Motor Vehicle Fleet Research Articles

Dynamic Analysis of Vehicle Robberies and Thefts: An Approach with Sliding Windows

Objective: This article aims to jointly analyse the time series of the rates of stolen vehicles and stolen vehicles daily in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, using DFA and DCCA methods, both with the sliding windows approach. Theoretical Framework: Salvador, the capital of the state of Bahia and the geographic space of the research, has the second largest fleet of motor vehicles in the northeast region of Brazil and the eighth when compared to other municipalities in Brazil. Method: The DFA and ρDCCA with Sliding Windows were used. The DFA is a statistical method that estimates autocorrelation in non-stationary time series on different time scales. Results and Discussion: Through exploratory data analysis, some properties were identified, such as positive asymmetry, stationarity, and nonstationarity depending on the year and crime assessed, as well as inverse fluctuation over the years between the average rates of stolen and stolen vehicles. The sliding windows approach identified greater relative variability around the average vehicle theft rate from 2004 to 2015 for w= 365 and from 2004 to 2016 for w = 1000 and a higher frequency of persistent autocorrelation (αDFA >0.50) (w=365 and w=1000). While the level of cross-correlation varied qualitatively between positive (ρDCCA (n) >0) and negative (ρDCCA (n) <0) depending on the year, time scale, window and crime assessed. Conclusion: Considering the complexity of the modelled series, the methodology used, and our findings, we hope to contribute to research related to the topic and initiatives to monitor, mitigate and plan to combat these crimes.

Injury patterns in motor vehicle collision–youth pedestrian deaths

Objective The objective of this study was to describe fatal pedestrian injury patterns in youth aged 15 to 24 years old and correlate them with motor vehicle collision (MVC) dynamics and pedestrian kinematics using data from medicolegal death investigations of MVCs occurring in the current Canadian motor vehicle (MV) fleet. Methods Based on a systematic literature review, MVC–pedestrian injuries were collated in an injury data collection form (IDCF). The IDCF was coded using the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2015 revision. The AIS of the most frequent severe injury was noted for individual body regions. The Maximum AIS (MAIS) was used to define the most severe injury to the body overall and by body regions (MAISBR). This study focused on serious to maximal injuries (AIS 3–6) that had an increasing likelihood of causing death. The IDCF was used to extract collision and injury data from the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario (OCCO) database of postmortem examinations done at the Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit (PFPU) in Toronto, Canada, and other provincial facilities between 2013 and 2019. Injury data were correlated with data about the MVs and MV dynamics and pedestrian kinematics. The study was approved by the Western University Health Science Research Ethics Board (Project ID: 113440; Lawson Health Research Institute Approval No. R-19-066). Results There were 88 youth, including 54 (61.4%) males and 34 (38.6%) females. Youth pedestrians comprised 13.1% (88/670) of all autopsied pedestrians. Cars (n = 25/88, 28.4%) were the most frequent type of vehicle in single-vehicle impacts, but collectively vehicles with high hood edges (i.e., greater distance between the ground and hood edge) were in the majority. Forward projection (n = 34/88, 38.6%) was the most frequent type of pedestrian kinematics. Regardless of the type of vehicle, there was a tendency in most cases for the median MAISBR ≥ 3 to involve the head and thorax. A similar trend was seen in most of the pedestrian kinematics involving the various frontal impacts. Of the 88 cases, at least 63 (71.6%) were known to be engaged in risk-taking behaviors (e.g., activity on roadway). At least 12 deaths were nonaccidental (8 suicides and 4 homicides). Some activities may have been impairment related, because 26/63 (41.3%) pedestrians undertaking risk-taking behavior on the roadway were impaired. Toxicological analyses revealed that over half of the cases (47/88, 53.4%) tested positive for a drug that could have affected behavior. Ethanol was the most common. Thirty-one had positive blood results. Conclusion A fatal dyad of head and thorax trauma was observed for pedestrians struck by cars. For those pedestrians hit by vehicles with high hood edges, which were involved in the majority of cases, a fatal triad of injuries to the head, thorax, and abdomen/retroperitoneum was observed. Most deaths occurred from frontal collisions and at speeds more than 35 km/h.

