FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MODELLING

RESEARCH PRACTICE

Guided by
Prof. Mahabir Panda

Submitted by
Ananthakrishnan KP

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROURKELA
INTRODUCTION

The competitiveness of nations is largely grounded on the existence

of efficient transport systems. Transport is considered an input more
of the entire production process (derived demand). A detailed
knowledge about the transport demand behavior is paramount in
making decisions about what should be the optimal planning for the
transport system.
Freight is defined here as movement of goods and commodities by
truck, rail, air, water, and pipeline. The demand for freight movement
is expected to increase at a rapid pace with evolving needs of e-
commerce, express deliveries, and expedited imports and exports.
The modeling of freight transport demand has evolved significantly
over the past decades, from the use of aggregate models based on
global data of shippers and shipments, to the use of more
sophisticated disaggregated models based on individual data.
An efficient transport system can contribute considerably to increase
trade and productivity of a country by reducing freight transport-
related costs.
LITERATURE REVIEW

In literature on freight models identified, different authors had

categorized models using varying criteria and named different model
categories with varying terminologies.
De Jong et al. (2004) present a freight transport analysis model review,
focusing on the different options for each of the steps in the four-step
approach, which include one or more of the following steps: trip
generation, trip distribution, modal split, and traffic assignment. They
also provide directions for future model development; in particular,
they suggest developing an integrated set of models, including an
easy-to-use low-resolution model and a detailed high-resolution
analysis model.
Ramstedt (2008) identify a number of model characteristics that are
argued to be necessary for the ability to conduct different types of
freight transport analyses. Using a model analysis framework, she
discusses how different model types are able to capture the identified
model characteristics. Chow et al. (2010) contribute an analysis on
existing freight transport analysis models and future needs for data
and model development. A number of basic model components are
identified, and mapped both to a set of basic model types and to the
identified analysis needs. They suggest developing detailed logistics
models and hybrid models, where the latter represents more than one
model type.
The studies discussed above provide important knowledge on the
needs for freight transport analysis and how different model types are
able to fulfil the needs.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

The goal of this project is to develop a tactical model of freight

transportation demand in Hyderabad that will consider all modes of
transportation as well as the most important commodities. The
primary function of this planning tool will be analyzing the potential
impacts of policy and industry changes on freight transportation
within the city. The overall objectives for a transport model can
include:
 Providing the technical means for the ongoing development of
procedures to quantitatively test and evaluate transport
initiatives, strategies and policies
 Assessing the strategic justification for major transport
infrastructure projects
 Defining the geographic coverage – initially for specific
metropolitan regions, but allowing flexibility to include regional
centres within the context of a state-wide model
 Extending the model to test the impacts of transport strategies
on a particular location and the intensity of land use
development that might occur there.
EXISTING MODELS

Freight transportation models are used to “assist in the tasks of

estimating demand for travel and the impacts of proposed land use or
transportation system changes. The existing freight transportation
models in the urban and metropolitan settings can be classified as five
groups if mixtures of two or several are not counted as separate ones:
(i) Growth-factor and Origin/Destination (O/D) synthesis,
(ii) Commodity-based,
(iii) Trip-based or vehicle-based,
(iv) Tour-based,
(v) Logistics- or supply-chain.
Each model tends to have some advantages over the others. As
situations vary, one particular freight model just cannot deliver the
results or information that policy analysts or modelers desire. For
modelers, therefore, they should adopt a context-sensitive and
problem-specific attitude when choosing their respective freight
models. That is, choosing the model in light of local data, budget, and
talent availability and based on the nature and scope of the problem
at hand. It is not wise to pre-exclude or prefer any model simply based
on exogenous general performance assessment results of different
freight models, or on personal impression or experience of a specific
model.
EXISTING METHODOLOGY

As for the scope, we argue that existing assessment

methodologies cover the following aspects of urban freight
distribution systems:
Measures: a methodology can assess one of the measures
applicable to the urban freight transport system (Anand et al.,
2012a). Among them we find public measures, such as urban
consolidation centre, road pricing or load factor control, and
private measures, such as the introduction of automated
pickup points (Quak et al., 2014)
Stakeholder: an assessment methodology should take into account
the objectives of most of the stakeholder of urban freight distribution
systems, namely shippers, receivers, carriers, citizens and public
authorities (Russo and Comi, 2011; Anand et al., 2012a)
Impact area: we identify four impact areas from literature,
namely environmental, economical, socialand operational
(Macharis et al., 2009; Patier and Browne, 2010).
REFERENCES

 Pendyala, R.M., et al., Urban highway freight modeling including

intermodal connectors for Florida freight modeling data and
networks.Florida Department of Transportation Research
Center, Tallahassee, FL, 2002.
 de Jong, G., H. Gunn, and W. Walker, National and International
Freight Transport Models: An Overview and Ideas for Future
Development.Transport Reviews. 2004, 24(1): 103-124.
 Tavasszy, L., Freight Modelling – An overview of international
experiences. the TRB Conference on Freight Demand Modelling:
Tools for Public Sector Decision Making: Washington, D.C., 2006.
 Southworth, F., Freight transportation planning: models and
methods. Transportation Systems Planning: Methods and
Applications, K.G. Goulias, Editor, CRC Press, 2002.
 Holguín-Veras, J. et al., An assessment of methodological
alternatives for a regional freight model in the NYMTC region.
City College of the City University of New York, 2001.
CONTENTS

1.INTRODUCTION
2.RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
3.LITERATURE REVIEW
4.EXISTING MODELS
5.EXISTING METHDOLOGIES
6.REFERENCES