Results From an Analysis of the Mode Choice Decisions of Long Distance Business Travellers

Mode choice models for long distance business travellers have been calibrated, using data on actual choices, generally with the objetive of deriving demand elasticities and values of time for use in forecasting. The most recent such work using UK data dates from 1971. The results presented in this paper provide a much needed update of this earlier work. Mode choice models are estimated using data collected from two surveys of long distance business travellers. Two sets of choices are modelled: car versus rail and air versus rail, where one of the two modes was that used on a recent long distance business trip and the other was the traveller's best alternative mode for the trip. Most of these trips were between North East and South East England. The estimated values of time are found to be substantially larger than those obtained in past studies

Stated Preference Experiments Concerning Long Distance Business Travel in Great Britain

Stated preference techniques are now widely used in transport economics as an experimental tool for gathering data on consumer preferences to derive, amongst other things, estimates of demand elasticities and values of travel time, service frequency, service reliability and other deteminants of travel behaviour. However, these techniques have not to our knowledge been used in research on long distance business travel behaviour. This forms the subject of this paper. In particular, results of a stated preference experiment answered by two samples of long distance business travellers are presented. Disaggregate mode choice models are calibrated with this data; and the results are used to derive estimates of the value placed by long distance business travellers on savings in business travel time. The design of the stated preference experiment means that these values can be interpreted as leisure values of time. The results that long distance business travellers place a high value on travel time savings. It is demonstrated that this can largely be explained by their high incomes and long work days, and the unsociable hours at which time savings occur. It is our view that the value of time estimates reported in this paper are not appropriate for use in forecasting exercises, rather they can be used to construct a value of business travel time for evaluation purposes

The Results of a Survey of Business Travel Policies in Greater London and North East England.

This report sets out the initial results of a telephone survey, of 311 organisations, which gathered data on these organisations' travel policies, with particular reference to how these policies affect mode choice decisions for long distance (i.e greater the 50 miles one way) business trips. This survey is one of three carried out by ITS as part of an SERC funded project to investigate Business Travel. The reported results show there are systematic differences between the travel policies of large and small, and private and public sector organisations. Public and large organisations are more likely to have formal travel policies, and mode choice decisions made by the organisation and not the individual. However, regardless of who decided the travel mode it is found that the employer plays an important role in limiting the mode choices available to the business traveller. The nature of these choices is found to vary with the seniority and income of the business traveller

The value of business travel time savings

The value of time savings for business travellers forms a sizeable part of the benefits from trunk road, rail and air transport improvement schemes. It is therefore important to possess appropiate values to place on business travel time savings for evaluation purposes. The normal approach in practice is to adopt the wage rate of the workers in question plus an increment for overheads and non-wage payments. In this paper criticisms of this approach are discssed and the implications of these criticims for the development of alternative methodologies for valuing business travel time savings are considered. Data fron two surveys of long distance business travellers and one survey of employers, which were carried out as part of an SERC financed project on business travel, is used to estimate values of business travel time savings for each of these different methodologies. Unlike previous studies considerable use is made of data obtained from stated preference experiments. Revealed preference data is also used to obtain value of time estimates. The results show that, for forecasting purposes, a value a little above the conventional 'wage rate plus' vaue may be appropriate. Although no empirical support is found for the assumptions on which present valuation conventions are based, the empirical results suggest these conventions yield values which are approximately correct, for our samples

Long Distance Business Travel and Mode Choice: The Results of Two Surveys of Business Travellers.

