Mobility Matters Daily #82 - Robots, transport subsidies, and civic duty
And a nice map of air pollution in London
Delivery robots are here, and the research on their impact is starting to catch up
Robots delivering pizza and small packages are being seen in more urban areas. But nobody knows quite yet what their impacts on urban logistics could be. Luckily, research by Miguel Figliozzia and Dylan Jennings from Portland State University identifies some useful insights - notably that they could reduce energy consumption by urban logistics. Particularly where the density of deliveries is low.
This is a largely theoretical exercise, but logistics companies are seriously considering the implications for last mile deliveries. DHL already see a role for delivery robots in reducing the costs of last mile deliveries. Meanwhile, automation and robotics is driving significant change in logistics more generally. Finally, researchers and policy makers are considering the potentially significant impacts of this change on how we get around.
Subsidising transport can be more expensive
This excellent research by Roberto Martín-Cejas explores the complexity of the impacts of subsidies on transport behaviour, in this case regional air travel in Gran Canaria. What this particular study showed was that as regional air travel was subsidised for the benefit of residents, this actually increased running costs for airlines as the local airport became congested.
This actually confirmed analysis in a seminal study by Bly, Webster, and Pounds that shows subsidies can actually increase unit costs of operations as more people use public transport. In effect, the cost is transferred from the user - who pay lower fares - to operators who have to put on more services. But subsidies are not an economic argument, but a social one. In other words - is the cost increase to operators worth people paying less?
Civic duties are left to chance too often
An article in the Bay of Plenty Times from New Zealand scratched my itch on good community engagement (which has been sadly lacking for me over the last year). It covered work in New Zealand to teach civics and civic participation, with a conclusion I experience too often: good engagement and civic duties is left to chance too often.
I don’t think for a second that transport can overcome this issue on its own. And this isn’t just about transport providing people with the opportunity to engage in civic society through access. But we have new tools that can stimulate civic engagement to the point where people sense it is a civic duty to be involved in issues facing their communities. We just need to be creative about it.
Stat of the day
Particulate Matter (PM10) is a pollutant of increasing concern for policy makers. With vehicles being a key source, transport needs to do its bit. But this map of modelled PM10 concentrations across central London shows near all of London within safe levels. So there are few issues, right? Well, zoom in a bit closer:
This is why granularity matters, as sometimes issues are granular.
Data source: London Air