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Urban Freight Lab

Publication Type: Paper

Paper

Assessing the Safety Effects of Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems: A Bowtie Analysis Approach

URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2016.11.014
Publication: Accident Analysis and Prevention
Volume: 99 (A)
Pages: 125-141
Publication Date: 2017
Summary:

The safety effects of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) are mostly unknown and associated with uncertainties, because these systems represent emerging technology. This study proposes a bowtie analysis as a conceptual framework for evaluating the safety effect of cooperative intelligent transport systems. These seek to prevent road traffic accidents or mitigate their consequences. Under the assumption of the potential occurrence of a particular single-vehicle accident, three case studies demonstrate the application of the bowtie analysis approach in road traffic safety. The approach utilizes exemplary expert estimates and knowledge from literature on the probability of the occurrence of accident risk factors and of the success of safety measures. Fuzzy set theory is applied to handle uncertainty in expert knowledge. Based on this approach, a useful tool is developed to estimate the effects of safety-related cooperative intelligent transport systems in terms of the expected change in accident occurrence and consequence probability.

Authors: Dr. Ed McCormack, Ute Christine Ehlers, Eirin Olaussen Ryeng, Faisal Khan, Sören Ehlers
Recommended Citation:
Ehlers, Ute Christine, Eirin Olaussen Ryeng, Edward McCormack, Faisal Khan, and Sören Ehlers. "Assessing the safety effects of cooperative intelligent transport systems: A bowtie analysis approach." Accident Analysis & Prevention 99 (2017): 125-141.
Paper

Double Girder Bridge Crane with Double Cycling: Scheduling Strategy and Performance Evaluation

 
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URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/418689
Publication: Journal of Applied Mathematics
Volume: 2014 (3)
Pages: 12-Jan
Publication Date: 2014
Summary:

This paper introduces a novel quay crane design, a double girder bridge crane (DGBC). DGBC is capable of handling containers of two adjacent bays simultaneously, avoiding crane collisions, saving traveling and repositioning costs, and eventually improving terminal efficiency.

This problem is formulated as a resource-constrained project scheduling to minimize the maximum completion time. A two-stage heuristic algorithm is proposed in which an operating sequence on each bay is obtained by double cycling, and the integrated timetable for both bays is constructed by solving resource conflicts using the proposed minimum cost strategy. We examine effectiveness and performance of applying DGBC with double cycling.

A case study is presented to illustrate how DGBC works with the two-stage method. Three extreme cases with respective conflict types are investigated to develop the performance bounds of DGBC with double cycling.

The results show that DGBC can significantly improve terminal productivity, and outperforms single girder crane in both makespan and the lift operation percentage. The highest DGBC efficiency does not require maximum double cycles in two bay schedules; rather the integrated timetable for two bays is the main contribution to the DGBC performance as it yields better cooperation between two spreaders and the driver.

Authors: Dr. Anne Goodchild, Dandan Wang, Xiaoping Li, and Zun Wang
Recommended Citation:
Wang, Dandan, Anne Goodchild, Xiaoping Li, and Zun Wang. "Double girder bridge crane with double cycling: Scheduling strategy and performance evaluation." Journal of Applied Mathematics 2014 (2014). 
Paper

A Container Terminal at the Port of Prince Rupert: Considerations from a Transportation Perspective

 
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URL: http://ojs.unbc.ca/index.php/cpsr/article/view/78
Publication: Canadian Political Science Review
Volume: 2(4)
Pages: 60-75
Publication Date: 2008
Summary:

This paper discusses the transport of containers between the Port of Prince Rupert and the hinterland. The result of several data collection and analysis efforts, we present a set of findings regarding the role Prince Rupert might play in North American transportation, and the particular strengths or weaknesses of this facility. In the short term, there will be no facilities for container rehandling in Prince Rupert. This activity may take place in Prince George, or more likely these importers may continue to use the facilities surrounding Vancouver. Given the current rail network, Prince George will be required to handle as much cargo as Prince Rupert. This will have negative impacts on air quality in Prince George, yet potentially positive impacts on employment and economic activity through rehandling and transloading opportunities. Due to sizeable resources in Western Canada, this Port may offer a better ratio of exports to imports than other West Coast terminals which will attract steamship lines looking for west-bound fares. Unfortunately, on multi-stop routes, this may also mean Prince Rupert is visited after other West Coast destinations, thereby reducing the benefit of being closer to Asia. Despite these uncertainties, we conclude that, because of its unique features, this Port has strong potential to impact logistics practices in a continental transportation system.

Authors: Dr. Anne Goodchild, Susan Albrecht, Tsit Lam, Kasey Faust
Recommended Citation:
Anne Goodchild, Susan Albrecht, Tsit Lam, Kasey Faust. "A Container Terminal at the Port of Prince Rupert: Considerations from a Transportation Perspective." Canadian Political Science Review 2, no. 4 (December 2008): 60-75. 
Paper

How Cargo Cycle Drivers Use the Urban Transport Infrastructure

 
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URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2022.103562
Publication: Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice
Volume: 167
Publication Date: 2023
Summary:

Electric cargo cycles are often considered a viable alternative mode for delivering goods in an urban area. However, cities in the U.S. are struggling to regulate cargo cycles, with most authorities applying the same rules used for motorized vehicles or traditional bikes. One reason is the lack of understanding of the relationships between existing regulations, transport infrastructure, and cargo cycle parking and driving behaviors.

