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Assessing recreation specialization to guide nature-based tourism development: A hybrid choice model of birder destination preferences
Get PDFPublished by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Birding is a growing nature-based tourism activity, and a better understanding of birder preferences could support tourism development and species conservation. Using a hybrid choice modeling approach, we analyzed birding destination preferences and how they vary by recreation specialization. This approach allows a continuum of specialization rather than allocating birders into discrete segments. A sample of 205 birders recruited in the 2017 summer season in Varanger, Norway, completed an online choice experiment with scenarios that included five systematically-varied destination attributes: Birding quality, bird diversity, landscape scenic quality, facilitation (e.g., trails and specialized guides), and a visitor fee. The hybrid choice (HC) model explained preference heterogeneity better than the attributes only multinomial logit (MNL) or random parameters logit (RPL) models. Birding quality, landscape scenery, and a medium level of facilitation were significant predictors in all models, while high bird diversity was significant only in the RPL and HC models. Interaction terms in the HC model indicated that birding quality, bird diversity, and the highest level of facilitation (specialized guides and birding hides) were more important for “more specialized” birders than for “less specialized” birders. Findings allow destinations to target birder segments more deliberately, while also assisting in planning and management decisions.Assessing recreation specialization to guide nature-based tourism development: A hybrid choice model of birder destination preferencespublishedVersio
Retrospective Total cost of ownership analysis of battery electric vehicles in Norway
No full textErik Figenbaum, Retrospective Total cost of ownership analysis of battery electric vehicles in Norway, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, Volume 105, 2022, 103246, ISSN 1361-9209, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2022.103246 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920922000761)A retrospective Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) versus gasoline vehicles (ICEVs), provided insights on the TCO effects of Norway’s BEV incentives that counts the registration and value added tax exemptions, reductions/exemptions from the annual tax, parking fees, road tolls and ferry rates, and bus lane access. BEVs were according to the TCO calculation too expensive before 2001. A 2001 breakthrough failed when California revised the ZEV-mandate and the Norwegian BEV producer THINK owned by Ford had problems. The TCO has since 2012 been favorable also compared to 3-year old ICEVs. The latter enabled adoption in multi-vehicle households that effortlessly coped with BEVs limited range, through the access to another vehicle for long trips and vacations. BEVs got a good reputation. Adoption targets were revised upwards when old targets were met. The costly incentives became institutionalized and difficult to downscale without hurting the successful market.Retrospective Total cost of ownership analysis of battery electric vehicles in NorwaypublishedVersio
Optimal Entry and Exit Decisions Under Uncertainty and the Impact of Mean Reversion
Get PDFTvedt, J. Optimal Entry and Exit Decisions Under Uncertainty and the Impact of Mean Reversion. Oper. Res. Forum 3, 54 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43069-022-00161-9This paper derives an entrepreneur’s optimal switching between an idle and an active state under stochastic mean reverting output prices. The paper suggests a new categorisation of the effects of mean reversion. Mean reversion affects valuation and optimal entry and exit thresholds via the variance of output prices and expected future cashflows. High variance increases the value of optionality and enhances hysteresis effects. Changes to the expected cashflow path affect the attractiveness of the active relative to the idle state. In addition, changes to the moments affect the implicit risk discounting rate and thereby valuation and the optimal switching strategy.publishedVersio
Charging Sustainable Batteries
No full textHaving transformed our way of life, rechargeable batteries are poised for exponential growth over the coming decade, notably due to the wider adoption of electric vehicles. An international expert panel proposes a combination of vision, innovation and practice for feasible pathways toward sustainable batteries.publishedVersio
Tettstedspakker som samordnings- og samskapingsmodell
