The knowledge acquired all along the course is both methodological and applied. The methodological knowledge is based on learning about theories and methods to dimension a transport system (all the transport modes), both private and public, as well as to evaluate the financial profitability and the economic efficiency, the environmental and energy impact, also under the point of view of the external costs. Furthermore, the study of the economic theories on which the markets are based and of the competition for and within the market allow defining the most appropriate management approach for transport companies and the principles of market regulations (fare policies, internalisation of costs). This last aspect is supported by acquiring the knowledge in terms of techniques to measure the financial performances of the enterprises. The knowledge of the national accounts, with a thorough analysis of the transport sector, completes the framework within the enterprises offer their services. The applied knowledge is acquired through the experimental work carried out during the course, that provides the analysis of real cases to which apply the learned theories. For example, the students learn how to evaluate the performances of the transport systems (capacity, potentiality, level of service), how to evaluate the financial equilibrium, the monetary liquidity, the investments’ profitability. The knowledge acquired during the course allows to develop: a) the ability to describe and analyse a transport system; b) the mastery of the basic techniques to dimension a transport system; c) the ability to measure the performances of a transport service; d) the skills in the evaluation of a transport system according to the point of view of the different stakeholders (users, firm operating the service or managing the system, general public, policy and decision maker); e) the ability to analyse the markets and to define the fares if the different transport systems.

Basic notions of Mathematics, Statistics, Physics and Mechanics. Basic notions on the evaluation of investment projects given in the "Construction project management" course (Civil Engineering) or "Business economics and organization" (Mechanical Engineering).

Mechanics of locomotion: 9 hours - Traction and friction - Ordinary and accidental resistances on roads and railways - The motion equation and the phases of motion - Power and traction diagrams, performance curves and manual integration of the motion equation - Braking and stop distances on roads and railways - Motion diagrams of a vehicle. Vehicular flows: 14 hours - Kinds of traffic streams, motion diagrams of several vehicles, headway and spacing - Physical quantities characterising the flow - The fundamental law of traffic flow on road transport - Stationary road traffic flow and related theoretical-deductive models - Empirical-inductive models for road traffic flows: HCM manual - Railways circulation rules - Theoretical (block theory) and empirical (Fiche UIC 406) models for flows on railway networks. Scheduling transport services: 7 hours - Physical quantities and measurement units for traffic in transport systems - Graphical timetables, operations at same or different speeds, rights of ways and crossings in railways - Line transports: cycle time, frequency and capacity. Fundamentals of macroeconomics: 5 hours - National accounts: gross and net national product. Income accounts, gross internal product and balance with foreign countries. The role of different parties in national accounts - National transport accounts, comparison between Italy and France. Fundamentals of microeconomics: 10 hours - Introduction: economic organisation, production factors and definition of market - Demand and supply curves, market equilibrium point; elasticity of the demand; analysis of production costs - Free competition markets and monopolies. Evaluation of transport projects: 8 hours - Market and shadow prices - Project evaluation in the public sector: cost-benefit and multicriteria analysis. Transport economics: 27 hours - Transport policy tools. - Deregulation in the transport sector: air, road (including freight), rail and public transport. - European and national regulations on transport markets and evolution of the regulatory framework. - Railway companies and the owner of the infrastructure. Italian legislation on railways and FS structure from 1905 to today. - The infrastructure access fee, Network Prospectus (PIR) and Performance Regime, catalogue and its critical issues. - Local public transport: legislative and regulatory evolution. Management of tenders and in-house assignments. Service contracts. Comparison among European countries. - Funding mechanisms for public transport and transport companies in the European market. - Transport authorities in Italy and France: role, tasks and international public transport market. - Costs and pricing in transport. The classification of investments, operational and infrastructure costs. - Marginal cost pricing. Collective surplus. Prices and tariffs. - Road pricing: role and reactions of users.

The course for the Mechanical Engineering class provides 6 credits. Thus, the students who choose such course will have a deduction of 20 hours, defined at the beginning of the course. This choice aims to maximise the student learning, taking into account his/her educational background and avoiding potential overlapping with previous courses.

Workshops, that last about three to four hours each, are targeted at the development of numerical applications that are related to the topics covered during lessons, in particular on the following points: 1. LOCOMOTION MECHANICS. The movement of single vehicles, active forces and resistances. The motion equation. Computation of the performances of vehicles moving at constant speed or during acceleration and deceleration phases. 2. PERFORMANCES OF THE MEANS. Experimental formulas to compute ordinary and accidental resistances. Traction diagrams and manual integration of the motion equation. 3. CAPACITY OF THE INFRASTRUCTURES. Vehicular flows, levels of service and HCM manual. Railways traffic. 4. RESOURCES FOR TRANSPORT SERVICES. Graphical timetables, fleet and crew scheduling. 5. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS. Interests, depreciation, curves of costs and revenues, breakeven and maximum profit point. Calculation of cost per kilometre of a vehicle. 6. EVALUATION OF INVESTMENTS AND PROJECTS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR. Cost benefit analysis.

The nature of the course and the available references do not allow to have only one textbook; thus, the attendance to the course is fundamental for an effective learning process. All along the course, proper textbooks will be suggested to complete the training process. As an example, some topics are contained in the following textbook: - Samuelson, P.A., Nordhaus, W.D. (2009) Microeconomics, McGraw-Hill. Concerning specific topics, ad hoc material (articles, reports, etc.) will be uploaded on the course web page at Politecnico web site.

Exam: Written test; Compulsory oral exam;

The exam implies a written as well as an oral part, both are compulsory. The goal of the exam is to ascertain the knowledge of the topics covered during classes and the achievement of the above mentioned learning outcomes. Written exam: solution of numerical exercises on the topics dealt during the workshops. The written exam will include two exercises and it will be possible to consult personal notes, at least for part of it. Oral exam: it will deal with all the topics covered during the course and it will compulsorily take place after few days from the written exam. The oral exam will last about 30 minutes. The admittance requirement to the oral exam is having obtained a score of at least 18/30 in the written exam and, for each of the two exercises, a score of at least 15/30.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.

Exam: Compulsory oral exam;

The exam implies a compulsory oral colloquium. The goal of the exam is to ascertain the knowledge of the topics covered during classes and the achievement of the above mentioned learning outcomes. This oral exam will deal with all the topics covered in class and might imply the solution of short exercises, that will not be graded like in written exams but that will be directly discussed with the student during the colloquium. The oral exam will last about 30-45 minutes.

Exam: Written test; Compulsory oral exam;

The exam implies a written as well as an oral part, both are compulsory. The goal of the exam is to ascertain the knowledge of the topics covered during classes and the achievement of the above mentioned learning outcomes. Written exam: solution of numerical exercises on the topics dealt during the workshops. The written exam will include two exercises and it will be possible to consult personal notes, at least for part of it. Oral exam: it will deal with all the topics covered during the course and it will compulsorily take place after few days from the written exam. The oral exam will last about 30 minutes. The admittance requirement to the oral exam is having obtained a score of at least 18/30 in the written exam and, for each of the two exercises, a score of at least 15/30.