in suburban trips is influenced by the mobility restrictions. • The impact on promoting a modal shift from private to public transport modes is scarce. • Stronger policy measures are needed to foster more environmentally-friendly transport modes. With the increasing concern about environmental problems in metropolitan areas, policy-makers are establishing restrictions on private vehicles in city centers to mitigate air pollution levels. Like many other European cities, Madrid fails to fulfill repeatedly the legal limits on pollutant concentrations established by the European Commission. Accordingly, in order to comply with acceptable air quality levels, Madrid City Council passed a protocol to address high NO 2 pollution episodes. This paper aims at gaining deeper insight into how emission abatement plans foster a more sustainable mobility in suburban trips. To that end, a discrete choice analysis is conducted to explore the influence of the different restriction stages on modal share in a commuting corridor. Based on traffic counts and transit entrances, two multinomial grouped logit models are calibrated. Moreover, differences across trip frequencies are studied in order to determine to what extent a modal shift from private vehicles to more environmentally-friendly modes of transport occurs. The paper concludes that modal choice in suburban trips is influenced by the mobility restrictions adopted. Nevertheless, this effect shows to be fairly limited in the case of the Madrid NO 2 Protocol. Therefore, more severe measures should be implemented to achieve a greater modal shift towards more sustainable transport modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ensuring the resilience of transport infrastructure assets is a challenge for governments. • A resilient performance measurement framework (PMF) is useful to future-proof transport assets. • A new PMF enabling governments to future-proof their assets against climate change is proposed. • The implications of the PMF for policy development are identified. Having efficient and effective transport infrastructure (e.g. bridges, roads, railways, airways and tunnels) in place is essential for supporting the economic and social well-being of an economy. External disturbances that emerge as a result of climate change, for example, are impacting its performance. Delivering, managing and maintaining transport assets that are resilient and adaptive to changing environmental conditions have become a priority for many governments worldwide. Central to ensuring that transport infrastructure functions at their optimum and is resilient to external changes is performance measurement, as it enables those processes that need to be modified and improved for enhancing the asset's adaptability throughout their lifecycle to be identified. Despite the importance of performance measurement in ensuring the resilience of transport infrastructure, it has received limited attention by governments in their policy making. Therefore, this paper provides a review of the extant literature and proposes a life-cycle resilient performance measurement framework (PMF) within transport context. The developed PMF is robust in comprehensively capturing the underlying perspectives that are significant for: (1) understanding the current state of the resilient level of transport assets; and (2) enabling a higher ability of the assets to adapt to environment-related changes in the future. The implications of the proposed framework for transport policy development are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper exemplifies China's increasing efforts on road ecology protections. • We demonstrate a strategic approach for positioning and designing wildlife passages. • This approach is useful when high-resolution data are out of availability. • The goitered gazelle is the most dominant species in the area. • Underpasses are proposed with a minimum width of 12 m and a minimum height of 3.5 m. This paper reports on the design of wildlife crossing structures (WCSs) along a new expressway in China, which exemplifies the country's increasing efforts on wildlife protection in infrastructure projects. The line and belt transect method, the surface water survey, and the sign-tracking investigation were used to determine the target species in the study area and the quantity, candidate locations, size, and type of the WCSs. The intensity index and encounter rate showed that the ibex (Capra ibex), argali sheep (Ovis ammon), and goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) are the main ungulates in the study area. Among them, the goitered gazelle is the most widely distributed species. Underpass WCSs were proposed based on the expert knowledge and crossing hotspots estimated using survey results. The mean distance between estimated hotspots and their nearest proposed WCSs is around 341 m. In addition, those proposed WCSs have a width of no less than 12 m and height of no lower than 3.5 m, which is believed to be sufficient for ungulates in the area. Given the limited availability of high-resolution movement data and wildlife-vehicle collision data during the road's early design stage, the approach demonstrated in this paper facilitates the practical spatial planning and provides insights into designing WCSs in a desert landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper proposes a unified fundamental theory that combines both pedestrian evacuation for enclosure space like rooms and traffic evacuation for open space like cities into a single set of relationships. • This paper illustrated how evacuation clearance time might vary based on capital investment in planning, construction, and operational management strategies. • The fundamental framework described here can be used as a starting point for practice applications to conceptualize the relative costs and benefits between clearance time benefit and monetary investment. Evacuations, a critical and widely used emergency response action, vary widely in terms of their scale, scope, urgency and level of organization. While they differ from event to event, history shows that there are a small set of variables, inherent to all evacuations, that largely govern their effectiveness. In this paper, these fundamental variables are described from a theoretical perspective to illustrate how factors of evacuation demand and supply affect clearance time and how they can also be used to relate evacuation planning to concepts of risk, resiliency, and resource allocation. This work provides a basis for a general theory of evacuation processes that can be used it to conceptualize relationships like cost-benefit tradeoffs in evacuation management to improve long-range evacuation planning through a better understanding of the investment and allocation of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Urban street networks are poorly served by existing network analysis techniques. • During disasters, street travel rules are significantly different. • A grid-based approach better evaluates a region's traversability during a disaster. A variety of real-world infrastructure systems, including power grids, telecommunications, roads and social networks can be conceptualized and modeled using basic concepts from graph theory and network science. The abstraction of real-world systems into an edge-node topology enables analysts to quantify and characterize a range of network properties, including structure, connectivity, and modularity, as well as the attributes of individual nodes and edges such as degree, criticality, and betweenness. One major problem with the abstraction process associated with traditional network analysis is that edges and nodes are stripped of important proximal, contextual information that is critical for understanding how network elements operate in situ. For example, the geographic context of an elevated causeway is significantly different than a landlocked residential street, yet they are both simply represented as edges in traditional network modeling. The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications associated with