This report contains a descriptive analysis of two UK samples of lomg distance business travellers. Each sample answered the same mailback quesitonnaire which asked for detailed information about a recent long distance business trip and a limited amount of socio-economic data from each respondent. In particular; questions were asked about reasons for choice of the main travel mode and the alternative modes available to the respondent. In both samples it was found that the main factors influencing mode choices were journeytime and a convenient start time; with the ability to work en route being a significant factor for rail travellers. Company travel policies did not appear to have a significant influence on mode choice; although the set of permitted alternative modes was dependent on the respondents' income and occupation

Expression of Interest ICES/KIS-3 : Thema 4: Hoogwaardig Ruimtegebruik Speerpunt 6

Hoofddoel van dit speerpunt is om zowel de Nederlandse overheid als het bedrijfsleven uit te rusten met een operationele kennisinfrastructuur die toegesneden is op de relatie tussen (antropogene en natuurlijke) klimaatverandering en meervoudig ruimtegebrui

Using Geographic Information Systems to Improve Real Estate Analysis

Geographic information systems (GIS) technology provides users with the ability to improve real estate analysis. First, we describe GIS in general and then discuss some GIS real estate applications. Next, we illustrate how GIS can be used to calculate a shortest-path algorithm that produces a location variable superior to the traditionally used straight-line distance variable. Our sample provides empirical evidence of a statistically significant relationship between residential sales prices and the additional information provided by the GIS-created variable.

Automated mixed traffic transit vehicle microprocessor controller

An improved Automated Mixed Traffic Vehicle (AMTV) speed control system employing a microprocessor and transistor chopper motor current controller is described and its performance is presented in terms of velocity versus time curves. The on board computer hardware and software systems are described as is the software development system. All of the programming used in this controller was implemented using FORTRAN. This microprocessor controller made possible a number of safety features and improved the comfort associated with starting and shopping. In addition, most of the vehicle's performance characteristics can be altered by simple program parameter changes. A failure analysis of the microprocessor controller was generated and the results are included. Flow diagrams for the speed control algorithms and complete FORTRAN code listings are also included

The human milk protein-lipid complex HAMLET disrupts glycolysis and induces death in Streptococcus pneumoniae

HAMLET is a complex of human a-lactalbumin (ALA) and oleic acid and kills several Gram-positive bacteria by a mechanism that bears resemblance to apoptosis in eukaryotic cells. To identify HAMLET's bacterial targets, here we used Streptococcus pneumoniae as a model organism and employed a proteomic approach that identified several potential candidates. Two of these targets were the glycolytic enzymes fructose bis-phosphate aldolase (FBPA) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Treatment of pneumococci with HAMLET immediately inhibited their ATP and lactate production, suggesting that HAMLET inhibits glycolysis. This observation was supported by experiments with recombinant bacterial enzymes, along with biochemical and bacterial viability assays, indicating that HAMLET's activity is partially inhibited by high glucose-mediated stimulation of glycolysis but enhanced in the presence of the glycolysis inhibitor 2-deoxyglucose. Both HAMLET and ALA bound directly to each glycolytic enzyme in solution and solid phase assays and effectively inhibited their enzymatic activities. In contrast, oleic acid alone had little to no inhibitory activity. However, ALA alone also exhibited no bactericidal activity and did not block glycolysis in whole cells, suggesting a role for the lipid moiety in the internalization of HAMLET into the bacterial cells to reach its target(s). This was verified by inhibition of enzyme activity in whole cells after HAMLET but not ALA exposure. The results of this study suggest that part of HAMLET's antibacterial activity relates to its ability to target and inhibit glycolytic enzymes, providing an example of a natural antimicrobial agent that specifically targets glycolysis

Jiminy Cricket for the Corporation: Understanding the Corporate “Conscience”

If we turn the question to what causes corporations to engage in conduct that benefits society, we understand that some external force or forces must direct the corporation. This Article seeks to analyze the external forces that curb or drive corporate behavior as they relate to activities that benefit society in the context of having a “conscience.” Part II of this Article examines the corporation from a historical perspective, tracking its evolution from a small number of specially chartered organizations with a limited, publicly oriented purpose, to the modern, highly regulated profit-making organizations of today. Part III examines whether the modern corporation can have a conscience and what that term means with regard to such an artificial entity. Part IV identifies three driving forces behind what will be termed corporate behavior that is beneficial to society: behavior driven by legal compliance; behavior that also benefits the corporation; and, behavior that is seemingly driven by altruistic (or semi-altruistic) motives. Part V reflects upon how these categories can be used to evaluate corporate behavior