In this study, we analyzed a cargo cycle pilot test in Seattle and collected detailed data on the types of infrastructure used for driving and parking. GPS data were augmented by installing a video camera on the cargo cycle and recording the types of infrastructure used (distinguishing between the travel lane, bicycle lane, and sidewalk), the time spent on each type, and the activity performed.

The analysis created a first-of-its-kind, detailed profile of the parking and driving behaviors of a cargo cycle driver. We observed a strong preference for parking (80 percent of the time) and driving (37 percent of the time) on the sidewalk. We also observed that cargo cycle parking was generally short (about 4 min), and the driver parked very close to the delivery address (30 m on average) and made only one delivery. Using a random utility model, we identified the infrastructure design parameters that would incentivize drivers to not use the sidewalk and to drive more on travel and bicycle lanes.

The results from this study can be used to better plan for a future in which cargo cycles are used to make deliveries in urban areas.

Authors: Dr. Giacomo Dalla ChiaraGriffin DonnellyŞeyma GüneşDr. Anne Goodchild
Recommended Citation:
Dalla Chiara, G., Donnelly, G., Gunes, S., & Goodchild, A. (2023). How Cargo Cycle Drivers Use the Urban Transport Infrastructure. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 167, 103562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2022.103562
Paper

Identifying the Challenges to Sustainable Urban Last-Mile Deliveries: Perspectives from Public and Private Stakeholders

 
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URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084701
Publication: Sustainability
Volume: 14, 4701
Publication Date: 2022
Summary:

While freight transportation is a necessary activity to sustain cities’ social and economic life—enabling the movement and deployment of goods and services in urbanized areas—it also accounts for a significant portion of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The urban freight ecosystem is a complex network of agents, both public and private. Reducing CO2 emissions from urban freight requires the collaboration and coordination between those agents, but the motivations behind their goals, strategies for achieving those goals, and the challenges faced by each agent may differ. In this paper, we document the strategies aimed at reducing CO2 emissions considered by cities and private companies with the goal of understanding the challenges to progress faced by each. To accomplish this, we interviewed officials from purposefully sampled city departments in North America and private companies involved in city logistics. We found that cities face challenges related to a lack of strong leadership, resources, and policy tools. Companies must consider technological challenges, costs, and their workforce before reducing emissions. Cities and companies are challenged by the disaggregated nature of the urban freight “system”—a system that is not organized at the municipal scale and that is driven by performance and customer expectations.

Authors: Thomas MaxnerDr. Giacomo Dalla ChiaraDr. Anne Goodchild
Recommended Citation:
Maxner, T.; Dalla Chiara, G.; Goodchild, A. Identifying the Challenges to Sustainable Urban Last-Mile Deliveries: Perspectives from Public and Private Stakeholders. Sustainability 2022, 14, 4701. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084701.
Paper

The Impact of Commercial Parking Utilization on Cyclist Behavior in Urban Environments

 
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URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2020.07.014
Publication: Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour
Volume: 74
Pages: 67-80
Publication Date: 2020
Summary:

With growing freight operations within the United States, there continues to be a push for urban streets to accommodate trucks during loading and unloading operations. Currently, many urban locations do not provide loading and unloading zones, which results in trucks parking in places that can obstruct roadway infrastructure designated to vulnerable road users (e.g., pedestrians and cyclists). In an effort to understand the implications of these truck operations, a bicycle simulation experiment was designed to evaluate the impact of commercial vehicle loading and unloading activities on safe and efficient bicycle operations in a shared urban roadway environment. A counter-balanced, factorial design was chosen to explore three independent variables: commercial vehicle loading zone (CVLZ) sizes with three levels (no CVLZ, Min CVLZ, and Max CVLZ), courier position with also three levels (No courier, behind the truck, beside the truck), and loading accessories (Acc) with two levels (no Acc, and with Acc). Cyclist’s velocity and lateral position were used as performance measures. Data were obtained from 48 participants (24 women) resulting in 864 observations in 18 experimental scenarios. Linear Mixed-Effects Models (LMM) were developed to examine the effect of each independent variable level on bicyclist performance.

Results from LMM model suggest that loading zone size had the greatest effect on cyclist’s divergence. Additionally, when the courier was walking beside the truck, cyclist’s velocity significantly dropped to almost one m/sec in compared when the courier located behind the truck. The presence of accessories had the lowest influence on both velocity and lateral positions of cyclists. In the no CVLZ scenarios, the delivery vehicle was parked at the bike lane, therefore; cyclists had to choose between using the travel lane or the sidewalk. About one-third of participants decided to use the sidewalk. These findings could support better roadway and CVLZ design guidelines, which will allow our urban street system to operate more efficiently, safely, and reliably for all users.