network abstractions, including the loss of geographic fidelity, and why it matters for vulnerability analysis and emergency response during extreme events. Specifically, this paper introduces an alternative network conceptualization that preserves important on-network information, but also provides in situ context for local network elements, helping to deepen our understanding of local operating conditions. A case study for hurricane storm surge flooding in Volusia County, Florida is utilized to highlight how the developed approach better captures the realities of how evacuees and emergency response teams can leverage information for both on- and off-network space during a major disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CO 2 efficiencies are derived from actual container flows of three containerships. • Calculated CO 2 efficiencies are compared to CO 2 efficiencies in modeling papers. • A comparative analysis of the CO 2 efficiency of SSS and road transport is conducted. European transport policies have over the last decades advocated the CO 2 efficiency of maritime transport relative to road haulage, and consequently, shipping reaping the benefits of being considered the green mode of freight transport. To date, research focusing on CO 2 emissions from ships has to a great extent followed a modeling approach, based on a set of more or less well-founded assumptions. Yet these presumptions raise questions regarding the reliability of the emission results presented and the foundation of which transport policies are built upon. In an attempt to broaden the discussion, this paper presents CO 2 emissions that have been calculated based on data from actual container feeder operations in Europe over a full year of service. Through the development of origin-destination matrices representing these real container flows, a mode-comparative analysis of CO 2 efficiency is undertaken by constructing a counterfactual road transport alternative serving the same market. Although the results generally corroborate the environmental superiority of short sea container shipping with respect to CO 2 efficiency, the comparative edge seems to be marginal in some scenarios. Thus, highlighting the need for shipping services to obtain a fairly high capacity utilization in order to still represent the green mode of transport in terms of CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a coordinated electric bus (EB) charging scheduling approach for hybrid charging stations that support plug-in charging and battery-swapping simultaneously. To minimize the total charging cost under time-of-use electricity prices, both a deterministic optimization (DO) model and a robust optimization (RO) model are developed to design the EBs' charging schedule. In the deterministic model, the remaining capacity upon arrival at the station is assumed to be known. However, in practice, the remaining capacity of the EB is typically uncertain due to unpredictable traffic conditions. Therefore, this paper proposes an RO model to address this uncertainty, utilizing a budgeted uncertainty set and developing the affinely adjustable robust counterpart. The duality theorem is employed to convert the RO model into a computationally tractable formulation. The proposed approach is illustrated with two numerical examples, including a random instance and a real-world case study of Nanjingnan Station in Nanjing, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic oscillation, a traffic phenomenon that generates many carbon emissions, originates from the amplification of traffic disturbance. The connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology may help to weaken oscillations and reduce carbon emissions from mixed traffic. This paper explores the effects of various characteristics of disturbances and mixed platoons on CO 2 emissions under different disturbance types. The results indicate that the addition of even only one CAV reduces carbon emissions under some disturbances. The disturbance types that make mixed traffic increase carbon emissions have also been identified. Diverse disturbance characteristics play different essential roles in ecological impacts of CAVs. The platoon characteristics such as CAV's position in a platoon and the heterogeneity of human factors, affect the extent of carbon emission reduction. Based on these findings, this paper proposes optimization recommendations for CAV cooperative eco-driving and green traffic management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse logistics plays a critical role in sustainable development and circular economy by transforming waste into value. However, transporting large volumes of waste and recyclables generates significant carbon emissions. This paper explores an industry-led strategy for charging infrastructure development, which integrates the reverse logistics network designs with a network of charging stations to promote electric trucks (E-trucks) adoption and reduce carbon footprints in transportation. Our model optimizes operational costs while ensuring accessibility to charging infrastructure. A case study in Norway demonstrates that, despite higher operating costs due to additional charging stations, the adoption of E-trucks can decrease total reverse logistics costs by 0.18%—2.37% and cut carbon emissions by 16.3%—17.6%. These findings support the economic viability and environmental benefits of this strategy for advancing sustainable practices in transportation, and it further highlights the interdependencies between logistics network design and charging infrastructure planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through cross-sectional analysis, studies on transport-induced gentrification often interpret the phenomenon as an outcome instead of recognizing it as a set of intertwined processes. Consequently, limited insights are provided about the mechanisms underlying gentrification, which manifests gradually over the long-term interactions between transportation and urban development, primally driven by accessibility improvements. The absence of descriptive efforts poses a challenge for policymakers to predict or identify gentrification occurrence, besides inducing biased outcomes in investigations. This paper aims to provide researchers and policymakers with a conceptual framework of transport-induced gentrification, systematising explanations of space production and consumption in Latin-American metropolises. Firstly, we have undergone a theoretical review on land-use and transport interactions to develop an a priori conceptual framework. Subsequently, we applied a systematic literature review on empirical studies of Latin-American gentrification to incorporate some particularities into the framework, representing the phenomenon as an urban conflict generated in and through accessibility improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air travel contributes a substantial share of global greenhouse gas emissions and is projected to rise. To reduce emissions, airlines and policymakers must understand consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for reductions. Several studies have been conducted for this purpose, with considerable variation in reported WTP values. This paper undertakes a meta-analysis and qualitative review to better understand the key factors influencing WTP drawn from 31 primary studies. A major finding is that WTP could be more than double for a credible offsetting scheme compared to one lacking credibility. Additionally, framing the offset as "per flight" rather than "per tonne CO 2 " increases WTP, while there appears to be no differential impact of a voluntary versus mandatory schemes. As expected, WTP increases in income, education, and pro-environmental attitudes. The results yield important insights for the design of effective carbon offsetting schemes, thereby enhancing sustainability of aviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Climate change concern can contribute to reduced car use and sustainable mobility. • Those worried about climate change were more willing to live without a car. • Relationship