Canadian Transport Research Articles

A descriptive study of weaned piglet transport practices in Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, Canada between 2014 and 2018.

Canadian transport practices for shipments of newly weaned piglets are not well-described despite documentation requirements for those conducting the movement of these animals. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of weaned piglet transport events that occurred between 2014 and 2018 using records provided by five Canadian swine companies. Following cleaning and validation, the dataset included records from 6203 transport events involving the transport of approximately 6.9 million piglets (5.7kg, 4.1-7.9kg) from 62 origin sites in Alberta, Ontario, or Saskatchewan, Canada. This represents approximately 4.7% of the piglets estimated to have been weaned in Canada between 2014 and 2018, and 1.7% of sow farms in Canada according to 2016 National census data. Most transport events ended at farms in Canada (71.3%), while the remaining delivered piglets to one of eight American states. The predominant trailer types used were Straightdeck (51.4%) and Potbelly (36.6%), but this did not reflect the number of piglets transported as Potbelly trailers have greater load capacity. Transport events most frequently involved loading piglets from one origin barn and delivering them to a single destination barn (78.1%). Only transport events involving export to the United States picked up piglets from, or delivered them to, more than one farm site. Most transport events had very short trip distances (median distance: 48.0km; IQR: 497.0), but a marked range was observed (1.8-2931.2km). Average daily temperature data matched to the transport records by origin and destination location demonstrated ambient environmental conditions during these transport events ranged from -30.3-28.7°C. Overall, less than 10% of transport events had mortality occur. Comparable with other observational studies documenting weaned piglet mortality, the average in-transit mortality rate observed over the multiple seasons, companies, trip distances, and other characteristics in this dataset was 0.027%. However, instances of mortality over 1% did sporadically occur and could translate to considerable losses given the large load sizes common for piglets of this age and size (median load size: 1105 piglets; IQR: 1036 piglets). These data provide a better understanding of the interconnectedness of the Canadian swine industry as well as common transport practices which may inform future research on disease transmission in swine transport networks, or piglet welfare during transport. Additionally, variables that were not present in this dataset that would further strengthen these types of investigations are highlighted (e.g., space allowance).

Road safety, health equity, and the built environment: perspectives of transport and injury prevention professionals in five Canadian municipalities

BackgroundConcerns regarding health equity (HE) and the built environment (BE) are well established in the Canadian urban context. Transport and injury prevention professionals across sectors, such as transportation and public health, are involved in designing and implementing BE interventions that enhance the safety of vulnerable road users (VRUs). Results from a larger study examining barriers and facilitators to BE change are used to illustrate how transport and injury prevention professionals perceive HE concerns in their work in five Canadian municipalities. Broadening our understanding of how HE influences the professional BE change context is crucial when advocating for modifications that enhance the safety of equity-deserving VRUs and groups who experience marginalization.MethodsInterview and focus group data were gathered from transport and injury prevention professionals working in policy/decision-making, transport, police services, public health, non-profit organizations, schools/school boards, community associations, and private sectors across five Canadian urban municipalities: Vancouver, Calgary, Peel Region, Toronto, and Montréal. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis (TA) to illustrate how equity considerations were perceived and applied in participants’ BE change work.ResultsThe results of this study illustrate transport and injury prevention professionals’ awareness of the varying needs of VRUs, as well as the inadequacies of current BEs in the Canadian urban context and consultation processes utilized to guide change. Participants emphasized the importance of equitable community consultation strategies, as well as specific BE changes that would support the health and safety of VRUs. Overall, the results highlight how HE concerns inform transport and injury prevention professionals’ BE change work in the Canadian urban context.ConclusionFor professionals working in urban Canadian transport and injury prevention sectors HE concerns influenced their perspectives of the BE and BE change. These results illustrate a growing need for HE to guide BE change work and consultation processes. Further, these results contribute to ongoing efforts in the Canadian urban context to ensure that HE is at the forefront of BE policy change and decision-making, while promoting existing strategies to ensure that the BE, and related decision-making processes, are accessible and informed by a HE lens.

Physiological response of weaned piglets to two transport durations observed in a Canadian commercial setting.