Estimation of nitrogen dioxide levels on streets from Fortaleza Brazil using passive sampling and multivariate analysis

The increase in the fleet of motor vehicles circulating in urban centers is one of the main generators of gaseous pollutants harmful to human health and the environment. Pollutants can be economically and effectively monitored through passive sampling. This study aims to estimate NO2 levels on roads of Fortaleza city /CE using the passive sampling method. 12 campaigns covered the rainy (March-June) and the dry (July-November) seasons in 2019. The seasonal averages of NO2 in the rainy season were higher than the dry one, and Almirante Rubim Street showed the greatest difference in the averages: 26.6 µg m-3 in the rainy and 19.3 µg m-3 in the dry season. The principal component analysis applied to the averages of NO2 concentration in the rainy and dry seasons, vehicle traffic and Height of the road/width ratio indicated that components 1, 2 and 3 explain 94.4% of the studied cases. Passive sampling proved to be efficient, contributing to the production of unpublished data about NO2 levels in streets of Fortaleza/Ceará/Brazil from mobile sources.

СОВЕРШЕНСТВОВАНИЕ ПУНКТА ТЕХНИЧЕСКОГО ОБСЛУЖИВАНИЯ

Motor vehicle fleet reliability and maintenance cost reducing are of top priority in the context of dynamically developing production and market relations. Service centers play the leading role in production efficiency and rolling stock operation since service center units provide quality and efficiency of work and predetermine labor productivity, maintenance and repair costs. Often in repair practice there are cases when springs with exceeding permissible deviations from stiffness standards are installed on a car. It may happen due to imperfection or lack of special control means. There springs disrupt elastic and damping properties of suspensions, increasing vibration impact on driver, passengers and transported cargo, and also may cause increased wear of chassis and breakage of springs. The goal of this work is to increase productivity and quality of repair work, as well as reduce operating costs by improving maintenance system and reducing downtime associated with failures.

Updated number forecast, russian car fleet structures by type of power plants and greenhouse gas emissions until 2050

Introduction. The results of forecast estimation of the number, structure of the Russian motor vehicle fleet by type of power units and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to 2050 are presented, taking into account the update of the initial data used in the calculations and the assumption that it will be decided to stop production of passenger cars with internal combustion engines starting from 2045. Materials and methods. The forecast of the level of motorization, the number of vehicle fleet by type of power plant and fuel type, environmental class were estimated taking into account the renewal of the fleet, the balance of supply and disposal of ATVs. These data are given in the forms of state statistical reporting, long-term strategies of transport industry development, partly generated by researchers themselves. The Copert 5 methodology was also used to calculate greenhouse gas emissions.Results. Compared to earlier projections, the value of total GHG emissions of the vehicle fleet in 2050 according to the current projection will be about the same as in 2045, i.e. will be 5 years behind. Discussion and conclusions. In the near term, the rate of decarbonization of road transport in Russia may slow down significantly. Vehicles with internal combustion engines using hydrocarbon fuels (liquid, gaseous) will still dominate the vehicle fleet by 2050.

An in situ exploratory analysis of diesel cars' emission: way forward on policy evaluation.

Keeping in view the significant number of diesel-driven passenger cars in the existing light motor vehicle fleet in Delhi, India, a case study on smoke emission measurement from 460 number of such cars was conducted. Smoke exhaust data was collected from the diesel cars while the vehicles presented themselves for periodic renewal of pollution under control (PUC) certification at authorized emission testing centers across Delhi, India. Along with the smoke emission, various vehicle- and engine-related aspects, supposed to affect tailpipe smoke emission, were also recorded aiming at data analysis for two datasets, namely whole and top 5 makes. The smoke density under no-loading condition in the free acceleration test mode was measured. The study reported a strong correlation between vehicle parameters, such as age, mileage, maintenance category, emission norm, and engine aspiration; and the smoke emission (R2 values for vehicle age and mileage vs. smoke emission for whole dataset = 0.872 and 0.873, respectively). Top 5 make-wise correlations fared even better (R2 for age and mileage vs. emission in the range of 0.85-0.92 and 0.86-0.93, respectively). Further, the predictive emission equations using best-fit trendlines were also developed for both datasets. Such equations may be used by the car manufacturers to adopt a suitable strategy for tuning of engine or vehicle as such, to retain their cars in the longer state of compliance to the extant emission norms. Further, the study recommends to include vehicle mileage as an important factor in upgrading the existing inspection and maintenance programs, especially in the developing countries.