between climate change concern and car use differs based on type of car. • Worry about climate change was strongly related to lower use of a conventional car. • Worry about climate change was unrelated to the use of an electric car. Climate change concern has been linked to climate-friendly behavior, but little is known on whether and how it may promote sustainable mobility. This paper investigates how worry about climate change relates to attitudes and intentions towards the car as well as the actual use of conventional and electric cars in Oslo and Viken in Norway. Findings indicate a relationship between worry about climate change and reduced car use, mediated by mode preferences and willingness to live car-free. Those concerned about climate change were less likely to commute by a conventional car and used conventional cars less both on weekdays and weekends. Worry about climate change was also related to living in a denser neighborhood, preference for travel modes other than the car, and willingness to live car-free. Raising greater awareness of climate change could contribute to climate change mitigation by promoting car-reduced or car-free lifestyles and sustainable mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The failure of BEVs to provide long ranges in short charging times is a barrier to their adoption. • It can be overcome if consumers are willing to trade off range for charging infrastructure. • We use meta-regression to analyse the trade-offs individuals are willing to make. • Consumers are willing to accept compensations, but only if ranges are higher than 250–300 km. • This shows that an important technical barrier can be overcome with infrastructure investments. The failure of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to provide sufficiently long ranges in a relatively short charging time (as compared with conventional vehicles) is one of the main technical barriers to consumers' adoption of these vehicles. However, this technical barrier could be mitigated if consumers were willing to trade-off lower ranges with better charging infrastructure. This paper analyses trade-offs individuals are willing to make between range and en-route charging station availability when considering the purchase of BEVs. By means of a meta-regression analysis of 33 stated preference studies, we find that consumers are willing to accept compensations for lower ranges in form of more dense charging infrastructure in their BEV purchase decision, but only when BEV ranges are longer than 250–300 km. This result is very relevant to promote the transition to BEVs because it shows that, in some circumstances, a significant technical barrier can be overcome with infrastructure investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates decarbonization alternatives for the freight rail industry, considering economic, environmental, and operational aspects. The study compares battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell locomotives, drop-in fuels including biofuels and e-fuels, and overhead catenary electrification through abatement cost analyses. Scenario analysis identifies the cost-effectiveness of each of the technologies at different stages of decarbonization in the US Class 1 freight railroad network. We show that though battery locomotives offer a lower-cost decarbonization option in the considered scenarios, green hydrogen fuel-powered locomotives become more attractive when battery charging delays are considered. We introduce the concept of the technology margin to cater for uncertainties in battery charging operations and hydrogen fuel production for cases where carbon taxes are imposed on railroad operations. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers and rail operators, contributing to sustainable freight rail operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catenary trucks (CT) are part of electric road systems (ERS) and allow charging while driving, i.e. dynamic charging. ERS can contribute to the decarbonization of heavy road transport, as direct electric concepts have the best climate balance compared to alternative technologies. Catenary systems are being tested in real operation in Germany. In this paper, we analyze the perceived legitimacy and social acceptance of CT systems in German society. To answer the research question, we look at industry actors, the general population, and local residents of a field test and combine different qualitative methods in an innovative multi-method approach. We find that both the legitimacy and the acceptance of the technology are poor in Germany, i.e., structural and behavioral factors need to be changed to accommodate the technology. While manufacturers were primarily concerned with efficiency and costs, local citizens were concerned with traffic impact and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to airborne pollution has substantial adverse health consequences. Governments around the world have paid attention to this problem and started to take action to mitigate its harmful effects. In this paper, we investigate how a change in the consumption tax structure affects car emissions by exploiting exogenous variation from a natural experiment that took place in China. Our results show that this tax policy, which doubled the imposition paid on cars with large engines, reduced the emissions of all the pollutants studied, with the most significant decrease of 11% noted in Particulate Matter and Carbon Monoxide. These results have strong policy implications. By showing the effectiveness of this policy, we uncover the possible benefits of replicating it in different contexts. Further, by using information from COPERT, a totally new approach to evaluate tax and environmental policies, we propose new tools for policymakers to generate rich and detailed data that can be used in different contexts to evaluate policies where data from the population of automobiles is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Assessment of ship emission performance under diverse decarbonization measures. • Technical options reduce more carbon and air pollutant emissions than operational. • Trade-offs between air pollutant reduction and decarbonization strategies. • Contribution in policies for reducing both carbon emissions and air pollutants. Shipping emits Greenhouse Gases (GHG), contributing to climate change and various air pollutants, posing risks on human health. To address GHG, maritime has responded with increasingly stringent legislations, including recent commitments to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Substantial investments have been made in cutting-edge technologies, alternative fuels and operational strategies ensuring emissions regulations compliance. This paper aims to quantitatively evaluate the emission performance of diverse decarbonization options, focusing on assessing their potential to mitigate GHG and addressing air pollutants. Our analysis utilizes a new set of load-dependent Emission Factors and employs Automatic Identification System data for 5 ship classes. While operational measures moderately reduce emissions, fuel shift to alternatives and on-board carbon capture and storage offer a more promising pathway towards decarbonization and air pollutants reduction. The outcomes intend to provide insights into the effectiveness of measures in reducing external costs, while serving as a valuable resource for regulatory authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] To overcome the challenge transport presents to net zero, the Scottish Government has proposed a series of interventions to significantly reduce transport emissions and car kilometres travelled. This paper develops, validates and applies a system dynamics model of the Scottish road passenger transport sector to interrogate key proposed interventions up to 2030: namely, modal shifting sub-10 km car journeys to active travel, modal shifting medium-length car journeys to buses, achieving a majority electrification of the bus fleet, and replacing 50 % of petrol/diesel cars with electric vehicles. Results indicate