Citation

Guerra E, Reyes A. Transp. Res. D Trans. Environ. 2022; 104: 103191.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.trd.2022.103191

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

License-plate-based driving restrictions have a mixed track record of reducing pollution and congestion. This paper analyzes a large household travel survey, household interviews, and a focus group to examine how residents adjust their travel behavior in response to Mexico City's Hoy No Circula. Purchasing a newer exempt vehicle is a popular approach. Two-thirds of private cars on the road are exempt. These vehicles are more likely to be driven by wealthier residents during peak hours and in the most congested, central parts of the metropolitan area. Households with a non-exempt vehicle generally only drive a few times per week. However, there is a small subset of metropolitan drivers with restricted vehicles who drive regularly. These regular drivers adopt a suite of behavioral responses, including switching modes, shuffling travel to unrestricted times, and cheating. Even under optimistic assumptions, the policy reduces driving by far less than the 20% that policymakers hope.

Language: en

Keywords

Air quality; Driving restrictions; Hoy No Circula; License plate bans