Observational studies describing the impact of transport duration on weaned piglet welfare are limited. Current Canadian transport regulations are heavily informed by studies involving market hogs. Due to physiological differences between weaned piglets and market hogs, additional data on their response to transport are needed for age-specific evidence-based recommendations. A cohort study was conducted to describe and compare mortality, injury, weight change, hematological or biochemical changes in hydration, muscle injury and stress response observed in weaned piglets undergoing short duration (SD, <3 h), or long duration (LD, >30 h) commercial summertime transport events. Data collection on 440 of 11,434 transported piglets occurred the morning of the day before transport (T0), at arrival (T1) and approximately 3 to 4 d (78 to 93 h) after arrival at the nursery barn (T2). Low mortality occurred over all transport events (0.06%) with no association observed between transport duration and odds of death during transport (P = 0.62). The incidence of lameness between T0 and T1 was low (1.84% of the 435 focal piglets scored) with all lameness cases identified as mild in severity. Lesions on ears and skin were more prevalent than other injury types after transport (T1) and may have been related to mixing aggression associated with weaning rather than transport alone. LD piglets weighed 0.39 kg less than SD piglets at T1 (P < 0.01), but no difference in group weight was observed at T2 (P = 0.17). Hematological and biochemical differences were present between groups at T1. LD piglets had increased hematocrit levels compared with SD piglets (P = 0.01), suggesting increased body water losses. SD piglets showed greater levels of muscle injury compared with LD piglets including elevated aspartate aminotransferase (P < 0.01) and creatine kinase (P < 0.01). However, these parameters were within normal reference ranges for piglets of this age group. Indicators of physiological stress response including cortisol and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios were elevated in SD piglets compared with LD piglets (P = 0.02 and P < 0.01, respectively). The results of this study demonstrate that both short and long transport durations can result in detectable physiological changes in weaned piglets. The overall impact of these durations on piglet welfare should be further explored by analyzing behavioral time budgets during and after transport.

Managing traffic complexity. Canadian transport planning software package Emme, 1970s–2010s

Based on a variety of primary sources, ranging from academic publications to grey literature to interviews, this article tells the story of Emme, a traffic forecasting software package. Designed as a prototype within the University of Montreal in the late 1970s/early 1980s and regularly enhanced by the Canadian firm INRO since then, Emme has been massively used as a commercial product for urban transport planning throughout the world. Bringing to the fore a much neglected, albeit crucial, theme in transport and mobility studies, i.e., the various mathematical tools (models) – and the actors involved in their production – conceived and utilized for designing transport infrastructures and mobility programs and policies, this article may also be of interest to scholars working in fields other than transport and interested in a series of topics ranging from the increasing commercialization of academic knowledge to the organization of knowledge intensive firms.

Constraints in the Canadian Transport Infrastructure Grid

Constraints in the Canadian Transport Infrastructure Grid

Constraints in the Canadian Transport Infrastructure Grid

The corridor concept aims at reducing the costs, duplication, and delays associated with the construction of transportation and ancillary infrastructure. These include diversification of export markets, supporting indigenous and northern development, expanding interregional and international trade, enhancing northern security and relieving bottlenecks and constraints to the existing transportation infrastructure grid. In support of the Canadian Northern Corridor research agenda, the purpose of this study is to compile a review and evaluation of the constraints impairing the Canadian transport infrastructure grid. It identifies and evaluates the existing and expected bottlenecks and constraints in terminals (ports and airports), connectors (road, rail, and pipelines), and ancillary infrastructure (power transmission and telecommunications). It also outlines the opportunities and constraints for infrastructure development in a potential corridor.

Effects of conditioning, source, and rest on indicators of stress in beef cattle transported by road.