government targets can be met, but only as a result of multiple interventions. Modal shifting of medium-length car journeys and private car electrification are predicted to be the most effective interventions for emissions reduction, although these measures alone do not attain reduction targets. Results further indicate that realising the reduction in car kilometres does not guarantee the emissions target will also be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we studied the motivations, constraints, negotiations, and policy changes for riding transit to parks in Utah's Wasatch Front region, exploring how these factors vary between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged individuals. This is one of the first studies to explore transit-to-parks experiences in large urban regions. We conducted interviews with 25 diverse transit riders. Motivations for riding transit to parks included environmental concerns and the convenience of avoiding parking and traffic. Constraints involved excessive travel time due to limited service, transit frequency and reliability issues, and last-mile connection issues. The main negotiation strategy was to plan trips to limit travel time. People in low-income neighborhoods had limited transit-to-parks services, and available services were adequate for fit and non-disabled people. Policy changes that would help participants address constraints included new or modified routes, improved last-mile connections, information and marketing campaigns, and better service for low-income communities and people with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online retail is characterized by an increasing emphasis on shorter delivery times, which often comes with high logistics costs and a negative environmental impact. Conversely, longer order fulfillment times improve cost and eco-efficiency. This paper investigates whether customers in German-speaking countries are willing to wait longer for their online orders in the fashion, shoes, and accessories sector when offered incentives in return. The research employed an online survey using a within-subjects design. Results indicate that incentives significantly extend customers' patience. Savings on shipping costs and information on the reduction in CO 2 emissions greatly impact willingness to wait. Personal traits like gender, age, eco-awareness, and order urgency affect incentive responses. This demonstrates customers' readiness to make trade-offs in delivery time and emphasizes the importance of explicitly addressing the ecological impact of delivery. Suggestions for online retailers and logistics include slower delivery choices and customized incentives aligned with target audience and market. • Empirical study on online fashion customers' willingness to accept slower delivery. • Economic and ecological incentives significantly increase willingness to wait. • Responses vary by age, gender, environmental awareness and urgency of orders. • Practical recommendations to expand the range of delivery options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developing a novel framework for appraising shared electric micro-mobility hubs in Dublin. • Employing DEA and negative binomial regression and using six months of real-world data. • Proposing an e-bike sharing scalability measure using returns-to-scale analysis. • Assessing eco-efficiency based on trip and user characteristics and emission offset. • High scalability suggests system's expansion and improving infrastructure can boost performance. In car-dominated urban areas, shared electric micro-mobility offers a sustainable alternative to decarbonise and reshape mobility paradigms. This paper presents a comprehensive framework for evaluating Dublin's e-bike sharing system, comprising 12 stations (eHUBs). Using six months of real-world riding data, it employs data envelopment analysis to assess the eco-efficiency of each eHUB in utilising nearby infrastructure, population in the catchment area, and location to achieve desired economic, social, and environmental outputs. Results indicate an upward trajectory for the system's eco-efficiency. The returns-to-scale analysis provides insights into the system's scalability, suggesting that expanding the e-bike sharing system, along with infrastructural enhancements, would significantly increase ridership. Analysing decarbonisation, usage patterns, and spatial factors of eHUBs reveals the substantial potential of shared e-bikes if optimally used. The research highlights the need to reevaluate car-centric policies in favour of more inclusive and environmentally sustainable alternatives and proposes actionable policy recommendations to achieve this transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper forecasts the growth of freight transport emissions in India's trucking sector until 2050. We use the ARIMAX time series model to project the commercial vehicle population under various economic growth scenarios. CO 2 emissions are estimated using emission factors, distance traveled, and the projected commercial vehicle population. We use the validated forecasting model to investigate how emissions can be curbed through vehicle scrappage policies or fleet electrification to realign with the 2015 Paris Agreement's targets. Compared to the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, 10-year and 15-year vehicle scrappage policies are estimated to reduce freight emissions by 6–11% and 1–2%, respectively. Fleet electrification has more pronounced effects as it results in a 35% and 70% reduction in carbon emissions for heavy and light goods vehicles in 2050, respectively, compared to the BAU scenario. These findings provide crucial insights for devising policies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in India's trucking industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme weather, especially typhoons, frequently impacts port operations, causing substantial economic losses. Thus, it has become vital to quantitatively evaluate the resilience of ports to typhoon disasters. This paper offers a comprehensive examination of the current evaluation methods used in assessing the resilience of ports and develops a quantitative port typhoon resilience assessment model based on the 4R (i.e., Reliability, Redundancy, Robustness, and Recoverability) framework. Ports' overall resilience to typhoon disasters can be assessed by integrating the analytic hierarchy process method, fuzzy logic, and the evidence reasoning approach. Four representative coastal ports in China were selected as case studies to examine the suitability and efficacy of the suggested model. This study provides innovative theoretical insights and empirical evidence to advance port resilience research, with a valuable reference for port administrators and policymakers, equipping them to address forthcoming challenges of climate change efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban transportation is a significant contributor to energy consumption and environmental degradation, while solar electric bikes (SE-bikes) represent a viable solution for alleviating both problems. In this paper, the charging and discharging properties of the SE-bike are investigated. An SE-bike is constructed for short and long term experiments. Experimental results indicate that the SE-bike can increase endurance by 20.5 km on a sunny day, and can meet daily cycling needs of 10 km without charging in both summer and autumn in Hefei. To assess the annual performance of the SE-bike, a theoretical model is developed, which includes the effects of environmental factors, vehicle shapes, daily electricity usage, etc. Simulation results reveal that the SE-bike only needs to be charged 5 times per year to meet daily demands in Hefei, which is a relative reduction of 93.0 % compared to 71 times per year for the regular bike without solar power supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First stated preference study on electric outboard engines adoption for water taxis. • Novel and replicable methodology, combining choice experiments with focus groups. • Taxi