Available Means Of Transport Research Articles

IMPACT OF RURAL ROAD TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE IN OSUN STATE FARM SETTLEMENTS

Distribution of farm produce has been a major problem for rural farmers due to the lack of rural road infrastructural facilities. This study therefore sets out to examine the impact of rural road transportation infrastructure on the distribution of agricultural produce in Osun State farm settlements. The purposive sampling method was used to select three hundred and eighty-five rural farmers from all the nine farm settlements in Osun State, while structured questionnaires were administered to the selected farmers. Factor analysis was used to evaluate the impact of rural road transportation infrastructure on distribution of agricultural produce. Factor analysis revealed Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy = 0.792, p =.000 while four factors were extracted with a total variance of 66.346%. Furthermore, results from regression analysis using the factor scores generated from factor analysis as independent variables indicated that rural road transport infrastructure has significant effect on the distribution of agricultural produce in the studied area (R = 0.793; F–statistics = 147.888; p< 0.05) while all the four independent variables are significant with beta contributions of distance (14.6%), accessibility (11.8%), available means of transport (68.2%) while mode of transport ownership made the least significant contribution of 25.5% at p<0.05. The study concluded that rural road transport infrastructure has significant effect on the distribution activities of agricultural produce in the studied area. The study therefore recommended that the use of intermediate means of transportation should be encouraged in farm settlements.

Determinants of charcoal production and marketing in the Mankranso forest district in the Ashanti region of Ghana

This study sought to investigate the determinants of participating in charcoal production and trade as well as explore the marketing strategies used by charcoal value chain actors and the challenges confronting the charcoal business. A multistage sampling approach was employed to sample 120 respondents in five communities in Ahafo Ano South District. Descriptive statistics, binary probit regression and qualitative approaches were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that education, household size, marital status, ethnicity, farm size, proximity to the production site and regulations on charcoal production are the significant determinant of charcoal production with diverse effects. Also, gender, education, marital status, ethnicity, the quantity of charcoal produced, cost of packaging material, FBO membership, availability of storeroom, regulation of charcoal production, and ready market are the determinants of charcoal marketing. The qualitative discussion revealed that charcoal producers and traders utilise a couple of marketing strategies. Thus, pricing strategies such as pan seasonal, pan territorial, cost plus pricing and competitive pricing are all used by the respondents. Also, charcoal is packaged into different sizes and weight which ranges from mini bag, maxi bag and jumbo bags. Again, the margin analysis indicated that retailers make more margins than the other authors in the charcoal value chain. Averagely, retailers make 28.30 per 50 kg bag when dealing directly with farmers. The most pressing challenges faced by the respondents are levies paid, the tedious nature of charcoal production and trade, limited access to credit, lack of government support, limited transport system and lack of storage facilities. It is therefore recommended that other tribes in the producing areas need to be educated on the potential fortunes in charcoal production to orient them towards engaging in the venture. Moreover, investment should be channelled towards developing charcoal markets and also improving accessibility by improving road networks and making available means of transport to the producing areas to aid market access.

Improvement of Factory Transport Efficiency with Use of WiFi-Based Technique for Monitoring Industrial Vehicles

The in-factory transport influences production rate and quality, so it is characterized by the shortest displacement time and maximum utilization of available means of transport, accompanied by their lowest operating wear. In the paper, an improvement of factory transport management is suggested, employing the traffic analysis methods of industrial vehicles. The efficiency of internal logistics was analyzed with the use of the WiFi-based technique for monitoring industrial vehicles. In the research, the in-building location system Optimatik BI was used and implemented in a company manufacturing PVC profiles for the market of building materials and interior equipment. Stopping times of forklift trucks, their routes and covered distances were estimated. On this ground, factors of their effective use were calculated. Further, it was possible to analyze the traffic of the forklift trucks and to generate heat maps that, in turn, made it possible to identify problems and develop a suitable improvement plan. A mathematical model that allows for efficiency optimization by determining the best number of employees handling the transport was developed for one of the analyzed logistics tasks.