No full textNorges forpliktelser etter Parisavtalen skal blant annet nås gjennom «nullvekstmålet», og et av virkemidlene har vært koordinerte «flernivåpakker» av infrastrukturtiltak, bilrestriktive tiltak og føringer for arealpolitikken – omtalt som «byvekstavtaler». Artikkelen har studert hvordan fire mindre kommuner har arbeidet for å utvikle liknende pakker for sine tettstedsområder. Gjennom empiriske studier viser artikkelen hva slags utfordringer aktørene mener tettstedspakkene skal svare bidra til å løse. Erfaringen med den eneste bygdepakken som er gjennomført, er at den bidrar til større grad av flernivåsamordning for en sterkt sektorinndelt forvaltning, og de nye pakkene som er utformet, har liknende potensial. I tillegg viser studien at tettstedspakkene i større grad enn byvekstavtalene evner å ta inn virkemidler innrettet mot sosial bærekraftig stedsutvikling.Tettstedspakker som samordnings- og samskapingsmodel
Testing the effect of hedge height on perceived safety-a landscape design intervention
Get PDFEvensen, K.H.; Nordh, H.; Hassan, R.; Fyhri, A. Testing the Effect of Hedge Height on Perceived Safety—A Landscape Design Intervention. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5063. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095063Access to safe, green urban environments is important for quality of life in cities. The objective of this study is to explore the impact of a safety-enhancing landscape design measure on visitors’ experiences in an urban park. Additionally, this paper combines the use of field and virtual reality (VR) experiments, contributing methodological insights into how to evaluate safety measures in green space management and research on perceived safety. In a field experiment (n = 266), we explored whether the height of a hedge along a pathway influenced perceived safety among users. The field study showed that cutting down the hedge improved the perceived prospect of the immediate surrounding areas for female users, which again made them feel safer in the park. We developed a VR experiment for an evening scenario in the same environment (n = 19) to supplement the field study and test the effect of the intervention further. The VR experiment also found a gender effect on perceived safety, with females reporting lower perceived safety, but no effect was shown for the height of the hedge. The results in this study show that environmental attributes such as perceived prospect and concealment should be considered in the design and management of urban green spaces. Additionally, this research demonstrates an approach to conducting field experiments to test the effects of actual design interventions and then further developing these experiments using VR technology. Further research on perceived safety in outdoor spaces is needed to make use of this combined method’s potential
The role of values in road safety culture: Examining the valuation of freedom to take risk, risk taking and accident involvement in three countries
Get PDFTor-Olav Nævestad, Alexandra Laiou, Tova Rosenbloom, Rune Elvik, George Yannis, The role of values in road safety culture: Examining the valuation of freedom to take risk, risk taking and accident involvement in three countries, Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, Volume 84, 2022, Pages 375-392, ISSN 1369-8478, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2021.12.012 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847821002904)National focus on individual freedom versus paternalistic values is a fundamental theme, which defines the status of traffic safety in different countries. The present study examines the role of such values in road safety culture based on survey data from car and bus drivers from three countries with distinctly different road safety records: Norway (N = 596), Israel (N = 129) and Greece (N = 386). While Norway has the highest road safety level in Europe, and Israel also performs better than the EU average, the road safety level in Greece was far below the EU average. As these positions reflect differences in policies and national regulations in drivers’ freedom to take risk, we hypothesize a higher focus on individual freedom to take risk and lower focus on paternalism among the Greek drivers. Results indicate, in accordance with our hypothesis, that the Greek drivers value freedom to take risk in traffic higher than drivers from Norway and Israel. Greek drivers also expect higher levels of risk taking from other drivers in their country, they report higher levels of risky driving themselves, and are more often involved in accidents. Thus, it seems that values have an important role in Road Safety Culture (RSC), legitimizing and motivating risky driving, which are related to accidents. We found, however, contrary to our hypotheses, that the Greek drivers also had the most paternalistic attitudes among the drivers in the three countries. In the present paper, we try to solve this Greek paradox.publishedVersio
Cyclists' Perception of Maintenance and Operation of Cycling Infrastructure—Results From a Norwegian Survey