owners prefer small electric systems with similar power to combustion engines. • Collective preferences for charging infrastructure are specific to local context. • Study yields direct insights for policy design to decarbonize water taxi sector. This paper investigates individual and collective preferences of water taxi owners regarding electric outboard engines and batteries in the Galápagos Islands. The study addresses a gap in the literature on clean maritime transportation and deploys a novel mixed-method approach, using qualitative methods to complement discrete choice experiments. Results from mixed logit models and focus groups reveal a preference for smaller, lighter electric systems that can both provide similar speed and power to internal combustion counterparts while avoiding economic loss or excessive costs to service providers. Water taxi owners on different islands arrived at different collective preferences for charging infrastructure, thus illustrating the relevance of local context, and the importance of the participation of local actors in the successful design of systems and strategies facilitating maritime transport decarbonization. Additionally, identified instruments to reduce uncertainties and proposed subsidies offer practical considerations for accelerating the transition from internal combustion engines to electric propulsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analyze the spatiotemporal variation of shared autonomous vehicle demand. • Consider demand uncertainty in mode choice and departure time choice. • Establish a two-stage joint optimization with the travel price and allowance. Shared Autonomous Vehicle (SAV) is an emerging travel mode that can reduce parking spaces and accelerate urban sprawl. The time–space varying demand leads to the imbalance between travel demand and vehicle supply. Using pricing to affect clients' mode choice is a key method for addressing the imbalance problem, which includes long-term pricing and short-term allowance. Hence, in this paper, we propose an innovative method to enhance the SAV utilization rate while considering stochastic demand: fixed price on population mode choice and real-time allowance on personal departure time choice. A mixed integer nonlinear program is formulated to maximize the total profits of SAV operators. To solve this model, a customized gradient search algorithm is proposed. A case study is conducted in Suzhou Industrial Park, China. It reveals the impacts on travel demand and departure time choices and discusses the impacts and policy-making for SAV applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the liner shipping resilience under high marine environmental requirements is essential in routine operations. However, operations are often affected by unforced events, which cause the occurrence of disruptions. Therefore, disruption recovery is essential in enhancing liner operations' resilience with emission control area policies. This paper focuses on the liner disruption recovery problem, allowing a mode of different fuel types and sailing speeds inside and outside emission control areas. An improved solution performance model based on a redundancy-reduced time–space network is proposed. Numerical studies based on a real route show that the mode can realize a lower-cost recovery of the liner shipping schedule. Meanwhile, the fuel cost inside ECA is reduced by at least 4.81%. Additionally, the study investigates the impact of emission control area boundary changes on disruption recovery, providing decision support for emission control area regulators' policy-making. The research improves maritime transportation resilience under high environmental requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Planning an effective network of fuel stations is a multi-scale location problem. • The method integrates operations research and GIS network analysis techniques. • Optimization models maximize coverage of local, metropolitan, and intercity trips. • GIS tool assesses accessibility of local street intersections from/to freeways. • Scenario planning approach converges on robust set of stations for Hartford CT, USA. Electric drive vehicles (plug-in electric vehicle or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles) have been promoted by governments to foster a more sustainable transportation future. Wider adoption of these vehicles, however, depends on the availability of a convenient and reliable refueling/recharging infrastructure. This paper introduces a path-based, multi-scale, scenario-planning modeling framework for locating a system of alternative-fuel stations. The approach builds on (1) the Flow Refueling Location Model (FRLM), which assumes that drivers stop along their origin-destination routes to refuel, and checks explicitly whether round trips can be completed without running out of fuel, and (2) the Freeway Traffic Capture Method (FTCM), which assesses the degree to which drivers can conveniently reach sites on the local street network near freeway intersections. This paper extends the FTCM to handle cases involving clusters of nearby freeway intersections, which is a limitation of its previous specification. Then, the cluster-based FTCM (CFTCM) is integrated with the FRLM and the DFRLM (FRLM with Deviations) to better conduct detailed geographic optimization of this multi-scale location planning problem. The main contribution of this research is the introduction of a framework that combines multi-scale planning methods to more effectively inform the early development stage of hydrogen refueling infrastructure planning. The proposed multi-scale modeling framework is applied to the Hartford, Connecticut region, which is one of the next areas targeted for fuel-cell vehicle (FCV) market and infrastructure expansion in the United States. This method is generalizable to other regions or other types of fast-fueling alternative fuel vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Consumer knowledge and acceptance are central for the uptake of electric vehicles. • This paper draws on 8 focus groups (n = 61) in the five Nordic countries. • It confirms well-known EV benefits and challenges, and two other themes. • It then unpacks these elements on their argumentation, uncertainty and learning. • With fair pay and no effect on their travel, consumers have few objections to V2G. Public awareness and acceptance of electric vehicles (EVs) are essential components to catalyse a faster uptake of more sustainable passenger transport as well as vehicle-to-grid (V2G) mobility. As such, public perceptions are central to decarbonize transportation and help capture the co-benefits of reduced local pollution, noise emissions, and oil dependency. However, we observe that the general public is often treated statically and seen as either problematic or peripheral to questions within the transport and energy studies communities. This paper asks two questions. First, given increasing adoption in the Nordic region, how do ordinary members of the public perceive EVs? And second, how do they perceive V2G? With these questions, the paper offers an international and in-depth assessment of public perceptions of EVs and V2G systems across five Nordic countries using original data drawn from eight focus groups. We find eight themes of relevance for future research and policy. These include often discussed insights like an EV's environmental sustainability, range, charging or price, but also insights around themes like social status, sound, and acceleration. Additionally, we asked the participants whether V2G strengthens (or weakens) the desirability of EVs. The paper ends with a reflection on the knowledge discrepancies between national focus groups and individuals with and without EV presence and the different informational requirements that are needed to address them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper presents an agent-based simulation model to investigate the performance of traffic during post disaster reentry for the Gulf Coast megaregions. • This research shows that reentry traffic processes behavior similar