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Allocation flexibility and price efficiency within Singapore’s Vehicle Quota System

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  • Chu, Singfat

Abstract

Permit or license plate quotas are highly effective albeit controversial policy tools for managing growth in the vehicle population and thereby, adverse traffic congestion. A judicious distribution of the scarce permits that targets the dual objectives of price efficiency and social diversity in vehicle ownership can however mitigate the controversy. This paper scrutinizes the attainment levels of these two objectives within Singapore’s multi-categorical Vehicle Quota System in two time periods (1991–1998 and 2002–2011) which differ in the number of permit allocation categories, the auction format used (sealed versus open bids) and in the frequency of distribution (monthly versus semimonthly). The lessons derived are contrasted to the other two jurisdictions which have also implemented quotas on their vehicle registrations namely, Shanghai and Beijing.

Suggested Citation

  • Chu, Singfat, 2012. "Allocation flexibility and price efficiency within Singapore’s Vehicle Quota System," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 46(10), pages 1541-1550.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:46:y:2012:i:10:p:1541-1550
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2012.07.010
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Singfat Chu, 2014. "Mitigating supply and price volatilities in Singapore’s vehicle quota system," Transportation, Springer, vol. 41(5), pages 1119-1134, September.
    2. Chu, Singfat, 2015. "Car restraint policies and mileage in Singapore," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 404-412.
    3. Yang, Xiaofang & Jin, Wen & Jiang, Hai & Xie, Qianyan & Shen, Wei & Han, Weijian, 2017. "Car ownership policies in China: Preferences of residents and influence on the choice of electric cars," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 62-71.
    4. Li, Zhi-Chun & Wu, Qiao-Yu & Yang, Hai, 2019. "A theory of auto ownership rationing," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 125-146.
    5. Yu, De-Ping & Li, Zhi-Chun, 2023. "Income distribution, implementation sequence, and equity in auto ownership rationing," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 59-89.
    6. Murakami, Jin, 2018. "The Government Land Sales programme and developers’ willingness to pay for accessibility in Singapore, 1990–2015," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 292-302.
    7. Suwei Feng & Qiang Li, 2018. "Evaluating the car ownership control policy in Shanghai: a structural vector auto-regression approach," Transportation, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 205-232, January.
    8. Singfat Chu, 2018. "Singapore’s Vehicle Quota System and its impact on motorcycles," Transportation, Springer, vol. 45(5), pages 1419-1432, September.
    9. Song, Siqi & Diao, Mi & Feng, Chen-Chieh, 2021. "Effects of pricing and infrastructure on car ownership: A pseudo-panel-based dynamic model," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 115-126.
    10. Diao, Mi, 2019. "Towards sustainable urban transport in Singapore: Policy instruments and mobility trends," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 320-330.

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