Urban Freight Transport Systems Research Articles

Using OEE to evaluate the effectiveness of urban freight transportation systems: A case study

The transport of goods is essential for the economic growth of cities and regions. Urban freight transportation makes up a very small percentage of the total transportation time for goods, but it can represent up to 28% of total transportation costs. To reduce overall costs and increase revenue from this operation, one common methodology used by decision makers is the optimization models. This paper proposes a new methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of urban freight transportation systems using the OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) metric, a well-known rate used in the Lean Manufacturing framework. The methodology uses a mathematical model with several objective functions, two of which are multi-objective, to explore the relationships and trade-offs between economic development, quality, performance and availability (partial rates of the OEE). The final objective is to optimize the OEE metrics and the profitability of a transportation system. This methodology was tested using real-data from the city of Bogotá, Colombia. Experiments were run with different companies, costs, demands and travel times in order to validate the proposed approach. The results show the benefits of using multi-objective functions to optimize both OEE (quality, performance and availability metrics) and profits. The proposed methodology provides an ‘ex ante’ evaluation of the tactical and operational decisions made by companies in configuring an urban freight transport system.

Analysis of the environmental impacts of unloading bays based on cellular automata simulation

Urban freight transport contributes to a number of environmental problems, such as poor air quality, noise and greenhouse gas emissions. Analysing the impact of UFT measures is particularly important, since improving the situation for freight deliveries more often than not will be at the expense of the citizens. Unloading bays are one of the most popular and simple solutions to implement to support the development of a sustainable urban freight transport system. This measure is aimed at reducing the congestion in busy city streets, which is often caused by delivery vehicles parking directly on traffic lanes to perform their (un)loading operations. The analysis, presented in this paper, is aimed at emphasising the advantages of unloading bays for the public, and thus enhancing the arguments in favour of popularisation of unloading bays. We simulate the traffic in areas of Szczecin and Oslo, and compare the situation without unloading bays to the situation with unloading bays. This is used to predict the benefits of unloading bays in terms of traffic flow and emissions. The basis of the analysis is utilization of a scenario-based approach and cellular automata simulation.

Cooperation and profit allocation in two-echelon logistics joint distribution network optimization

Collaborative two-echelon logistics joint distribution network can be organized through a negotiation process via logistics service providers or participants existing in the logistics system, which can effectively reduce the crisscross transportation phenomenon and improve the efficiency of the urban freight transportation system. This study establishes a linear optimization model to minimize the total cost of two-echelon logistics joint distribution network. An improved ant colony optimization algorithm integrated with genetic algorithm is presented to serve customer clustering units and resolve the model formulation by assigning logistics facilities. A two-dimensional colony encoding method is adopted to generate the initial ant colonies. Improved ant colony optimization combines the merits of ant colony optimization algorithm and genetic algorithm with both global and local search capabilities. Finally, an improved Shapley value model based on cooperative game theory and a cooperative mechanism strategy are presented to obtain the optimal profit allocation scheme and sequential coalitions respectively in two-echelon logistics joint distribution network. An empirical study in Guiyang City, China, reveals that the improved ant colony optimization algorithm is superior to the other three methods in terms of the total cost. The improved Shapley value model and monotonic path selection strategy are applied to calculate the best sequential coalition selection strategy. The proposed cooperation and profit allocation approaches provide an effective paradigm for logistics companies to share benefit, achieve win–win situations through the horizontal cooperation, and improve the negotiation power for logistics network optimization.

Utilization of cellular automata for analysis of the efficiency of urban freight transport measures based on loading/unloading bays example

Abstract The analysis of urban freight traffic is a difficult research area, due to the following major reasons: a big number of factors that prevent a clear definition of its characteristics and lack of data regarding the traffic flows, classification of vehicles, vehicles routes etc. The above influence on problem with analysis of the efficiency of urban freight transport measures. Computer simulation could be significant helpful in this area. The main objective of this paper is to introduce usability of cellular automata as the tool for simulation of traffic in urban freight transport systems. The basis of the analysis will be the example of utilization of loading/unloading bays. Presented simulation will help to analyse the efficiency of this measure as well as its potential influence on city environment.

Conceptual framework and environmental issue in the freight transport system

There have been fundamental changes in the roles of seaports as key nodes in the urban freight transport system, as maritime traffic grows significantly. To plan and manage the urban freight transport system effectively, it is very important to understand port decisions and interactions. Major stakeholders are shippers, carriers (i.e. ocean carriers, land carriers and port terminal operators) and Port Authorities in the freight transport system. The paper provides a conceptual framework that defines their distinctive roles and relationships in today's global shipping market place. Then, freight network models to capture the optimal decision making process of the stakeholders are categorized by modeling methodologies and techniques with updated taxonomy. Finally, environmental issues in decision making are discussed due to increasing air pollution caused by freight shipping. A general equation for estimating port emission is proposed and modified equations of the cost functions for the carrier and shipper problems are suggested by considering the environmental cost additionally. The research provides useful insights and guidelines for future modeling directions and challenges.

