Time-Equitable Dynamic Tolling Scheme For Single Bottlenecks

Abstract

Dynamic tolls present an opportunity for municipalities to eliminate congestion and fund infrastructure. Imposing tolls that regulate travel along a public highway through monetary fees raise worries of inequity. In this article, we introduce the concept of time poverty, emphasize its value in policy-making in the same ways income poverty is already considered, and argue the potential equity concern posed by time-varying tolls that produce time poverty. We also compare the cost burdens of a no-toll, system optimal toll, and a proposed ``time-equitable" toll on heterogeneous traveler groups using an analytical Vickrey bottleneck model where travelers make departure time decisions to arrive at their destination at a fixed time. We show that the time-equitable toll is able to eliminate congestion while creating equitable travel patterns amongst traveler groups.