Potential for ITS/ICT Solutions in Urban Freight Management

Abstract

The article presents a study on applying ITS solutions in planning and management of urban freight transport in Gdynia. The traffic management system Tristar which is under implementation and its related systems show a potential to assist in development of freight transport measures. Recommendations for urban freight policy development supplementing Gdynia's Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan were used as a basis for identification where ITS/ITC could be implemented. The first stage may involve modelling and analysis of freight vehicle traffic with new multilevel transport model for Gdynia. Other possible measures include, among others provision of dynamic information for vehicle routing and priorities for trucks on selected sections of road network. However, problems with access to reliable data describing delivery vehicle traffic were identified in this early stage as no practical rules for their collection had been developed. Additional problems appear in acquiring urban supply chain characteristics that require collaboration with the private sector. Such studies have not as yet been conducted in Poland. The identified factors indicate the need to precisely specify expected results and the areas of ITS application in Gdynia to prepare for their. Dynamic routing and scheduling with real time information appeared to be the most promising solution applying ITS, with temporary priorities for HGV providing services to the sea port in Gdynia in peak traffic and directing lorries implementation to free parking slots. Experience gained in these applications will be useful in developing other, complex solutions, e.g. in organising distribution in the city centre.