Johan Woxenius

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

Abstract 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.

Generic Framework for Transport Network Designs: Applications and Treatment in Intermodal Freight Transport Literature

Abstract Six principles for the design of transport systems are described, including direct link, corridor, hub‐and‐spoke, connected hubs, static routes, and dynamic routes. The designs are theoretically discussed, defining the operational character of each design and their application in passenger, freight and rail freight transport. The theory is then applied to intermodal freight transport by comparing the terminology used in the paper with that in the scientific literature. The advantages of using a generic terminology over contextual ones are identified from the perspectives of researchers, commercial operators and policy‐makers.

Review of Road Hauliers' Measures for Increasing Transport Efficiency and Sustainability in Urban Freight Distribution

This paper analyses a set of measures for transport efficiency improvements from the perspective of the road haulier, particularly regarding improvements suitable for urban distribution and their effects. The first part of the paper addresses literature within the area of transport efficiency. The second part reviews potential transport efficiency improvements with respect to environmental impact and the number of actors involved in the decision. The third part presents results from interviews with the CEOs of two road hauliers regarding their opinions of the transport efficiency measures. Finally, the conclusions about transport efficiency measures are summarized in a matrix, taking into account whether these measures can be considered as costs or benefits for the actors involved. The results show ambiguous and often intricate relations with regard to costs and benefits for the actors in the system. They also explain part of the inertia to change within the freight industry. However, an increasing number of transport operators are now offering more sustainable transport solutions and this service might gain them a competitive advantage in the future.

Establishing intermodal terminals

This study examines the development process of intermodal road-rail freight terminals. Of particular interest are factors affecting the development process and the time needed to establish intermodal road-rail terminals. The results are intended not only to be interesting to researchers, but also of practical use to actors developing intermodal terminals. Based on rational choice theory and two Swedish case studies, Falkoping/Skaraborg and Nassjo/Jonkoping, factors identified and analysed are: profitability, financiers, political entrepreneur, location, large local shippers, and the traffic authorities. Profitability combined with an enthusiastic and committed political entrepreneur are the most vital factors for the success and pace of the development process.

An Industry Analysis of Express Freight from a European Railway Perspective

There are large differences in both speed and costs between the traffic modes road and air. Rail has not yet successfully offered services “faster than road but cheaper than air”, although there are technical, logistical and economical opportunities for competing with air for intra‐continental shipments and co‐operate for intercontinental ones. The article categorises segments of the European express freight market and analyses them in a rail perspective. Services between Sweden and Continental Europe and domestically in Sweden are focused. System modelling tools are also adapted to the application of express intermodal transport and prospective roles for rail in express transport are defined. The analysis shows that a transport chain with many actors and long distances does not necessarily entail longer transport times than a short‐distance with the same circumstances under a single management. The analysis also shows that many express transport systems are built in a modular way, implying that subsystem...

The Development of Hinterland Transport by Rail - The Story of Scandinavia and the Port of Gothenburg

This article analyses the phenomenon of hinterland transport by rail and the remarkable journey that has taken place during the last ten years in Europe, especially in Scandinavia. Furthermore, it includes a brief examination of how current trends affect the role and development of rail for hinterland transport. In fact, particularly in Scandinavia, most of the potential market for hinterland transport of maritime containers is already realised. Nevertheless, stakeholders face new challenges as a result of the current financial crisis and global recession. As a result, transport systems, such as the Scandinavian rail shuttle system, now show modest growth figures in comparison to the 15 to 20 percent of annual growth over the last ten years. Ultimately, rail shuttle services and dry ports will still play an important future role in ensuring competitive and sustainable logistics systems assuming that these companies are able to cope with the imminent challenges.

Flexibility vs. specialisation in ro-ro shipping in the South Baltic Sea

Abstract The trade-off between flexibility and specialisation implies delicate tasks for transport system designers and marketing managers. The outcome of their efforts ranges from highly specialised solutions for a restricted number of users and types of cargoes to very open systems for common use adapted to accommodate a wide variety of transport demands. The purpose of this article is to adapt theories on openness and trade-offs, characterise a selection of flexible and specialised European short sea shipping concepts and analyse how substantial changes in the future character of the competition with road and rail can affect the development of ro-ro shipping in the South Baltic Sea. A matrix with commercial openness and technological openness on the axes is used for categorising sub-segments in the empirical context of the South Baltic Sea. Foreseeable changes in key cost and competition parameters until 2020 are taken into account in discussing potential scenarios. A plausible outcome for the ferry/ro...

The consequences of the extended gap between curiosity-driven and impact-driven research

This editorial captures the phenomenon that the stream of curiosity-driven, ‘continuous’, research funded by the universities’ internal means or foundations is drifting apart from the impact-driven, ‘projectified’, research funded by public-sector agencies with industrial influence and co-funding.

Utilising more of the loading space in intermodal line trains - Measures and decision support

The focus of this article is to identify, characterise and qualitatively evaluate the existing measures for increasing the utilisation of loading space in intermodal road-rail freight line trains. Normally, these trains operate like intercity passenger trains, because they make short unit load transhipment stops along rail corridors in order to travel comparatively small and short flows. The measures for loading space utilisation include adapting the trains capacity, changing the departure times, altering the train routes and sending trucks to different terminals as well as replacing rail transport with trucks. Some of the measures require improved information sharing, and executives can strengthen the effect of the measures by adding decision support systems and price incentives to transport buyers.

The 4 A’s of Sustainable Logistics

Mobility and logistics activities have been fundamental to economic development and social well-being for centuries, but it is only over the past 50 years that this has received interest as a major field of academic study and as a key determinant of, for example, business performance. In the last decades, the evolution towards globalisation and the opportunities presented by technological innovation have greatly increased the importance of mobility and logistics worldwide. Nevertheless, the growing environmental concern of citizens and governments and the widespread introduction of the concept of sustainability have simultaneously placed increasing pressure on public and private activities to take all effects related to such activities into account. Logistics, and especially freight transport representing its most physical component, has accordingly received much attention in the sustainability debate in recent years, due to the numerous external effects and the widespread effects on virtually all individuals. This has forced stakeholders involved in logistics processes to address the issue of sustainability, leading to the birth of terms combining adjectives such as sustainable, ecological, green, clean and lean with domain specific nouns such as supply chain management, logistics, freight transport and urban freight. Some specific terms such as logistics shades of green have also been introduced.