to, but in the reverse direction of evacuations. • The heterogeneity of traffic flow distribution is the main reason that determines the network performance for any set of conditions. • Prolonging departure time range would not always benefit the network performance and an acceptable departure time range will benefit the reentry process while not waste public resources. Transportation personnel, assets, and systems play important roles during emergencies. Of particular note is the critical function of road networks as lifelines for evacuations, then, after such events, to facilitate the rapid inflow of support personnel and resources needed to assess and repair damage. They also provide access for the safe and rapid return of evacuees. Despite the importance of reentry and repopulation, the role of transportation systems for them has been a relatively lightly researched topic. This paper describes research to analyze the traffic processes associated with post-evacuation reentry and its associated travel time and delay. To examine the most extreme of conditions; this effort also focused on repopulation and reentry after mass evacuations in megaregions. Among the findings of this work were that, as expected, reentry traffic processes generally behave similar to, but in the reverse direction, of evacuations. However, contrary to commonly held belief, they are not identically opposite. Rather, network performance during reentry may often be better than that of evacuation. Another broad finding of the research was that the spatial heterogeneity of traffic distribution across available roadways is a primary factor in determining network performance, meaning the more uniform the spread of on all links, the more efficient the network will operate. A third significant finding of this research was also the importance of the temporal spreading of returnee departure times on network efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A 16-year update on the first UK environmental justice air quality study is given. • Emissions for private vehicles are attributed to census area of registered keeper. • Social inequalities in traffic-related pollution exposure are clearer and stronger. • Young children, adults, and households in poverty have highest levels of exposure. • A strong inverse relationship was found between poverty and emissions generation. This paper presents unique spatial analyses identifying substantial discrepancies in traffic-related emissions generation and exposure by socioeconomic and demographic groups. It demonstrates a compelling environmental and social injustice narrative with strong policy implications for the UK and beyond. In the first instance, this research presents a decadal update for England and Wales to Mitchell and Dorling's 2003 analysis of environmental justice in the UK. Using 2011 UK Government pollution and emissions data with 2011 UK Census socioeconomic and demographic data based on small area census geographies, this paper demonstrates a stronger relationship between age, poverty, road NO x emissions and exposure to NO 2 concentrations. Areas with the highest proportions of under-fives and young adults, and poorer households, have the highest concentrations of traffic-related pollution. In addition, exclusive access to UK annual vehicle safety inspection records ('MOT' tests) allowed annual private vehicle NO x emissions to be spatially attributed to registered keepers. Areal analysis against Census-based socioeconomic characteristics identified that households in the poorest areas emit the least NO x and PM, whilst the least poor areas emitted the highest, per km, vehicle emissions per household through having higher vehicle ownership, owning more diesel vehicles and driving further. In conclusion, the analysis indicates that, despite more than a decade of air quality policy, environmental injustice of air pollution exposure has worsened. New evidence regarding the responsibility for generation of road traffic emissions provides a clear focus for policy development and targeted implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper shows the potential emission savings from modal shifts to sustainable modes. • Analysis of emission reductions are examined from promoting sustainable transport. • The paper is one of the few that uses a large four-stage model to reduce emissions. The research presented in this paper investigates the behavioural response and subsequent appraisal of a range of policy incentives devised to encourage greater use of sustainable travel options within the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). Interventions were assessed by employing four-stage modelling techniques, as a tool to identify signs of mode shifting behaviour from single occupancy vehicle (SOV) use to public transport modes. Extensive modelling work was conducted in collaboration with the National Transport Authority (NTA) of Ireland utilising the National Regional Modelling System (RMS) to represent the sustainable policy changes. Parameter modifications in the mode and destination choice and trip assignment stages were made to account for improvements made to frequency, time and cost attributes of public transport modes included in the model. Subsequent changes in vehicle kilometres travelled of various modes modelled were then utilised to estimate the potential emissions savings. In addition to this, the potential monetary savings generated from a reduction in emissions were calculated. The key results produced from this study found that an increase in the mode share of public transport of up to 2.87% could be achieved in the GDA. Up to 1.76% of which was estimated to come directly from private car trips, as a result of implementing the policy incentives tested. Furthermore, daily emissions savings of up to 431.58 tonnes of CO 2 , 0.95 tonnes of NO x , and 0.046 tonnes of PM 2.5 were also estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Review of scientific research between 2010 and 2018. • The review identifies 26 tools and technologies in four categories. • Existing research is to little degree based on empirical evidence from ports. • Existing research is skewed towards large, frontrunner ports. • Existing research is little suited for enabling decision making in ports. Ports are experiencing increased pressure to reduce negative impacts on climate and environment, and their roles and functions in transport systems and economy make them a key factor in promoting sustainability. There is substantial research on strategies and measures for mitigating emissions and pollution. This paper reviews literature on tools and technologies for sustainable ports and presents a typology based on 70 publications published in peer-reviewed journals. The paper outlines 26 tools and technologies, across four main categories (i) port management and plans, (ii) power and fuels, (iii) sea activities and (iv) land activities. The paper further discusses to what extent existing research supports port decision makers in their effort towards sustainability. We suggest that the literature gives an insufficient foundation for decision making in ports. The main reason is that few papers are based on empirical findings. We therefore suggest several avenues for addressing port sustainability in future research to enable port decision makers to select and prioritize tools or technologies: increased use of empirical data, port engagement, and understanding actors and processes in port decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Paper identifies future research directions for port sustainability performance and assessment. • Comprehensive and critical systematic evaluation of port operational sustainability literature. • The weakness of local stakeholder input is a barrier to achieving port sustainability. • Future research directions relating to port sustainability characteristics are suggested. Motivated by a lack of research on port sustainability performance and assessment, this paper uses a systematic literature review to identify trends, measurement methods, and mechanisms for the