In search of lost time: An estimate of the production losses in traffic congestion in Brazil

Abstract

This article estimates economic losses associated with urban mobility problems in Brazil by calculating the average production loss due to commuting time to work, using data from the 2010 Demographic Census. The results are presented in absolute and relative values (% of GDP) for States, Metropolitan Regions (RMs) and municipalities in Brazil, with emphasis on the difference in time spent in RMs and municipalities and the interior of each state. The results were significant, and the total estimated loss is 1.8% of GDP. If the commuting time in the RMs were equal to those of municipalities in the interior, there would be a reduction of 27.6% (R$ 26.7 billion) of total losses, suggesting that improvements in urban mobility can bring great social returns.