Ship-Based Carbon Capture and Storage: A Supply Chain Feasibility Study

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) calls for the maritime industry to restrict its CO2 emissions by −40% (IMO2030) and −70% (IMO2050). This paper answered the following research question: “Which technical, economic and emissions-related conditions predominantly determine the feasibility of a conceptual supply chain of liquid CO2 that is captured from the exhaust gases of LNG powered offshore vessels?” The captured CO2 is transported to land where it is utilized by a final customer. The study followed a systems engineering approach. Problem definition was followed by a requirements analysis (technology, emissions, economy and operations), design with scenarios and a case study with realistic vessel deployment, modeling and evaluation. All designs have technical uncertainties and financial risks, but the sale of captured CO2 could be a crucial advantage of the proposed concept over other concepts. The main conclusion is that emission and financial targets (payback time) can be met by aligning the offshore transportation distance with the capacity to store CO2 on board and the available means of transport to the final user. Specialists from the vessel owner indicate that capturing, storage and off-loading is likely to have minor implications for the vessel availability and regular operations.

Mobile Thermal Energy Storage

The article is devoted to topical issues related to the storage, accumulation and transportation of heat by stationary and mobile heat storage. Analysis of the current state of the district heating system indicates significant heat losses at all stages of providing the consumer with heat. The use of heat storage in heat supply systems leads to balancing the heat supply system, namely, the peak load is reduced; heat production schedules are optimized by accumulating excess energy and using it during emergency outages; heat losses caused by uneven operation of thermal equipment during heat generation are reduced; the need for primary energy and fuel consumption is reduced, as well as the amount of harmful emissions into the environment. The main focus is on mobile thermal batteries (M-TES). The use of M-TES makes it possible to build a completely new discrete heat supply system without the traditional pipeline transport of the heat carrier. The defining parameters affecting the efficiency of the M-TES are the reliability and convenience of the design, the efficiency and volume of the “working fluid”, the operating temperature of the MTA recharging and the distance of transportation from the heat source to the consumer. The article contains examples of the implementation of mobile heat accumulators in the world and in Ukraine, their technical and technological characteristics, scope and degree of efficiency. The technical indicators of the implemented project for the creation of a mobile heat accumulator located in a 20-foot container and intended for transportation by any available means of transport are given.

Boris Pasternak wobec przemian cywilizacyjnych

Boris Pasternak made use of available means of transport and communication on a daily basis. This fact, however, was not reflected in his autobiographical writings, correspondence and his oeuvre. The sole exception was the railway, playing a significant role in the life of the author and his protagonists as well as in the contents and form of his works.

The use of crowd and riot control squads in modern police operations

Within the structure of the Polish Police, as a formation statutorily responsible for the protection of health, life and property of citizens, there are crowd and riot control squads (Pol. pododdziały zwarte). These are police organisational units , also referred to as riot police units (Pol. OPP - Oddziały Prewencji Policji) and independent riot police subunits (Pol. SPPP - Samodzielne Pododdziały Prewencji Policji). Their main advantage is the possibility of deploying several thousand police officers to respond to various events in a relatively short period of time and, if necessary, to broadly understood threats to the security of citizens. This is achieved by the use of appropriate mechanisms for maintaining readiness to act and achieving higher levels of readiness, as well as due to an organisational structure based on the military model, mobility based on available means of transport, a system of specialist trainings and modularity and compatibility with other police squads. Quite a wide range of opportunities to act in situations of existing threats to people and the environment raises the question of the quality and possibilities for the development of this structure, its strengths, as well as difficulties that emerge, both in terms of a direct involvement in various forms of police action, as well as those relating to the real condition of the structure, in the context of forces and measures available to the squads in question. At this point, it is necessary to mention other police structures referred to as police squads which include officers who daily perform different prevention activities (e.g. they occupy the posts of patrol and responding officers at county and municipal police headquarters). These are so-called irregular riot police units (Pol. NOP - Nieetatowe Oddziały Prewencji) and irregular riot police subunits (Pol. NPP - Nieetatowe Pododdziały Prewencji); however, their role and operational rules are not the subject matter, and the main issue under consideration is so-called regular units, whose officers remain in the structures of riot police units and independent riot police subunits.

