Understanding short-term travel behavior under personal mobility credit allowance scheme using experimental economics

This study proposes personal mobility carbon allowance scheme, collects the data using an online experimental game, and analyzes data with econometric models. Personal mobility carbon allowance (PMCA) schemes allocate carbon credits to users at no cost based on the emissions reduction goal of the system. Users spend carbon credits for travel and a market place exists where users can buy or sell credits. To understand this process, a real-time experimental game tool is developed where players are asked to make travel decisions within the carbon budget set by PMCA and they are allowed to trade carbon credits in a market modeled as a double auction game. Results from estimated random parameter models show that medium and low income group users are highly sensitive to increase in carbon cost for grocery (non-work) trips. Further, the elasticity values show that high income group are less sensitive to carbon cost increase for work trips. The market dynamics such as number of total bids or asks are examined through count data models. The insights from the models can be used to effectively design the parameters of PMCA schemes. In addition, the experimental game tool and the analysis framework can be applied to understand other market based strategies such as carbon tax and tradable emissions permits. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.