Get PDFAasvik O and Bjørnskau T (2021) Cyclists’ Perception of Maintenance and Operation of Cycling Infrastructure—Results From a Norwegian Survey. Front. Psychol. 12:696317. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.696317The Norwegian authorities want to limit the extent of car use in city areas to existing levels. Such a limitation would help combat climate change, improve health of citizens, and alleviate congestion. This implies that any further increase in transport needs will have to be met by walking, cycling and use of public transport. Reaching this ambitious goal requires knowledge about cyclists' preferences concerning operation and maintenance (M&O) of roads and foot/cycle paths. Previous research suggests that M&O have great implications for travel mode choice, bicycle route/path choice, safety, security, and comfort. With the need to serve bicyclists of all ages and genders, this study additionally explores which M&O of roads and foot/cycle the different demographic groups perceive positively or negatively. This article reports results from a nationwide survey in the summer of 2019. Two thousand three hundred seventy-six cyclists across Norway (55% male; 29% 60) participated to determine the cyclists' perceptions about year-round M&O of roads and foot/cycle paths. Respondents, rather than being randomly selected, completed an internet-linked survey. The variables included maintenance of foot/cycle paths in terms of salt and snow plowing and operation and maintenance of roads in terms of glass, holes/bumps, and conditions. Our results suggest that female cyclists suffer more from adverse conditions than do males. We also find that males are more likely to cycle during winter, which is an additional indication that adverse conditions affect women and men differently. Surprisingly, older cyclists report to be less affected by poor conditions than younger cyclists. Self-selection to participate in the survey among older cyclists might be an important explanation for this result. Cycling conditions vary greatly between geographical areas, reflecting the large climatic variations across Norway. Most respondents have experienced a cycle accident where conditions contributed, and many sometimes forfeit cycling due to adverse conditions. Implications for future research and practice of M&O are discussed.publishedVersio
Video observation of encounters between the automated shuttles and other traffic participants along an approach to right-hand priority T-intersection
Get PDFPokorny, P., Skender, B., Bjørnskau, T. et al. Video observation of encounters between the automated shuttles and other traffic participants along an approach to right-hand priority T-intersection. Eur. Transp. Res. Rev. 13, 59 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12544-021-00518-xIntroduction Increasing numbers of deployment projects of automated shuttles have been taking place worldwide. Safety is one of the main concerns for their successful implementation. Therefore, it is vital to gain the knowledge about interactions between these shuttles and other traffic participants. Method Given the lack of behavioural observational studies under regular traffic conditions, the presented study applies external video recordings to explore encounters between the shuttles approaching a T-intersection and other traffic participants. The encounters of interest included a vulnerable road user in the bicycle lane, a pedestrian on the zebra crossing and a road user overtaking the shuttle. The shuttles were identified from the video by RUBA software. We analysed the encounters using T-Analyst software together with the manual observation of traffic participants' behaviour. Results From 220 h of video, 318 unique manoeuvres of the shuttle were observed and 83 encounters with other traffic participants were identified and explored. Several types of risks and behavioural patterns were identified, such as road users misusing the defensive style of the shuttles or cyclists in the bicycle lane not being sure about the shuttle’s intention. Frequent hard stops of the shuttles might be dangerous for the passengers inside and can increase the risk of rear end accidents. Conclusions The findings provide a valuable insight into the interactions between automated shuttles and other traffic participants under regular traffic conditions on one location in Oslo, Norway. The study showed that introducing automated shuttles into regular traffic can lead to the emergence of new types of interactions between the shuttles and other traffic participants.publishedVersio
Street-space reallocation in the Oslo city center: Adaptations, effects, and consequences
No full textCities worldwide reallocate street space from serving cars to other modes and uses as part of strategies to make their city centers attractive, vibrant, and accessible. Novel empirical knowledge may reduce uncertainties and opposition to implementation. This article contributes insights into how commuters and city center users adapted to rapid and radical street reallocations in the Oslo city center and the effects and consequences they experienced. Extensive surveys were conducted before and after realization; the results showed weak but positive results for the issues investigated, such as commute satisfaction, experienced accessibility, frequency of visits, and appreciation of the city center. Travel experiences improved for those walking and bicycling, whereas they worsened for those driving. The results showed only minor modal changes. The interventions contributed positively to factors attracting visitors, and thus, the findings might expand authorities’ understanding of feasible interventions when developing more sustainable and people-friendly cities.publishedVersio