The Distributional Consequences of Paid-Priority Queues
Fuente:
arXiv
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1866911313931796480 |
|---|---|
| author | Corvalan, Alejandro |
| author_facet | Corvalan, Alejandro |
| contents | This note examines the distributional implications of introducing a fast-track queue for accessing a service when agents are heterogeneous in both income and service valuation. Relative to a single free queue, I show that willingness to adopt the priority system is determined solely by income, regardless of service valuation. High-income individuals benefit from the fast-track access, while low-income individuals are worse off and remain in the free line. Middle-income individuals weakly prefer the single free queue; yet, under the priority regime, they pay for fast-track access. Thus, the use of the priority queue does not reveal preferences for the priority system. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_10594 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | The Distributional Consequences of Paid-Priority Queues Corvalan, Alejandro General Economics Economics This note examines the distributional implications of introducing a fast-track queue for accessing a service when agents are heterogeneous in both income and service valuation. Relative to a single free queue, I show that willingness to adopt the priority system is determined solely by income, regardless of service valuation. High-income individuals benefit from the fast-track access, while low-income individuals are worse off and remain in the free line. Middle-income individuals weakly prefer the single free queue; yet, under the priority regime, they pay for fast-track access. Thus, the use of the priority queue does not reveal preferences for the priority system. |
| title | The Distributional Consequences of Paid-Priority Queues |
| topic | General Economics Economics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.10594 |