Optimization Scheme of Tradable Credits and Bus Departure Quantity for Travelers’ Travel Mode Choice Guidance

To analyze the influence of tradable credits and bus departure quantity on travelers' travel mode choice, this study investigated car travel and bus travel as research objects and established a two-mode day-to-day travel mode choice model based on tradable credits and bus departure quantity. To improve the guiding effect of tradable credits and bus departure quantity, an optimization scheme of tradable credits and bus departure quantity was developed with the goal of minimizing the system total travel time of car travel and the system total comprehensive cost of bus travel. Taking a test transportation network as an example, the influence of no tradable credits scheme, tradable credits scheme, and tradable credits and bus departure quantity scheme on the travelers’ travel mode choice behavior was analyzed. The results showed that the tradable credits and bus departure quantity scheme could reduce the saturation of road traffic and improve bus service quality.

Marginal Cost Pricing Analysis on Tradable Credits in Traffic Engineering

This paper tries to explore a more applicable tradable credit scheme for managing network mobility from the angle of marginal cost pricing. The classic mathematical model-Cobweb model is used to analyze the stability of credit price. It is found that credit price is not always convergent in the trading market. It will show convergence, divergence, two-period simple behaviors, and even more complex dynamic behaviors, such as cycle movements and chaos. Considering the applicability and public goods character of tradable credits scheme, one public pricing mechanism- marginal cost pricing is explored. Analytical investigations and the numerical simulation of a particular case with linear demand and supply indicate that marginal cost pricing is an effective, sustainable, and socially feasible manner in managing the demand for car travel.