Direct and cross elasticities for freight distribution access charges: Empirical evidence by vehicle class, vehicle kilometres and tonne vehicle kilometres

•Access charge reform for heavy vehicles motivates generation of freight elasticities.•Mixed logit models are estimated on data collected from a stated choice experiment.•Direct/cross access charging elasticities calculated for 16 vehicle classes and rail.•Access charge influenced by distance, mass and location of variants of a recent trip.•Considers impact on vehicle class choice, total kilometres, and tonne kilometres.

This paper uses data collected in Australia in 2010–2011 on alternative access charge regimes for freight transport, obtained from a stated choice experiment, which is used in estimation of mixed logit models calibrated on vehicle market shares, to derive matrices of direct and cross access charging elasticities that represent the relationship between an access charge (defined by combinations of distance, mass, and location), vehicle class choice, total kilometres, and tonne–kilometres carried in the vehicle class segments. The elasticities can be used to estimate the response of heavy vehicle operators (and shippers) to price signals under the different access charging schemes.