Implementation of telematics-based good practices to support urban freight transport systems, applying a city's adaptability level

Problems associated with inefficient goods transport and distribution in urban areas is gaining more and more importance resulting in the need to search for methods and techniques that enable effective implementation of measures (solutions) aimed at streamlining and optimising urban freight transport systems. Most of the measures are less or more dependent on application of telematics tools which makes the implementation processes very difficult. Subsequently the basis of many practical implementations is the adaptive approach that focuses on good practice. In these cases, the adaptability level of the implemented measures is usually considered. This paper presents a method which expands this approach with the idea of adaptability of the city as the environment where it will be implemented. The method presented makes it possible to implement good practice in the area of urban freight transport by applying a city adaptability index.

Implementation of telematics-based good practices to support urban freight transport systems, applying a city's adaptability level

Implementation of telematics-based good practices to support urban freight transport systems, applying a city's adaptability level

An ontology-based CBR approach for personalized itinerary search systems for sustainable urban freight transport

This paper presents a novel information retrieval approach for personalized itinerary search in urban freight transport systems. The proposed approach is based on the integration of three techniques: Case Base Reasoning, Choquet integral and ontology. It has the following advanced features: (1) user-oriented ontology is used as source of knowledge to extract pertinent information about stakeholder’s preferences and needs; (2) semantic web rule language is considered to provide the system with enhanced semantic capabilities and support personalized case representation; (3) a CBR-personalized retrieval mechanism is designed to provide a user with an optimum itinerary that meets his personal needs and preferences. The above features lead to a personalized and optimum itinerary search that meets the user’s needs as specified in their queries such as fuel consumption, environmental impact, optimum route, time management etc. This has the potential to effectively manage fright movement according to stakeholder’s needs and alleviate congestion problems in urban areas. The proposed intelligent decision support system (Onto-CBR) is implemented to an itinerary search problem for freight transportation users in urban areas. Its performance is further compared to an itineraries search system that was proposed by the authors in an earlier publication. Both approaches are compared in terms of their ability to meet user’s personal preferences and achieve accuracy in case retrieval. The experimental results showed the ability of the proposed system to improve the accuracy of case retrieval and reduce retrieval time prominently. The ability of the proposed system tailor the search to stakeholders needs, improve the accuracy of case retrieval and facilitate the search process are among the main positive features of the proposed intelligent decision support system.

Concepts of City Logistics for Sustainable and Liveable Cities

This paper presents concepts of city logistics for sustainable and liveable cities. City logistics can contribute to create more efficient and environmentally friendly urban freight transport systems. The application of innovative technologies of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems), the change in mind-sets of logistics managers, and public-private partnerships can promote city logistics policy measures. The procedure of urban freight transport management is described, which is an adaptive management system that uses the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, and Act) cycle. Joint delivery systems with urban consolidation centres are also highlighted in particular focusing on the benefits and problems, the success factors, the role of municipalities and the transferability to other areas.

Comparative Analysis of Activities for More Environmental Friendly Urban Freight Transport Systems in Norway and Poland

Negative effects of urban distribution of goods in terms of energy consumption and air pollution are caused mainly by a low level of cooperation between partners in the supply chain, and also the low effectiveness of transport systems. The issues of urban freight transport functioning and effects on the city environment have recently been more and more often taken into account. Many projects on a local, regional, national as well as cross-boundary scale have emerged, with a direct focus on limiting the negative impacts of urban freight deliveries on the environment. In this paper the authors introduce a study performed for Polish and Norwegian cities focused on initiatives concentrated on activities aimed at limiting the negative impacts of freight transport on urban environment. A comparative analysis of the Polish and Norwegian projects was made, taking into account both quantitative and qualitative aspects. This was the first part of the GRASS (GReen And Sustainable freight transport Systems in cities) research project, which is being undertaken by the Maritime University of Szczecin and the Institute of Transport Economics from Oslo through the Polish-Norwegian Research Programme.

Transferability of urban freight transport measures: A case study of Cariacica (Brazil)

This paper presents a case study describing a transferability case study in Cariacica (Brazil), identifying various urban freight planning measures from other parts of the world that might be implemented in Cariacica. The case study developed a light transferability approach, which uses a low level of expert input and data requirements, and is thus appropriate for cities with highly limited financial resources. The case study focussed upon regulatory measures that are under the control of the local authority, and also identified possible barriers and facilitators for their implementation. It was generally considered that the ‘light’ transferability approach had been successful and could be used in many other ‘smaller’ cities. The paper provides insights both for research and transport planning practice (on identifying barriers, and hence solutions, for the successful implementation of urban freight transport measures). Furthermore, the paper provides a number of reflections about the transfer process, paying particular attention to the precise objectives of such exercises and the roles of transfer agents. Finally, conclusions are given which make a further justification of using a ‘light’ approach for policy transfer exercises in the context of the complexity of the urban freight transport system (further ‘complexified’ by transferability issues).