Diagnosing Technosphere Pollution to Form Environmental Policy

All The technosphere pollution with various substances has been analyzed considering their impact on human health, depending on the hazard degree. The most frequently occurring in nature hazardous substances have been classified by the degree and class of hazard. The impact of exhaust gases emitted by the recently growing motor vehicle fleet on human health is shown. A new ultrahigh-frequency technique is proposed to monitor the concentration of exhaust gases emitted by vehicles into the atmosphere. Measures are specified that allow reducing the environmental footprint by pursuing a sound environmental policy and introducing innovative technologies.

Reversing Poor Safety Records: Identifying Best Practices to Improve Fleet Safety

Commercial motor vehicle safety is of utmost importance, as crashes involving commercial motor vehicles often result in significant property damage, injuries, fatalities, and financial loss for fleets. However, fleet managers are often unsure what strategies other fleets have used to successfully improve safety. To identify best practices, researchers completed case studies with nine commercial motor vehicle fleets that successfully improved their safety performance. A content analysis was performed, and the successful strategies were organized into the Haddon Matrix. Results showed that there was no one single strategy that fleets used to improve safety. Instead, fleets relied on a comprehensive approach focusing on pre-crash countermeasures, including addressing hiring practices, driver training, fleet safety culture, safety technologies, scheduling, and maintenance. However, an enhanced safety culture and advanced safety technology were identified as critical components to their safety improvement. Results from this study may help fleets understand what their peers have used to successfully improve safety and which strategies may not be as helpful.

Study of association models for determining the growth of the fleet of motor vehicles in the Metropolitan Region of Cariri, Ceará

The quality of life underlying the modern society can be attributed to several factors, among them, the technological and economic development experienced in recent years. Durable consumer goods are part of this modern society, such as automobiles. However, because most automobiles are powered by the combustion of fossil fuels, the emission of greenhouse gases is a worrisome environmental problem. The objective of this article is to analyze Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data, population and SELIC rate (SELIC stands for Special System of Settlement and Custody) in the period from 2001 to 2020 to evaluate the impact on the number of vehicles in the Cariri Metropolitan Region (RMC), using multivariate models. It was verified that the fleet of the RMC experienced an increase of 561.45% in the last 20 years. Three prediction models were tested and the conclusion was reached that for the next 20 years it is not sustainable to maintain the same growth already experienced, in a linear manner. Instead, the ideal is to adopt a model with growth forecast with a logarithmic function, i. e. with a stationary tendency in the long time. In a society where over 50% of vehicles are more than 10 years old, it is essential that public managers, the private initiative, the academic-scientific environment and society adopt sustainable practices and consider future scenarios to make decisions in order to preserve the environment and to ensure everyone's quality of life.

Effects of Bioadditives and Commercial Additive on the Performance and Exhaust Emissions of a Gasoline Engine

One of our era’s greatest scourges is air pollution, on account not only of its impact on climate change but also its impact on public and individual health due to increasing morbidity and mortality. However, future climate change may exacerbate such human health impacts by increasing the frequency and duration of weather conditions that enhance the exposure to air pollution. Jakarta’s expanding fleet of motor vehicles is a key target of urgently needed actions to curb the hazardous air pollution in the city. This paper highlights the technologies and policies to reduce direct emissions from new and in-use cars, trucks, and buses in the city. Such policies, coupled with the promotion of mass transit, non-motorized transport, and other smart growth measures aimed at reducing transport demand, can significantly diminish the adverse effects of transportation on local air quality and public health in Jakarta, and spur similar actions across Indonesia. One of them is the addition of bioadditives (essential oils) and commercial additives that are widely sold in the market. In this study, the effects of essential oils (citronella oil and clove oil) as bioadditives and commercial additive on the performance and exhaust emissions of a single-cylinder, four-stroke gasoline engine was investigated, where both oils were blended with gasoline with a research octane number of 88. Based on the results, the maximum reduction in fuel consumption (33.33%) was obtained at an engine load of 43% when pure gasoline (G88) was blended with 0.1% of citronella oil and 0.1% of clove oil. This test fuel was labelled as BA2. The average reduction in fuel consumption was 18.54% for this test fuel. The thermal efficiency of the BA2 blend was higher even though it had the lowest volumetric efficiency compared with other blends. The unburned hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide emissions for the G88 fuel were 7 ppm and 0.202%, respectively, whereas the values were 20 ppm and 0.289%, respectively for the G88 fuel blended with Cleanoz commercial additive (CA1 blend). The HC and CO emissions were 11 ppm and 0.386%, respectively, for the G88 fuel blended with 0.1% of patchouli oil and 0.1% of clove oil (BA1 blend) whereas the values were 26 ppm and 0.631%, respectively, for the BA2 blend. Even though the BA2 blend had the highest HC and CO emissions, the values were still below the permissible limits for automotive vehicles in Indonesia.