Consumers are increasingly concerned about the welfare of farm animals, especially during transportation. The Canadian transport regulations state that weaned cattle require an 8 h rest after 36 h of transport. There are, however, only a few studies that assess the effect of rest on the welfare of beef cattle. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of conditioning, source and rest on indicators of welfare in 7-8-month-old beef calves during long-distance transport. Treatments consisted of a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design where the main factors were conditioning: conditioned (C; n = 160) or non-conditioned (N; n = 160); source: auction market (A; n = 160) or ranch direct (R; n = 160); and rest: 0 h (0 h; n = 160) or 8 h (8 h; n = 160). Means of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), serum amyloid-A, haptoglobin, creatine kinase (CK), and percentage of time standing from N calves were greater than C calves (all p ≤ 0.05). Means of percentage of time standing and CK of R calves were greater than A calves (both p ≤ 0.05). The mean of NEFA of 0 h calves was greater than the 8 h calves (p < 0.01), while the percentage of time standing of 0 h calves was less than 8 h calves (p < 0.01). Statistically significant differences between means of NEFA and standing percentage, were observed between 0 h and 8h calves. Few and inconsistent indicators of reduced welfare were observed between auction market and ranch direct calves, while non-conditioning was associated with greater physiological and behavioural indicators of reduced welfare. Based on these results, conditioning should be implemented as a management practice to improve the welfare of transported calves.

The pursuit of cycling equity: A review of Canadian transport plans

Cycling is increasingly prioritized as a mode of transport with multiple socio-economic, environmental, and health benefits. However, the benefits associated with cycling are not always equitably distributed throughout society, meaning that some people (e.g. people with low incomes, immigrants and people of colour, women, and seniors) may not have access to safe and convenient spaces in which to cycle, with infrastructure inadequately accommodating the varying needs of all members of society. Based on a review of academic literature, as well as a critical review of city-level transport plans in Canada, we evaluate if and how transport plans in Canada are addressing equity, as well as the ways in which planning practice can more effectively provide for it. Findings from the review of Canadian transport plans revealed four key themes related to how plans can, and do currently address equity, including (1) socio-spatial network analysis (2) consideration of equity in projects and priorities, (3) equity-oriented funding mechanisms, (4) inclusive design and safety. While some plans were found to have addressed equity, many did not, or did so to a limited and ineffective way. As per the findings from the academic literature, many opportunities exist to advance the pursuit of cycling equity, including for example, the utilization of appropriate and effective methods of analysis, as well as locally tailored engagement and decision-making processes that effectively address the needs and concerns of local residents, particularly those who are most disadvantaged.

Canadian Transport Medicine: Waypoints and Destinations.

Canadian Transport Medicine: Waypoints and Destinations.

313 Effects of transport time and rest stop duration on welfare indicators of beef cattle travelling by road

Abstract Forthcoming revisions to Canadian Transport regulations indicate un-weaned and weaned calves can be transported a maximum of 12 and 36 h, respectively, before an 8 h rest is required. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of rest duration after 12 and 36 h of transport on physiological and behavioral indicators of welfare in 7–8 mo old beef calves. Three hundred and twenty weaned calves (258 ± 23.9 kg BW) were randomly assigned to a 2 × 4 factorial design: 12 and 36 h of transport; and 0 (R0), 4 (R4), 8 (R8), and 12 (R12) h of rest. After the resting period animals were transported for an additional 4 h. A subset of 12 animals/treatment were sampled for non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), haptoglobin and lactate concentrations prior to, and after the first and the 4 h transport, and 7 h, 2 and 28 d after the 4 h transport. Standing and lying behavior was assessed for 14 d after transport. Data was analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS, where transport, and time nested within rest period were fixed effects and animal was a random effect. NEFA concentrations were greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) in 12-R4 than 12-R8 and 12-R12 calves, while 36-R0 calves had greater (P ≤ 0.05) NEFA concentrations than 36-R4, 36-R8 and 36-R12 calves after the 4 h transport. Haptoglobin concentrations were greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) in 36 than 12 h calves. No differences (P &amp;gt; 0.10) were observed for lactate. The day after transport, 36-R8 calves spent more (P &amp;lt; 0.01) time lying than 12-R8 calves. Overall, physiological indicators were greater in calves transported for 36 than 12 h, while no differences were observed between rest stops with the exception of NEFA, where overall concentrations were greater after shorter than longer rest periods.

Assessing the public transport travel behavior consistency from smart card data

Abstract The aim of this research is to measure, using smart card data, how much do public transport users change their behavior through time. To quantify the change in behavior, we split the smart card records of a user into a set of separated time windows. Then, we measure the variation between each pair of time windows. Three algorithms that calculate the variation in users’ mobility are assessed. Using data from a Canadian transport system, we show that measuring the stability of user behavior at an individual level provides new insights for public transport operators, e.g., it can be used to measure users’ adaptability to changes in the transport system.