Defining and Evaluating Collaborative Urban Freight Transportation Systems

Collaborative transportation systems are relatively new concepts in research, but are very popular in practice. In the last years, collaborative transportation seems a good city logistics alternative to classical urban consolidation centers, but it is still in a development stage. This paper proposes a framework to define and evaluate collaborative urban transportation systems. This framework is organized in the following modules: a knowledge management system, a scenario simulator, a transportation management system, an environmental module, a risk factor estimation module and a multi-criteria decision support method. Finally, five realistic scenarios for the urban area of Lyon (France) are simulated and discussed to illustrate the proposed framework possible applications.

Urban freight establishment and tour based surveys for policy oriented modelling

Commonly collected data about urban freight does not provide appropriate input to urban freight transport policy-oriented models. According to us, a policy-oriented model (Ambrosini et al., 2008) is a data-adjusted model, oriented towards operational policy analysis. The aim is to simulate freight distribution within urban areas for evaluation, control and design of the urban freight transport system. Policy-oriented models help public decision making about the main stakes associated with an urban sustainable development. These models have to simulate the present situation properly enough to provide a good quality forecast to satisfy both local urban and global environmental issues. Data collected in order to calibrate those models have to fit into the methods carried out for their working. So we propose first doing a critical investigation of different possible methodological approaches for urban goods movement surveying. Secondly we present some recent approaches staying more close to reality, stressing on the necessary quality of data to improve the reliability of the results.

A conceptual model for intermodal freight logistics centre location decisions

The persistent growth of freight traffic congestion and air pollution in urban areas and the increase of imbalance and inefficiency in land use development drive public authorities and users to find alternative logistics solutions to ease the freight traffic problem. Intermodal freight logistics centres play an important role in achieving socio-economic and environmental sustainability by enhancing an optimal integration of different modes to provide an efficient and cost-effective use of the transport system through customer-oriented, door-to-door services while favouring competition among transport operators. An efficient logistics centre structure may lead to a significant profit and return on investment as well as a significantly increased competitive advantage in the market place by meeting strategic commercial objectives, where determination of the location is a key factor in enhancing the efficiency of urban freight transport systems and initializing relative sufficient supply chain activities. Hence, public authorities should consider the importance of this topic by any given decision in terms of strong economical, social and environmental implications before announcing an area as a logistics centre. The objective of this study is to explore the applicability of the way for the development of a conceptual model based on a combination of the fuzzy-analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and artificial neural networks (ANN) methods in the process of decision-making in order to select the most appropriate location. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate the concept of proposed model.

The Impact of Urban Freight Transport: A Definition of Sustainability from an Actor's Perspective

This paper presents a definition of sustainable urban freight transport (SUFT), based on the existing theories and concepts, and develops an indicator set that describes SUFT. The definition of SUFT makes a categorisation of actions possible which enables actors to select effective strategies towards SUFT. The indicator set consists of two levels: impact indicators – which describe how the urban freight transport violates the principles of sustainability; and performance indicators – which describe different categories determining the characteristics and performance of the urban transport system. A literature study analyses the characteristics determining the performance of actors in the urban freight transport chain. Knowing the current state and improvement potential of the urban freight transport system are prerequisites for defining successful strategies and implementing effective actions.

Implications of growing electronic commerce for freight transportation: A case study of the United States

Recent advancements in information and communication technologies have led to the rapid growth of electronic commerce market. In the United States, e-commerce retail sales for 2002 reached $45.6 billion, indicating an increase of 26.9% from 2001 while total retail sales increased 3.1% during the same period. Although e-commerce sales account for only 1.4% of total sales in this country, forecasts show that the magnitude of digital economy will continue to expand. The logistical requirements of e-commerce goods that extend to each customer's address stimulate greater complexity in traditional supply chain management, potentially causing higher costs for freight supply chain participants. To harness the economic potential of e-commerce, it is important to encourage the development of a freight transportation system that will support its steady growth, while avoiding the possible negative effects from the changes in freight transportation. Due to the intrinsic nature of e-commerce goods, advances in home delivery have the potential to promote the growth of e-commerce as well as to create sustainable urban freight transportation systems. Based on the case study of the United States, this paper presents an in-depth discussion of the key challenges arising in home delivery operations, and proposes potential solution strategies that will lead to more efficient and reliable home delivery systems.

Restructuring Freight Transportation in Chicago

Several alternative plans are reviewed which would restructure the freight transportation network serving the Chicago metropolitan region. These qualitative proposals are the initial output of a comprehensive planning program for freight facilities developed by the staff of the Chicago Area Transportation Study. Further research now being conducted will provide a basis for quantifying and testing forecasts and plans for freight facilities. The goal of the program can be summarized as planning for a balanced urban freight transportation system. The method of achieving that goal is to utilize the tools and techniques developed in the past for forecasting urban highway and transit needs. These tools would supplement the planning conducted by other government and private investors for urban freight facilities.