Formation of the Traffic Flow Rate under the Influence of Traffic Flow Concentration in Time at Controlled Intersections in Tyumen, Russian Federation

Present experience shows that it is impossible to solve the problem of traffic congestion without intelligent transport systems. Traffic management in many cities uses the data of detectors installed at controlled intersections. Further, to assess the traffic situation, the data on the traffic flow rate and its concentration are compared. Latest scientific studies propose a transition from spatial to temporal concentration. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to establish the regularities of the influence of traffic flow concentration in time on traffic flow rate at controlled city intersections. The methodological basis of this study was a systemic approach. Theoretical and experimental studies were based on the existing provisions of system analysis, traffic flow theory, experiment planning, impulses, probabilities, and mathematical statistics. Experimental data were obtained and processed using modern equipment and software: Traficam video detectors, SPECTR traffic light controller, Traficam Data Tool, SPECTR 2.0, AutoCad 2017, and STATISTICA 10. In the course of this study, the authors analyzed the dynamics of changes in the level of motorization, the structure of the motor vehicle fleet, and the dynamics of changes in the number of controlled intersections. As a result of theoretical studies, a hypothesis was put forward that the investigated process is described by a two-factor quadratic multiplicative model. Experimental studies determined the parameters of the developed model depending on the directions of traffic flow, and confirmed its adequacy according to Fisher’s criterion with a probability of at least 0.9. The results obtained can be used to control traffic flows at controlled city intersections.

Software package for evaluation of efficiency of motor vehicle fleet operation

The article describes an improved approach to assessing the efficiency of using the road transport of enterprises based on the assessment of the technical readiness factor of the fleet using the average daily mileage and specific idle time in maintenance and operation. The software implementation of this method in MS Excel is shown, the results of application and the results obtained are analyzed approbation at the enterprise of the metallurgical industry.

Analysis of Vehicle Ownership Attributes in Western Province, Sri Lanka

This paper develops a mathematical model to predict motor vehicle ownership based on household (HH) characteristics. The model is tested using household visit surveys in the Western Province of Sri Lanka (CoMTrans, 2014). The province which has the country’s highest population density (1,600/km2) and road density (0.9 km/km2) as well as a motor vehicle ownership of 206 vehicles per 1,000 people. The modelling is disaggregated into motorcycles, three-wheelers, vans, and cars (including jeeps and pick-ups). The motor vehicle fleet comprises 51% motorcycles, 20.2% three-wheelers, 6.7% vans, and 17.7% cars apart from commercial vehicles. The purchasing cost of motor vehicles in Sri Lanka varies widely due to different taxes imposed at importation.A binary logistic regression with cross-validation statistical theories was used to predict the HH ownership of different vehicles, based on an income-based testing scenario for determining a HH’s likelihood of owning a particular type of vehicle. Motorcycles, three-wheelers, vans, and cars listed in ascending order of cost of ownership and operation were tested against the characteristics of 35,850 HHs using R, a software analytical tool. The analysis found that private vehicle ownership depends on attributes of a HH, such as its size, average monthly income, and the percentage of workers, school and kindergarten children, and males in that HH.

