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Private Roads: Auctions and Competition in Networks

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  • Erik T. Verhoef

Abstract

This paper studies the efficiency impacts of private toll roads in initially untolled networks. The analysis allows for capacity and toll choice by private operators, and endogenises entry and therewith the degree of competition, distinguishing and allowing for both parallel and serial competition. Two institutional arrangements are considered, namely one in which entry is free and one in which it is allowed only after winning an auction in which patronage is to be maximised. Both regimes have the second-best zero-profit equilibrium as the end-state of the equilibrium sequence of investments; but the auctions regime approaches this end-state more rapidly: tolls are set equal to their second-best zero-profit levels immediately, and capacity additions for the earlier investments are bigger. When discreteness of capacity is relevant and limits the number of investments that can be accommodated practically, the auctions regime may therefore still result in a more efficient end-state, with a higher social surplus, although the theoretical end-state is the same as under free entry. © 2008 LSE and the University of Bath

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  • Erik T. Verhoef, 2008. "Private Roads: Auctions and Competition in Networks," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 42(3), pages 463-493, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpe:jtecpo:v:42:y:2008:i:3:p:463-493
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    Cited by:

    1. van der Weijde, Adriaan Hendrik & Verhoef, Erik T. & van den Berg, Vincent A.C., 2013. "Competition in multi-modal transport networks: A dynamic approach," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 31-44.
    2. van den Berg, Vincent A.C., 2013. "Serial private infrastructures," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 186-202.
    3. van den Berg, Vincent A.C. & Rouwendal, Jan, 2016. "Tender auctions with existing operators bidding," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 6(C), pages 1-10.
    4. Vincent A.C. van den Berg & Erik T. Verhoef, 2011. "Is the Service Quality of Private Roads too Low, too High, or just Right when Firms compete Stackelberg in Capacity?," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 11-079/3, Tinbergen Institute, revised 02 Aug 2012.
    5. van den Berg, Vincent A.C. & Verhoef, Erik T., 2012. "Is the travel time of private roads too short, too long, or just right?," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 46(8), pages 971-983.
    6. van den Berg, Vincent A.C. & Meurs, Henk & Verhoef, Erik T., 2022. "Business models for Mobility as an Service (MaaS)," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 203-229.
    7. Achim I. Czerny & Kay Mitusch & Andreas Tanner, 2010. "Priority Rules Versus Scarcity Premiums in Rail Markets," WHU Working Paper Series - Economics Group 10-03, WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management.
    8. De Borger, Bruno & Proost, Stef, 2012. "Transport policy competition between governments: A selective survey of the literature," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 35-48.
    9. Fu, Xinying & van den Berg, Vincent A.C. & Verhoef, Erik T., 2018. "Private road networks with uncertain demand," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 57-68.
    10. Fu, Xinying & van den Berg, Vincent A.C. & Verhoef, Erik T., 2018. "Private road supply in networks with heterogeneous users," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 430-443.
    11. Vincent A.C. van den Berg & Henk Meurs & Erik T. Verhoef, 2020. "Business models for interoperable mobility services," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 20-051/VIII, Tinbergen Institute, revised 05 Apr 2021.
    12. Vincent Van Den Berg, 2011. "The effect of private road supply on the volume/capacity ratio when firms compete Stackelberg in Road Capacity," ERSA conference papers ersa11p1203, European Regional Science Association.
    13. van den Berg, Vincent A.C., 2012. "Auctions for private congestible infrastructures," MPRA Paper 40103, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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