implementation of strategy and policy in this area. The paper provides a comprehensive and critical evaluation of port operational sustainability, focusing on ascertaining the impact of its implementation. The study analysed and synthesised established characteristics in the current literature regarding the performance of port sustainability and its evaluation in terms of operations and management. Successful performance measurement in port sustainability is driven by the dependence on establishing accurate indicators as the basis for measurement. Our clustering of analytical sustainability indicators reveals that environmental research is focused on pollution, social research is mainly focused on human resource management, while economic research is mainly on port management and borderline investment. Findings are discussed in four key areas of port sustainability performance and assessment: existing trends, implementation of measures, mechanisms for implementation, and assessment gaps and challenges. For existing trends, attempts to evaluate the applicability and practicality of green operations have improved the awareness and promotion of governmental green policies. Implementation measures relate to the utilisation of techniques that reveal optimal practices for practical sustainable operations while mechanisms largely relate to establishing indicators which increase understanding of performance. Finally, challenges in this field include achieving consistency among ports in how sustainability is measured. Future research should incentivise improvements in port operational practice and encourage self-examination in order to reprioritise activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Eco-driving impacts are tested in a field trial with 1156 trips in two cities. • Fuel consumption is associated with both driving patterns and road conditions. • Eco-driving training influences directly drivers' driving habits. • Traffic congestion and steep road slope negatively influence fuel consumption. Eco-driving, as individual car-use behavior, is a cost-effective way of improving fuel efficiency, reducing CO 2 emissions and other air pollutants like NO x. This paper aims to expand the knowledge on the short-term impacts of eco-driving by developing an analytical model of the key factors that explain fuel consumption and eco-driving, and to examine their relations in greater depth. Additionally, this paper analyses the effects on drivers' stress levels after eco-driving. An eco-driving field trial is applied to collect real data of 1156 trips, using two vehicles and 24 drivers (42% Female; Age, M = 30.15; Years of driving experience, M = 10.30) in two Spanish cities with different road characteristics. A sequential method involving factor analysis, regression analysis and path analysis is used to analyze the sample. The results confirm that eco-driving is strongly affected by driving behavior like deceleration rate, RPM and speed, also showing that external factors as congestion and road slope have a direct influence on fuel consumption. The results also reveal that perceived stress levels vary among drivers, but there is not significant change when drivers eco driving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We investigate the environmental benefits of ridesharing and rebound effects. • We use an integrated transport land-use model calibrated to the Paris region. • By reducing the cost of car and congestion, ridesharing yields rebound effects.... • ...that mitigate by about 2/3 initial decreases in CO 2 emissions, mostly due to modal shift. • Road pricing and reducing road capacity can efficiently reduce the rebound effect. This paper investigates how and to what extent changes in user behavior may mitigate the environmental benefits of urban ridesharing, a phenomenon commonly referred to as "rebound effect". Ridesharing reduces both the individual cost of car travel (through cost splitting) and road travel times (by decreasing congestion). This may trigger a number of behavioral changes among transportation users, including: making less detours to avoid congestion (route choice effect), switching from public transit and active modes to the car (modal shift effect), travelling longer distances (distance effect), and relocating further from the urban center (relocation effect). Taking Paris region as a case study, this research applies an integrated transportation/land-use model to evaluate several ridesharing scenarios and quantify the four rebound effects. The overall rebound effect is found to be substantial, cancelling out from 68 to 77% of CO 2 emission reductions and from 52 to 73% of aggregated social benefits (including congestion, air quality, CO 2 emissions, noise) expected from ridesharing. This is primarily the result of the modal shift effect, supplemented as ridesharing develops by the distance effect. Although the simplified representation of ridesharing in the baseline model calls for caution regarding these estimates, a sensitivity analysis corroborates the main findings and the prevalence of substantial rebound effects. The paper also investigates to what extent three complementary policies - improving public transit, reducing road capacity or increasing the cost of car travel – might limit the overall rebound effect and thereby maximize the benefits of urban ridesharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sustainable mobility systems demand a more involved user in the process of innovation. • User roles and involvement lead to contrasting outcomes for sustainable innovation. • A spectrum of four user roles is identified with defined characteristics. • Vigilant users and ambassadors are identified as two contrasting roles. • A convergent activation strategy is suggested for involving users and nonusers. Low-carbon mobility alternatives, such as shared services integrating light electric vehicles, support transitions to sustainable transport systems. However, new products and services are not enough, as changes must also incorporate the practices of travelling, infrastructure, and mobility cultures in which users of mobility solutions are core stakeholders. This paper argues that user involvement is necessary in sustainable innovation processes but that the expected diversity of user roles and their involvement can also lead to contrasting outcomes for sustainable innovation transitions. Guided by theory in user involvement, this study investigated users and nonusers of light electric vehicles in a sharing mobility service system set up as living lab in two large workplaces in Sweden. Fifty-one interviews with employees at the workplaces were conducted during the implementation process and analysed combined with a questionnaire and data from system tracking through sensor technology. The paper finds that both users and non-users are co-creators in building momentum for sustainable mobility alternatives and provides a spectrum of user roles with defined characteristics. Four roles are distinguished within this spectrum: vigilant users , passive collaborators , active decision makers and ambassadors. We suggest that a convergent activation strategy is deployed for involving a full spectrum of users in order to capture their insights in ways that positively affect transition. Such a strategy addresses users and non-users as part of decision-making concerning alternatives and cultivates a culture of user collaboration, while also enabling a plurality of contributions in order to challenge existing regimes and established practices among individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The article gives a large overview of the field of hazardous materials transportation. • An overview of 300 papers is given. • The development of the research field is analyzed and new trends are shown. • A detailed classification of 152 truck transportation problem is provided. • Research gaps and opportunities are identified. Abstract The paper presents a structured overview of the literature on the hazardous material (hazmat) transportation problem of the last 45 years. Additionally, a detailed