Influence of Automobiles on Environmental Pollution

This article considers the influence of automobiles on environmental pollution. It’s been pointed out that the amount of pollutant emitted into the environment depends on the size and the structure of the motor vehicle fleet and the technical conditions of automobiles, namely their engines. Automobiles burn enormous amounts of petrol, thus significantly damaging the environment, primarily the atmosphere, and producing adverse impacts on human health. Vegetation suffers as well because the exhaust fumes from cars immediately affect plants and disturb their natural breathing processes. The use of automobiles leads to environmental pollution and the ecosystem of the entire planet Earth suffers as a result.

Environmental noise challenges and policies in low- and middle- income countries

Information on environmental noise challenges was gathered for 139 countries, identified by the World Bank as of low income (31), lower middle income (52), and upper middle income (56). Data on noise levels were found in urban agglomerations of two low-income, 13 lower middle-income, and 20 upper middle-income countries. Environmental noise pollution continues to grow in all studied cities due to increase in motor vehicle fleets, airport operations and industries. The main driving forces are population growth, urbanization, motorization and to a large extent technological development. In this paper the major noise sources in two low-income countries, 13 lower middle-income countries and 13 upper middle-income countries (excluding Member States of and countries on the road to the European Union) are identified and observed environmental noise levels reviewed. The paper also compiles the adverse health effects of extensive noise exposures in urban agglomerations that have already been observed in some of these countries. The key laws and by-laws and other regulations on noise pollution in these countries and the level of their enforcement are discussed.

Fatal Motor Vehicle-Pedestrian Collision Injury Patterns-A Systematic Literature Review.

Injury patterns in pedestrians struck by motor vehicles were described in medical literature first published almost a half century ago. "Classical" triads of injury distribution were described for adults (skull-pelvis-extremity) and subsequently applied to children (head-hip or pelvis-distal femur/knee joint). Notably, these classical triads were derived from two publications reporting clinical observations of only 11 patients, all of whom were adults. A systematic literature review was conducted using Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane to determine the evidence-base for motor vehicle collision (MVC)-pedestrian injury "triads" and other trauma patterns described for pedestrians in the adult and pediatric age groups. Of the 1540 full-text articles identified in the review, 56 articles published in English met the inclusion criteria, that is, motor vehicle-pedestrian collision resulting in specific, fatal injuries determined by postmortem examinations. There were variations in injury patterns that differed from the "classical" triads. These differences likely stem from advances in vehicle design and safety features which have affected the nature and distribution of injuries. Further research on the correlation of specific injuries sustained by pedestrians of different ages with various types of vehicles and impacts are needed to assess the validity of previously observed injury patterns in relation to the current motor vehicle fleet. Delineation of injury patterns can assist health care teams in trauma management. Vehicle manufacturers and government regulators can better assess whether the introduction of advanced driver assistance features designed to protect pedestrians when struck will be effective in reducing severe injuries. In forensic pathology practice, knowledge of pedestrian injury patterns based on data representative of impacts involving modern vehicles can provide MVC death investigators the means to determine MVC dynamics and pedestrian kinematics.

The Logistics of the Combined-Arms Army— the Rear: High Mobility Through Limited Means

ABSTRACT This article sets out to examine the inner working of combined-arms armies logistics over the course of the war through the use of a series of seven reports contained within the ‘Collection of Materials on the Experience of War’ and comparing these assessments with statistics from archival documents on two actual operations, Operation Polkovodets Rumyantsev in August 1943 and the Vistula-Oder Operation in January 1945. These results show that combined-arms armies gained their operational mobility from rapid re-establishment of railways and a carefully choreographed use of a small motor vehicle fleet, coupled with strict adherence to weight limits and living off the land by combat troops and their horse-drawn transport. This achievement of high mobility using limited means was a unique approach particularly tailored to the Red Army’s force structure and the Soviet Union’s available economic support.

