This contribution presents a number of critical reservations on the way in which transport economic research is set up. The discrepancy between the academic and social usefulness of research, the role of motivation structure within universities - and in the world of consulting - and the consequences of market imperfections for transport economic research are emphasised. It is argued that existing incentives can lead to the problem that certain types of socially relevant research are not conducted or are hardly conducted at all. Several suggestions are made on ways of possibly making the research market work better. The intention must be to invest academic research with more reality credibility, to provide highly policy-oriented research and consultancy work with a solid foundation and, above all else, to achieve better co-ordination between academics, consultants and policy-making bodies. (A)
Abstract