Fuel as a Factor in Canadian Transport: Energy Capital and Communication Theory

Background Established in 1849, the Fort Rupert coal settlement represented a departure in the Hudson’s Bay Company’s mode of colonial wealth accumulation on Vancouver Island. Company officials failed, however, to appreciate basic differences in the new mode of accumulation, including the importance of transportation to capitalist mineral extraction.Analysis This article accomplishes three things: it retrieves foundational theories of transportation and commodity circulation once popular in communication studies, provides a documentary account of coal mining and the coal trade in the mid-nineteenth-century eastern Pacific, and articulates a theory of capitalist energy consumption.Conclusion and implications The culminating theory of energy capital positions the extraction and circulation of fuel within Canadian communication studies through a transportation-focused approach to communication.

Estimating the quality of neonatal transport in California

To develop a strategy to assess the quality of neonatal transport based on change in neonatal condition during transport. The Canadian Transport Risk Index of Physiologic Stability (TRIPS) score was optimized for a California (Ca) population using data collected on 21 279 acute neonatal transports, 2007 to 2009, using models predicting (2/3) and validating (1/3) mortality within 7 days of transport. Quality Change Point 10th percentile (QCP10), a benchmark of the greatest deterioration seen in 10% of the transports by top-performing teams, was established. Compared with perinatal variables (0.79), the Ca-TRIPS had a validation receiver operator characteristic area for prediction of death of 0.88 in all infants and 0.86 in infants transported after day 7. The risk of death increased 2.4-fold in infants whose deterioration exceeded the QCP10. We present a practical, benchmarked, risk-adjusted, estimate of the quality of neonatal transport.

Transport Policy in Aging Societies: An International Comparison and Implications for Canada

This paper provides a framework for evaluating and comparing country transport policies to understand the extent to which these are being altered to cope with aging societies. Using the framework, transport policy documents of six countries in the industrialized world were analyzed and compared. A deliberate effort is made in the selection of countries to draw lessons from the comparative evaluation for Canadian transport policy. The authors highlighted the importance of country policy context and motivations in influencing the country’s choice of transport strategies and approaches. The paper also proposed a checklist of policy areas encompassing the wider variety of concerns that directly and indirectly impact on older people’s mobility. Finally, future policy and research issues on transport and aging are underlined in general and as they relate to Canadian situation.

Transport Policy in Aging Societies: An International Comparison and Implications for Canada

This paper provides a framework for evaluating and comparing country transport policies to understand the extent to which these are being altered to cope with aging societies. Using the framework, transport policy documents of six countries in the industrialized world were analyzed and compared. A deliberate effort is made in the selection of countries to draw lessons from the comparative evaluation for Canadian transport policy. The paper highlighted the importance of country policy context and motivations in influencing the country’s choice of transport strategies and approaches. The paper also proposed a checklist of policy areas encompassing the wider variety of concerns that directly and indirectly impact on older people’s mobility. Finally, future policy and research issues on transport and aging are underlined in general and as they relate to Canadian situation.

The annual cycle and interannual variability of atmospheric pressure in the vicinity of the North Pole

AbstractA comparison of National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis six‐hourly sea‐level pressure data with former Soviet drifting station observations over the central Arctic Basin reveals high monthly correlations throughout the period 1950–91, but also a preferred winter season negative bias of about 1.4 hPa. Using the reanalysis, supplemented by Arctic Ocean Buoy Program fields and in situ observations, a generalized depiction of the annual cycle of pressure fields over the Arctic may be constructed. Above the Canada Basin–Laptev Sea side of the Arctic, the annual cycle of surface pressure is dominated by the first harmonic, which has an amplitude of about 5 hPa and maximum pressure occurring in March. Along the periphery of northern Greenland and extending to the North Pole, a weak semiannual cycle is found in surface pressure with maxima in May and November. The presence of the semiannual variation over time is highly variable.Dynamically, this progression of the annual cycle may be attributed to the transfer of atmospheric mass from Eurasia and into the Canadian Archipelago in spring and the reverse condition in autumn. Over the central Arctic Basin, springtime pressure increases result from an enhanced poleward mass transport from Eurasia. An increase of equatorward transport over the Canadian Archipelago in May and June results in central Arctic pressure decreases into summer. A less distinct temporal separation between the poleward Canadian transport and the equatorward Eurasian transport results in the weaker second pressure maximum in autumn.On interannual time‐scales, atmospheric mass over the central Arctic is exchanged with the storm track centres of action in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. In particular, the large decrease in central Arctic Basin sea‐level pressure during the late 1980s is due to a large transfer of atmospheric mass into the North Pacific. Copyright © 2003 Royal Meteorological Society