Forks in the Road

This Essay provides a simple heuristic to enable public and private policymakers to focus on the most important climate mitigation options. Policymakers face a blizzard of information, advocacy, and policy options, and it is easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees. Many options are attractive on the surface but will not meaningfully address the problem or are unlikely to be adopted in the foreseeable future. If policymakers make the right decision when confronting three essential choices or forks in the road, though, the result will be 60% to 70% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, an amount that will keep widely-adopted climate mitigation goals in reach. The three options are decarbonization of the electrical grid, electrification of the motor vehicle fleet, and electrification of buildings. International, national, and subnational officials, philanthropists, corporate executives, advocacy group leaders, and households have the ability to prioritize these three options in their regulatory, purchasing, and other actions. If they make the right choice on these three options, many other mistakes can be made without jeopardizing the chance to achieve widely-adopted emissions targets. If they make the wrong choice, few combinations of other viable options can achieve the needed reductions. In the face of a growing consensus that major, prompt emissions reductions are required, the forks in the road approach can provide policymakers with the mental framework necessary to make smart decisions and ignore the noise surrounding climate law and policy

Forecast of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by road transport in Russia up to 2050

The authors make a forecast for the base (inertial), innovative and decarbonization (“1.5 degrees”) scenarios related to the Russian motor vehicle fleet using the IPCC methodology (Tiers 1–3), EMEP/EEA and other methods with account for the following factors: demographic changes, economy transition from a resource-based to a low-carbon model of development, changes in the motorization level as well as in the number of fleet vehicles and the vehicle fleet structure in terms of power unit and (energy) types and the intensity of their use, identified trends of changes in the number, energy efficiency, and eco-friendliness of passenger cars, trucks, and buses with different power units (gasoline-, diesel-, gas- or electrically-powered, hybrid) as a result of the implementation of advanced materials, information, telecommunications or logistics technologies, and mobility management.It is expected that the consumption of gasoline and diesel fuel reaching a maximum in 2030–2035, may decrease by 2050 in comparison with 2015 under the innovative scenario by 5.4 times and 12%, respectively, and under the “1.5 degrees” scenario — by 13.6 times and 1.7 times. In the given period, according to the innovative scenario, natural gas consumption is expected to increase by 6.2 times. However, if the “1.5 degrees” scenario is implemented, the consumption of natural gas as a motor fuel may stop by 2050. At the same time, natural gas can be used for the production of environmentally friendly motor fuel — hydrogen, as well as electric energy for electric vehicles. The total gross greenhouse gas emissions of the motor vehicle fleet may reach a maximum in 2030 (194 million tons of CO2) but then they will decrease by 2050 according to the inertial scenario to 189.5 million tons, the innovative scenario — to 142.6 million tons and the “1.5 degrees” scenario — to 103.1 million tons of CO2. If the “1.5 degrees” scenario is implemented, in 2050, direct greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of petroleum motor fuels by the motor vehicle fleet will be almost 2 times less than indirect CO2 emissions from the combustion of natural gas at thermal power plants in the production of electric energy for electric vehicles.It is expected that if the Russian economy and transport switch to a low-carbon development path, decarbonization of the vehicle fleet can be achieved after 2054.

The main aspects of improvement of emergency medical care for patients with acute coronary syndrome

Objectives - to develop the main strategies of emergency medical care improvement for patients with acute coronary syndrome, in order to to reduce the morbidity and mortality in the population of a large industrial region. Material and methods. The study was conducted on the basis of the Moscow regional ambulance station. We used the content analysis, logical, system analysis, the method of mathematical statistics. Results. In the period 2017-2018, in the region's population, there is a tendency for decrease in the number of calls for ambulance teams caused by acute coronary syndrome. During the analyzed period, we noticed the reduction of the number of cases of pre-hospital thrombolytic therapy (by 17.5%). The response time to the patient's call not more than 20 minutes was observed in 92.9% of cases, the number of lethal outcomes in presence of the ambulance team decreased by 4. 6%. The results can be explained by the dynamic development of the infrastructure of cities and districts of the Moscow Region, by the improvement of road networks, by the complete renewal of the service's motor vehicle fleet, and by the opening of a number of new specialized medical institutions. A set of medical and organizational measures has been developed and put into practice in the ambulance service of the region, aimed at further improvement of the system of ambulance care for patients with acute coronary syndrome at the prehospital stage. Conclusion. The mortality reduction, preservation and improvement of public health can be achieved only through the comprehensive sustainable development of the region’s infrastructure, improvement of the organizational structure of the emergency medical service, mandatory use of algorithms and standards for the provision of medical care to patients at all stages.