How Eudaimonic Aspect of Subjective Well-Being Affect Transport Mode Choice? The Case of Thessaloniki, Greece

In recent years, the relationship between transportation and subjective well-being has been a major subject. Well-being is a factor that can affect travelers’ psychology and transport mode choice. For this reason, policymakers have attempted to improve travelers’ subjective well-being and promote sustainable modes of transport. For a better understanding of these factors, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted to identify the travel eudaimonia aspect of subjective well-being (comfort, safety, autonomy, self-confidence, physical, and mental health), for the various means of transport in the city of Thessaloniki. During the survey, 300 valid questionnaires were completed. The collection of the above data was followed by statistical analysis. The aim of the analysis was to identify the factors of travel eudaimonia that contributed to the mode choice. For that reason, four ordinal regression models were developed to determine how travel eudaimonia affected the usage frequency of the four available means of transport in the city of Thessaloniki (i.e., private car, bicycle, public transport, walking). Walking was rated higher than other modes in all factors, whilst cycling was rated high in physical and mental health, self-confidence, and autonomy, but low in comfort and safety. Public transport scored very low in all factors, demonstrating the poor quality of service provided by the city’s public transport. Moreover, from the ordinal regression models’ results, it could be demonstrated that travel eudaimonia factors had a significant role to play in mode choice. Recognizing the impact of these factors on transport mode choice is particularly useful for policymakers, researchers, and engineers, as it helps them to make informed decisions about what improvements are needed to promote sustainable modes of transport (mainly walking, cycling, and secondarily, public transport).

Horizontal cooperation in a multimodal public transport system: The profit allocation problem

We analyse the situation involving several transport companies in an intermodal public transport system. It is assumed that they cooperate by offering travel cards which can be used on all available means of transport. In order to solve the problem of profit allocation among the companies involved, we first introduce a coloured graph which describes the transport network and then propose a game theoretical approach to share the profit among the companies. Two new allocation rules, called the Coloured Egalitarian Solution and the Coloured Cost Proportional Solution, are introduced and axiomatically characterised. Furthermore, it is shown that both solutions provide stable allocations in the sense that they cannot be improved upon by any coalition of players.

Active travel despite motorcar access. A city-wide, GIS-based multilevel study on neighborhood walkability and active travel in Germany

Abstract Background Neighborhood walkability has consistently been associated with utilitarian walking and total physical activity in non-European studies. However, evidence on environmental correlates of physical activity in Europe is still scarce and little is known about potential interactions between neighborhood walkability, active travel, and individual or household related characteristics including available means of transport. Methods The study examined the association of neighborhood walkability with self-reported active travel in Bielefeld, Germany. Travel survey data from 2867 adult residents and geographic information for 88 neighborhoods were analyzed in multilevel Poisson regression models including relevant interaction terms to assess potential effect modifications by age, gender, household members, available means of transport, and neighborhood socio-economic status. Results Active travel frequencies increased with female gender, available bicycles, neighborhood walkability and decreased with more household members, motorcars, and public transport passes within households. In the final model, a one standard deviation change in neighborhood walkability was associated with an estimated 27.5% increase in active travel trips. Stronger effects were found at younger ages and in participants with greater motorcar availability. No evidence was found for an effect modification by neighborhood socioeconomic status, household members, available public transport passes, or gender. Conclusions The positive association between neighborhood walkability and active travel shown in other urban contexts was confirmed in a historically evolved city in Germany. The observed effect varied with respondents’ age and available motorcars, which is in line with recent findings and suggests that public health advocacy in urban planning could promote physical activity on a population level, including those with motorcar access.

Rating preferences and transport behavior of passengers traveling to the Airport Szczecin-Goleniów

The article presents the results of a survey aimed at isolating the differences in preferences and behaviour of decision travellers commuting from Szczecin to Goleniów airport. Based on the data obtained a comparative analysis of the available means of transport, paying attention to the shortcomings of existing forms of transfer and possible ways of their elimination. Also the demands most frequently put forward and the opinions not included in the questionnaire but being reported during the whole survey were taken into consideration. Final results are presented in graphical and tabular form.

