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Are Longer and Heavier Vehicles (LHVs) Beneficial for Society? A Cost Benefit Analysis to Evaluate their Potential Implementation in Spain

Author

Listed:
  • A. Ortega
  • J.M. Vassallo
  • A.F. Guzmán
  • P.J. Pérez-Martínez

Abstract

In this paper we carry out a thorough review of the current research related to the benefits and costs arising from the implementation of longer and heavier vehicles (LHVs). From this review we concluded that despite the many studies available, little has been said about the sensitivity of the benefits and costs to the ultimate performance of the key variables related to the evolution of the economy, road transport performance, safety, and so on. In order to fill this gap, we have designed a sensitivity approach based on a cost benefit analysis tool to determine which variables demonstrate the greatest influence on the benefits and costs stemming from the implementation of LHVs. In order to test the methodology, we have used it in an analysis of the Spanish trunk network. The results show that the benefits of LHVs for society are significant. Even in the least favorable scenario, the economic benefits are greater than €3500 million over 15 years, and the environment enhanced as well, for CO 2 emissions are reduced by 2 Million tonnes. Overall we noted how the results are not very sensitive to the evolution of key variables in determining the final outcome. However, we found that the variables that have the greatest affect on the final benefit, such as traffic growth and social discount rate, depend basically on the performance of the overall economy. Moreover, the private cost for haulers seems to be more important in determining the final benefit than externality costs.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Ortega & J.M. Vassallo & A.F. Guzmán & P.J. Pérez-Martínez, 2014. "Are Longer and Heavier Vehicles (LHVs) Beneficial for Society? A Cost Benefit Analysis to Evaluate their Potential Implementation in Spain," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(2), pages 150-168, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:transr:v:34:y:2014:i:2:p:150-168
    DOI: 10.1080/01441647.2014.891161
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    Cited by:

    1. Inge Vierth & Samuel Lindgren & Hanna Lindgren, 2018. "Vehicle Weight, Modal Split, and Emissions—An Ex-Post Analysis for Sweden," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-15, May.
    2. Talebian, Masoud & Savelsbergh, Martin & Moffiet, Chad, 2016. "A new rail access charging policy: Hunter Valley coal chain case study," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 101-108.
    3. Mercedes Castro-Nuño & José I. Castillo-Manzano & Xavier Fageda, 2015. "Do more trucks lead to more motor vehicle fatalities in European roads? Evaluating the impact of specific safety strategies," ERSA conference papers ersa15p306, European Regional Science Association.
    4. Castillo-Manzano, José I. & Castro-Nuño, Mercedes & Fageda, Xavier, 2016. "Exploring the relationship between truck load capacity and traffic accidents in the European Union," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 94-109.
    5. Heikki Liimatainen & Phil Greening & Pratyush Dadhich & Anna Keyes, 2018. "Possible Impact of Long and Heavy Vehicles in the United Kingdom—A Commodity Level Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-19, August.
    6. Jiang, Jinyu & Yang, Zhongzhen, 2024. "Study on the truck axle load limit for rural roads based on the cost of the concerned entities in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 187-198.

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