A multi-disciplinary study of pricing policies in transport - MD-PIT

This project aimed at providing a theoretical and empirical evaluation of the direct and indirect effects of practically possible transport pricing policies from a multidisciplinary perspective. The effects studied included behavioural responses and their consequences, also from a spatial and a network perspective, as well as acceptability issues of various pricing and tax recycling schemes. The evaluation included the derivation and formulation of policy implications. Specific features of the project included the focus on dynamic aspects (both short and long run), the recognition of heterogeneity (i.e. the consideration of different groups), and the explicit choice for a network and spatial perspective. The project was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of economists, psychologists, and transport researchers and funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).

Main project

This project is part of project "Effects and acceptability of pricing policies".

Researchers and partners

Behavioural and Social Sciences, Psychology

• Jan Willem Bolderdijk, Social Psychology
• Linda Steg, Social Psychology

Partners outside of the University of Groningen

• Free University of Amsterdam
• Delft University of Technology

Education

Courses connected to this project

• Master Environmental Psychology

Results

Publications

• Schuitema, G., Steg, L., & Van Kruining, M. (2011). When are transport policies fair and acceptable? The role of six fairness principles. Social Justice Research, 24, 66-84.
• Schuitema, G., Steg, L., & Rothengatter, J.A. (2010). Relationship between the acceptability, personal outcome expectations and the expected effects of transport pricing policies. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30, 587-593.
• Schuitema, G., Steg, L., & Forward, S. (2010).Explaining differences in acceptability before and acceptance after the implementation of a congestion charge in Stockholm. Transportation Research-A: Policy and Practice, 44, 99-109.
• Schuitema, G., & Steg, L. (2010). Een psychologisch perspectief op prijsbeleid in verkeer en vervoer. Een terug- en vooruitblik na 7 jaar (A psychological perspective on pricing policies in traffic and transport. Looking back and ahead after 7 years). Tijdschrift Vervoersswetenschap (Journal of Transport Science), 46, 122-123.
• Schuitema, G., & Steg, L. (2008). The role of revenue use in the acceptability of transport pricing policies. Transportation Research F: Psychology and Behaviour, 11, 221-231.
• Steg, L., Tillema, T., Van Wee, B., & Schuitema, G. (2008). Firms’ perception and acceptability of transport pricing. In: E. Verhoef, B. Van Wee, L. Steg, & M. Bliemer (Eds.), Pricing in road transport: A multi-disciplinary perspective (pp. 250-269). Cheltenham, UK and Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar.
• Steg, L., Verhoef, E., Bliemer, M., & Van Wee, B. (2008). Introduction. In: E. Verhoef, B. Van Wee, L. Steg, & M. Bliemer (Eds.), Pricing in road transport: A multi-disciplinary perspective (pp. 1-5). Cheltenham, UK and Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar.
• Schuitema, G., Steg, L., & Vlek, C. (2007). Are pricing policies effective to change car use? IATSS Research, 31 (1), 21-31.
• Steg, L., & Schuitema, G. (2007). Behavioural responses to transport pricing: a theoretical analysis. In: T. Gärling & L. Steg (Eds.), Threats to the quality of urban life from car traffic: problems, causes, and solutions (pp. 347-366). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
• Steg, L., Verhoef, E., Bliemer, M., Joksimovic, D., Schuitema, G., Tillema, T., Ubbels, B., Van Amelsfort, D., & Van Wee, B. (2006). Een multidisciplinair perspectief op prijsbeleid in verkeer en vervoer: MD PIT (A multi-disciplinary study of pricing policies in transport: MD PIT). Tijdschrift Vervoerswetenschap (Journal of Transport Science), 42 (2), 26-32.
• Steg, L., & Schuitema, G. (2003). Een psychologisch perspectief op prijsbeleid in verkeer en vervoer (A psychological perspective on transport pricing). Tijdschrift Vervoerswetenschap (Journal of Transport Science), 39 (4), 23-28.

Successful grant proposals and other achievements

• NWO

University's focus areas

• Energy
• Sustainable Society