Harbour Infrastructure Inventory Development with 3D Laser Scanning Method

Abstract In the Polish law harbour infrastructure is one of key elements to determine the various cargo types, available means of transport and, ultimately, the significance of any sea port. The structures, devices and installations situated within a port’s boundaries, dedicated to the swift operation of the port, are all designed for tasks that involve the best use of this infrastructure. The proper development and modernization of this infrastructure may well result in improved cooperation with road networks and transportation on land. Owing to modern technology, it is possible to scan the surrounding buildings or location with great accuracy and render three-dimensional models of the scanned objects. These models can be used to generate harbour maps with a detailed 3D picture of the entire port and navigational infrastructure. The authors of this article present the possible applications of modern laser scanning technology in port infrastructure surveying, and in particular in the survey of a complicated wharf line on the Motława River along Długie Pobrzeże Street in Gdańsk.

A107 PERCEPTION OF HEALTH AND ACCESSIBILITY IN AMAZONIA: an approach with GIS mapping to making decision on hospital location

Abstract Background Processes of city planning have often supported decision-making methods that involve selection, evaluation and combination of several factors. In addition, nowadays, the accessibility is one important issue for the development of cities. Therefore, factors closely related to the accessibility are very relevant to identify and assess the location of urban facilities, which stresses the interest of evaluating accessibility methods. The main goal of the paper is to present an accessibility analysis applied in a hospital of Santarem, in Brazil, a city located midway between the larger cities of Belem and Manaus. In 2007, The Low Amazonas Regional Public Hospital (LARP Hospital) located in the city of Santarem aiming to decentralize the state health service, taking to the western of Para one reference hospital specialized in medium and high complexity service. Despite the large extension of Low Amazonas region, this area has received unsatisfactory attention in health studies. Methods The paper describes the research instruments, sampling method and data analysis proposed for mapping urban accessibility in health of LARP Hospital in relation to Santarem and other cities in its surrounding, as the main key-destinations. In this sense, the goal of this research was to analyze the accessibility of the LARP Hospital as reference center, what became possible by the georeferencing and interviews with 381 LARP users, considering confidence level of 95% and margin of error of 5%, using a four-part questionnaire: travel pattern; socioeconomics input; service evaluation and main destinations. The model was implemented within a Geographic Information System (GIS) and integrates the individual’s perspective, through the definition of each key destination weight, reflecting their significance for daily activities in health in the region. Results The main options accessibility of the LARP hospital is lowering. Therefore, this justifies the construction of the second high complexity hospital in order to minimize the iniquities of the public health service in the region. Health services in the Lower Amazon is inaccessible for much of the population, mainly by the presence of physical barriers to health, either by distance or by the lack of available means of transport. Conclusions The results of this model application can support city administration decision-making for new investments in order to improve urban quality of live. In addition, the model can simulate and analyze several planning proposal for the city, e.g., expansion of the transport network, the construction of new health services, helping to understand which will be the consequences of those actions.

Análise de alternativas de transporte de passageiro em relação ao custo e tempo de viagem

The transportation planning must take into account the quality of life of the community and its users. It is believed that the cost and the quality of service offered are decisive factors in the selection of alternatives by users. Thus, the study presents a procedure for understanding the transport modal choice of passenger according to two attributes: time and travel cost. This study aims, through a sensitivity analysis, to understand the likely behavior of passengers and their alternatives through permutation of collective and individual options. The application of the methodological procedure enhances the understanding of the behavior of passengers on its available means of transport. The Sensitivity Analysis tool allows transportation planners to realize that the choice of alternative transport is closely related to the individual's family income.

Análise de alternativas de transporte de passageiro em relação ao custo e tempo de viagem

The transportation planning must take into account the quality of life of the community and its users. It is believed that the cost and the quality of service offered are decisive factors in the selection of alternatives by users. Thus, the study presents a procedure for understanding the transport modal choice of passenger according to two attributes: time and travel cost. This study aims, through a sensitivity analysis, to understand the likely behavior of passengers and their alternatives through permutation of collective and individual options. The application of the methodological procedure enhances the understanding of the behavior of passengers on its available means of transport. The Sensitivity Analysis tool allows transportation planners to realize that the choice of alternative transport is closely related to the individual's family income.