Building the NAFTA Railway

The key but too often overlooked link between firms and communities in the emerging NAFTA economy is transportation. Cross-border investment, trade, competition and cooperation are dependent on the restructuring of the U.S., Mexican and Canadian transport systems into a tightly integrated, efficient network. The paper examines the role of transport industries in the NAFTA economy, focusing particularly on a case study of the strategies of the Kansas City Southern Railway to become the “NAFTA Railway” to compete in the North American economy and the implications of these efforts for the firms involved, government transport policies, and the North American economy.

The impacts of deregulation and the US-Canada free trade agreement on Canadian transportation modes

Within the last five years the transportation industry in Canada has had to adjust to two major policy developments: the free trade treaty with the USA and deregulation. This paper attempts a preliminary assessment of the impacts of these initiatives on the major Canadian transport modes. While the available evidence suggests that some of the effects on the modes have been generally favourable, the paper argues that the policies will substantially limit the government's ability to influence Canadian transportation in the future.

Fitness-For-Purpose Evaluation of Ground Storage NGV Cylinders

Steel cylinders made to the Canadian Transport Commission/U.S. Department of Transportation (CTC/DOT) 3AA specifications are being used for ground storage in Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) refuelling stations in Canada. This paper summarizes the fitness-for-purpose assessment of the existing CTC/DOT ground storage cylinders based on the fracture mechanics principles. Allowance for the subcritical flaw growth due to the worst case refuelling cycles was made in the analysis. It was determined that the performance of the existing CTC/DOT cylinders was equivalent to that of the ASME cylinder design. Fatigue crack initiation in the CTC/DOT designed cylinders would be likely to occur in the circumferential direction at the bottom knuckle and would result in eventual failure in the LBB mode. An inspection period of 10yr can safely be used for two of the existing CTC/DOT cylinders, if a defect deeper than half the wall thickness can be detected by a suitable NDT method. Résumé Des cylindres d’acler fabriqués selon les spécifications 3AA de la Commission Canadlenne du Transport/Département du Transport (CTC/DOT), sont utilisés pour entreposer dans le sol du gaz naturel servant aux stations de remplissage de véhicules. Cet article résume l’évaluation de mise en service des cylindres actuels basée sur les principes de la mécanique de la rupture. L’analyse tlent compte de l’avancee d’une fissure sous-critique occasionnée par le pire cas des cycles de remplissage. L’initiation de fissure en fatigue dans des cylindres conçus aux normes CTC/DOT semble apparaître dans la direction circonférentlelle du joint de la base et la rupture pourrait éventuellement s’effectuer selon un mode LBB. Une période d’inspection de 10 ans est sécuritaire pour deux des cylindres existants, en autant qu’un défaut plus profond que la moitié du mur d’épaisseur puisse être détecté par une technique d’inspection non-destructive approprlée.

Establishing derailment profiles by position for corridor shipments of dangerous goods

The position of railcars carrying dangerous goods in a train can affect their involvement in a derailment. A model is presented, which minimizes the number of cars carrying dangerous goods derailing for different marshalling strategies and rail corridor conditions. An application of the model to the Sarnia–Toronto rail corridor is presented. The results of this analysis suggest that marshalling strategies for cars carrying dangerous goods need to be sensitive to corridor conditions that affect the causes of train derailments. Current Canadian Transport Commission directives governing the placement of cars carrying dangerous goods along a train were found to be ineffective in reducing their derailment probability when compared to a low-cost unregulated option. Effective marshalling strategies can substitute for speed controls on the shipment of dangerous goods, resulting in a similar or improved derailment profiles and lower operating costs. Key words: dangerous goods, derailment, rail, marshalling, railcars.