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Profit maximization by a private toll road with cars and trucks

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  • Guo, Xiaolei
  • Xu, Da

Abstract

This paper examines the profit maximizing behavior of a private firm which operates a toll road competing against a free alternative in presence of cars and trucks. Trucks differ from cars in value of time (VOT), congestion externality, pavement damage, and link travel time function. We find that the firm takes either a car-strategy or a truck-strategy for profit maximization. For a traffic mix with relatively large car volume and small truck volume, the car-strategy results in no trucks using the toll road, while the truck-strategy results in all trucks using the toll road. We derive the equilibrium flow pattern under any combination of car-toll and truck-toll, based on which we identify a profit-maximizing frontier and a strategy-switching frontier in the car-toll and truck-toll two-dimensional space. By geometrically comparing the two frontiers, we establish general conditions under which each strategy will be taken, which suggest that the truck-to-car VOT ratio, the total traffic demand, and the difference in travel distance between the two roads are critical in shaping the firm's strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Guo, Xiaolei & Xu, Da, 2016. "Profit maximization by a private toll road with cars and trucks," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 113-129.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transb:v:91:y:2016:i:c:p:113-129
    DOI: 10.1016/j.trb.2016.04.023
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Arnott, Richard & de Palma, Andre & Lindsey, Robin, 1992. "Route choice with heterogeneous drivers and group-specific congestion costs," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 71-102, March.
    2. Holgun-Veras, Jos & Cetin, Mecit, 2009. "Optimal tolls for multi-class traffic: Analytical formulations and policy implications," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 445-467, May.
    3. de Palma, André & Kilani, Moez & Lindsey, Robin, 2008. "The merits of separating cars and trucks," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 340-361, September.
    4. Theodore Tsekeris & Stefan Voß, 2009. "Design and evaluation of road pricing: state-of-the-art and methodological advances," Netnomics, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 5-52, April.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Li, Shuai & Cai, Jiannan & Cai, Hubo, 2019. "Infrastructure privatization analysis: A public-private duopoly game," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 80-87.
    3. Lu, Zhaoyang & Li, Yanfeng & Zuo, Dajie, 2024. "Period-dependent pricing methods of multi-type vehicles for BOT highway projects with pavement rehabilitation effects," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 84-94.
    4. Chen, Daqiang & Ignatius, Joshua & Sun, Danzhi & Goh, Mark & Zhan, Shalei, 2018. "Impact of congestion pricing schemes on emissions and temporal shift of freight transport," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 77-105.
    5. Lu, Zhaoyang & Meng, Qiang, 2018. "Impacts of pavement deterioration and maintenance cost on Pareto-efficient contracts for highway franchising," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-21.
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