Environmental Health Implications of Motorcycles Emitted Gases in a Metropolitan Nigeria

A study to assess the various gases emitted by motorcycles in a metropolitan State, Uyo, in Nigeria was carried out. Two hundred commercial motorcycles the mostly available means of transport were used for the study drawn from seven motorcycle parks. The gases examined were nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, chlorine, hydrogen sulphide and ammonia. The overall collection results per motorcycle parks showed the following gases concentrations: Motor Park –A; NO<SUB>2</SUB>; 12.7ppm, SO<SUB>2</SUB>; 13ppm, CO; 1337ppm, H<SUB>2</SUB>S; 20.2ppm, NH<SUB>4</SUB>; 97ppm, Cl<SUB>2</SUB>; 20.3ppm, HCN; 80ppm. Motorcycle Park B-NO<SUB>2</SUB>; 12.1ppm, SO<SUB>2</SUB>, 11ppm, CO; 1508ppm, H<SUB>2</SUB>S; 20.4ppm, NH<SUB>4</SUB>; 116ppm, Cl<SUB>2</SUB>; 19.6ppm, HCN; 71ppm. Motorcycle: Park-C NO<SUB>2</SUB>; 11.7ppm, SO<SUB>2</SUB>; 8.7ppm, CO; 1084ppm, H<SUB>2</SUB>S; 14.1ppm, NH<SUB>4</SUB>; 48ppm, Cl<SUB>2</SUB>; 18.6ppm, HCN; 65ppm. D: NO<SUB>2</SUB>; 5.1ppm, SO<SUB>2</SUB>; 4.7ppm, CO; 550ppm, H<SUB>2</SUB>S; 18.4ppm, NH<SUB>4</SUB>; 48ppm, Cl<SUB>2</SUB>; 25.9ppm, CO; 550ppm, H<SUB>2</SUB>S; 18.4ppm, NH<SUB>4</SUB>; 48ppm, Cl<SUB>2</SUB>; 25.9ppm, HCN; 101ppm. Motorcycle Park E:NO<SUB>2</SUB>; 5.4ppm, CO; 596ppm, H<SUB>2</SUB>S; 4.9ppm, NH<SUB>4</SUB>; 48ppm, Cl<SUB>2</SUB>; 79ppm, HCN; 101pm. Motor Park F: NO<SUB>2</SUB>; 51ppm, SO<SUB>2</SUB>; 5.4ppm, CO; 596ppm, H<SUB>2</SUB>S; 4.9ppm, NH<SUB>4</SUB>; 48ppm, Cl<SUB>2</SUB>; 7.3ppm, HCN; 40ppm. Motorcycle Park G: NO<SUB>2</SUB>; 11.9ppm, SO<SUB>2</SUB>; 10.5ppm, CO; 1616ppm, H<SUB>2</SUB>S; 18.4ppm, NH<SUB>4</SUB>; 185ppm, Cl<SUB>2</SUB>; 25.9ppm; HCN; 101ppm. The most harmful gas; carbon monoxide was significantly high in all the parks and the general results showed an alarming degree of polluted gases emission.

From Siberia to Kuibyshev Reflections on Russia, 1919–1943

Few episodes in Canadian history are so strange as the Canadian military intervention in Siberia during 1918 and 1919. It illustrated both Canadian immaturity in international affairs and the confidence acquired through participation in a European war. It was decided upon before that war was over and reflected British preoccupation with other theatres of conflict, making it difficult for the United Kingdom to spare troops for peripheral operations. Whatever the motives, the Canadian Government appear to have decided upon participation in the Siberian operations without a clear understanding of what was involved. There was a great deal of confusion at the time about the Russian situation. The Communist government of Russia in the previous winter had concluded peace with Germany through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. This meant that the rapidly disintegrating Russian armies were now formally demobilized. It began to be said that all that was required to restore order in Russia was a small disciplined force. This argument had a powerful effect on right-wing thinking in Great Britain and other countries. Finally, there were fears that the large number of German, and the still larger number of Austro-Hungarian, prisoners-of-war, who were being released from prison camps in Siberia but without available means of transport to their homelands, would be organized by the Central Powers to seize control of the Trans-Siberian Railway and thus threaten Allied interests in the Far East.