classification for the hazardous materials truck routing problem is provided. It extends existing classification schemes, reviews the historical development of research in the area of hazmat logistics and reveals recent progress. The main contribution of the paper is the discussion of the historical development and the identification of recent trends. It aims to reveal research opportunities and identifies research gaps. The paper's focus lies on the transportation of hazmat on public roads. An extended classification scheme for different problem categories of hazmat truck transportation is developed and applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • This paper is to enhance the current EPA emission factors for paved and unpaved roads. • The ANN method was customized for the presented method. • The presented method was demonstrated by higher R2 and lower RMSE. • The presented method contributes to developing more reliable emission factors. Abstract Road dust is a primary source of PM that is having a significant impact on human health and air quality. In order to efficiently develop PM control strategies, it is critical to improving the ability to estimate the emission levels of PM resuspended from paved and unpaved roads. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed emission factor equations to quantify the magnitude of PM for paved and unpaved roads based on multiple linear regression (MLR) models. However, the MLR models are not suitable to capture the complex and non-linear mechanisms of PM emissions, thereby limiting the accuracy of the MLR-based PM prediction models. This paper is to present a method to improve the quality of the existing EPA emission factor equations for paved and unpaved roads by employing an artificial neural network (ANN). The presented method consists of the following steps: data processing, ANN model training, and validation of the presented method through data testing. The data utilized for the case study were retrieved from the database used by the EPA to generate PM 10 emission factor equations for the paved and unpaved roads for a fair comparison. The presented method was evaluated by demonstrating its improved performance as shown in the coefficient of determination (R2) and the root mean square error (RMSE) values. The empirical findings of the case study verified that the presented method using the ANN model is capable of improving the quality of the EPA emission factor equations, resulting in higher R2 and lower RMSE values for both paved and unpaved roads. The expected significance of this paper is that the presented method improves the ability to develop more reliable emission factor equations for predictable PM levels that can help agencies establish enhanced PM control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Mini-EVs are emerging in China with potential benefits but little regulation. • We interview Mini-EV owners in China, who are older, high income, and unlicensed. • Users transitioned from e-bikes and public transit due to perceived safety and cost. • Mini-EVs provide mobility benefits but don't likely lower energy use or emissions. • Drivers should have graduated licenses and be relegated to low-speed roads. Abstract Mini electric cars (mini-EVs) are gaining popularity in many areas in China (∼4–5 million ownership). Mini-EVs are a class of enclosed vehicle smaller than conventional cars. The average range of a mini-EVs is about 100 km, with a maximum speed ranging from 40 to 60 km/h. Their adoption has generated regulatory uncertainty and their classification is ambiguous. While there have been many studies focused on New Energy Vehicles (NEV) (e.g., battery electric conventional car) acceptance rates, purchase intention, and driving behavior; little research has focused on mini-EVs. This paper relies on structured interviews to shed initial light the motives for mini-EV choice and purchase, model choice, travel behavior, and safety. The intention of this paper is to explore key market issues for further analysis and policy intervention; specifically, we aim to profile users and use patterns to inform policy on vehicle standards, licensing, on-road regulations, and subsidy policy. This is the first paper to do this. In-depth interviews with 34 mini-EV owners in Kunming, China reveal an owner profile that is predominately retired male with high household income. Less than half of users have a driver license. Their purchase motives are mostly driven by their age or physical limitations, the convenience and low cost of the vehicle and charging, and the vehicles' low speed. Most users transitioned from using e-bikes and public transit. Policy implications include standardizing mini-EVs designs, imposing a license system for mini-EVs and their users, and sustaining low-speed vehicle infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We examine the medium-term effect of a new subway on local air quality in Changsha. • Difference in difference method is mainly used in this paper. • CO experienced a 18.1% larger reduction in the areas close to subway line. • There is no evidence that the subway line opening affected PM or O 3. • Air pollution reduction resulted from substituting subway use for road use. Abstract Public transit is viewed as a potential means to mitigate traffic congestion and its resulting air pollution and health consequences. A recent wave of studies has emerged examining whether this public investment can achieve its goals. Employing the difference in difference method, this paper examines the medium-term effect of the opening of a completely new subway line on local air pollution in Changsha. Our findings show that carbon monoxide pollution, one key type of automobile pollution in areas close to the subway line experienced a greater reduction relative to areas further away from the stations in the first year after the subway line opened. However, there is no evidence that the opening of the subway line affected particulate matter or ozone pollution. Heterogeneity effects support that air pollution reduction resulted from substituting subway use for road use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • We calculate the optimal marine engine configuration and scrubber installation decision for a new vessel. • We apply a stochastic model calibrated with market data for LNG and other marine fuels. • The possibility of future further extension of ECA zones also affects initial investment decision. • The use of LNG in many cases can be beneficial to fulfill the Sulphur IMO regulation. Abstract Over the last decade, marine engine engineering has evolved considerably, to the point where engine technology can be considered mature and reliable using LNG as fuel without affecting safety at sea. This paper analyses the choice between diesel or dual engines jointly and considers the alternatives of installing or not installing a sulphur scrubber when building a new vessel. The dual engine is more flexible because it can consume liquefied natural gas (LNG) as other marine fuels but the initial investment is more expensive. On the other hand, the use of scrubbers enables the use of marine fuels with high sulphur content in Emission Control Areas (ECAs), these marine fuels are usually cheaper also we consider Selective Catalytic Reduction technology (SCR) in all cases to minimize NOx. The paper calibrates a stochastic model for LNG and determines four marine fuel correlated prices. The work also considers a possible regulatory change from a non ECA to an ECA in the future. When we aggregate the installation costs to the present value of the expected combustible cost under uncertainty we can select the cheapest alternative. We obtain a minimum of expected present value of investment and fuels cost of 25.62 million US$ with a Dual engine with scrubber configuration. Our work shows that, in the cases considered, the use of a dual engine is the best alternative minimizing the total of investment and fuel costs. Finally, we analyse the distribution of fuel cost and its associated risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]