Also discussed here: Rewarding rush-hour avoidance: A study of commuters’ travel behavior (Abstract, Science Direct, Eran Ben-Eliaa and Dick Ettemab,Aug. 2011)
Reducing congestion by imposing tolls is rejected by many motorists. Today's review article looks at the other side of the coin- rewards instead of tolls- and found that, in Holland at least, that this approach might be more effective as a long term tool to reduce congestion. By studying what changes are more likely to be accepted, a strategy can be developed for specific locations and times. One interesting example from this study was that while drivers were unable or reluctant to delay their daily commute, some found that they could avoid congestion (and get a reward) by coming to work earlier.
Key Quotes:
“In general the Dutch people have a negative public opinion regarding congestion pricing and tolls despite the government’s wishes to implement pricing policy to tackle congestion and its related problems”
“providing users a reward for avoiding peak hour travel can achieve a similar behavioral change to that of pricing …. in general rewards produce overall better outcomes than punishments”
“Participants earned a daily reward (money or in-kind) if they avoided commuting by car during the morning rush-hour.. Rewards were effective in reducing the shares of rush-hour driving, and shifting drivers to off-peak times and other modes”
“it appears that the main motivations for participation are the reward itself and the social contribution to solving congestion problems. The main reasons not to participate stem mainly from household obligations and also refusal to consider behavior change”
“The results show that participation is linked to working time flexibility, constraints in the household and the workplace and especially to personal motivations. The most important motivator is the prospective earning of the reward”
“rewards create a long term learning effect unlike tolling which to some degree can be regarded as punishment with all its problematic drawbacks”
Related articles
- Congestion charge 'would fail' (autonetinsurance.co.uk)
- Gas hikes, road tolls, congestion charges needed to fund transit (thestar.com)
- Congestion in Sydney getting worse: NRMA (news.theage.com.au)
- "Partnership can predict traffic and let you know before you drive" and related posts (fastlane.dot.gov)
- Paper 2: London Congestion Charging (econdillardblog.wordpress.com)
- Brussels the most congested city, UK most congested country (inautonews.com)
- $9 million in traffic congestion charges (millenniallemons.com)
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