Authors: Dr. Anne GoodchildManali ShethDr. Ed McCormack, Hisham Jashami, Douglas Cobb, David S. Hurtwitz
Paper

Changing University Student Perceptions of Freight Transportation

URL: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1943-5541.0000182
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice (American Society of Civil Engineers)
Volume: 140
Publication Date: 2013
Summary:

This study examines civil engineering students’ perceptions of freight transportation and its impacts on the environment and society. Research and anecdotal evidence suggests students enter into the field of transportation because they want to improve systems that impact the environment and/or society, and despite freight transportation’s increasing momentum as an emerging industry and research path, freight is often perceived as counter to sustainability, focused solely on profitability, and thus not as appealing to transportation students. This paper investigates whether increased exposure to and knowledge of freight transportation can change students’ perceptions of the field by either illustrating the potential for future environmental and sustainability gains within freight transportation or by illustrating the relationships between freight transportation and other contemporary transportation issues. Perceptions of students who took introductory freight transportation classes at several universities were measured using precourse and postcourse surveys to help better understand the influence of increased knowledge in freight transportation. Results indicate that after students have taken an introductory freight class, they more strongly agreed that there are sustainability improvements and gains to be had within freight transportation. Additionally, students made stronger connections between freight transportation and contemporary freight transportation issues after taking a freight class. These findings indicate that introductory freight transportation courses are useful in helping students understand the importance of and develop an interest in freight transportation.

Authors: Dr. Anne Goodchild, Kelly Pitera
Recommended Citation:
Pitera, K., & Goodchild, A. (2013). Changing university student perceptions of freight transportation. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, 140(1), 04013009.
Paper

Land Use Policies and Transport Emissions: Modeling the Impact of Trip Speed, Vehicle Characteristics and Residential Location

 
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URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2013.10.011
Publication: Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment
Volume: 26
Pages: 47-51
Publication Date: 2014
Summary:

This study employs a multilevel model to compare the influence of land use on transportation emissions in urban and suburban areas when considering trip speed and vehicle characteristics. In the existing literature, transportation emissions are calculated with aggregate travel activity and emissions factors, however, emissions factors are sensitive to trip speed and vehicle characteristics, implying that considering those factors can change transportation emissions as well as the estimated effects of the built environment. Our results show that indeed this true.

Authors: Dr. Anne Goodchild, Jinhyun Honga
Recommended Citation:
Hong, Jinhyun, and Anne Goodchild. "Land use policies and transport emissions: Modeling the impact of trip speed, vehicle characteristics and residential location." Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 26 (2014): 47-51.
Paper

A Methodology for Forecasting Freeway Travel Time Reliability Using GPS Data

 
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URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2017.05.461
Publication: Transportation Research Procedia
Volume: 25
Pages: 842-852
Publication Date: 2017
Summary:

The objective of this paper is to develop a methodology for forecasting freeway vehicle travel time reliability for transportation planning using probe GPS data. Travel time reliability is measured using the coefficient of variation of the GPS spot (instantaneous) speed distribution. The proposed approach establishes relationships between travel time reliability and roadway traffic density in order to forecast reliability given future traffic conditions. The travel time reliability and traffic density datasets are segmented into different homogenous groups using the K-means cluster algorithm and the corresponding reliability-density relationship of each cluster is fitted by minimizing squared errors. This paper employs a truck probe GPS dataset as an example to demonstrate the proposed approach. The approach can be applied with any GPS datasets for forecasting reliability.

Authors: Dr. Anne GoodchildDr. Ed McCormack, Zun Wang
Recommended Citation:
Wang, Zun, Anne Goodchild, and Edward McCormack. A Methodology for Forecasting Freeway Travel Time Reliability Using GPS Data. Transportation Research Procedia, (25) 842–852. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2017.05.461
Paper

Data-Driven Innovations in Policy-Oriented Freight Transport Models and Planning Methods

 
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URL: https://doi.org/10.18757/ejtir.2016.16.1.3109
Publication: European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research
Volume: 16(1)
Pages: 3-Jan
Publication Date: 2016
Summary:

Freight transport is a challenging economic sector, as it is essential for the functioning of production and distribution systems but and the same time is at the origin of many nuisances such as congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and noise. When responding to these issues, planners dispose nowadays of a growing body of freight data that can be used for the implementation of policies towards achieving smart mobility. Because contrary to current practice and dominant discourse, smart mobility is not just a matter of passengers: it also largely relies on more sustainable freight plays an transport. Policy makers see in those new sources of data an opportunity to increase their knowledge on freight transport as well as to have suitable decision support tools to the choices they need to make. In developed countries this trend is illustrated by the increasing requirement of data by recent legislation on freight transport. But these data are not always easily available, and when they are, they are not necessarily adapted to the needs of practitioners. This mismatch partly results in a lack of dialogue between researchers and practitioners, that this special issue intends to promote.

Authors: Dr. Anne Goodchild, Jesus Gonzalez-Feliu, David Guerrero
Recommended Citation:
Gonzalez-Feliu, Jesus, Anne Goodchild, and David Guerrero. "Data-driven innovations in policy-oriented freight transport models and planning methods." European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research 16, no. 1 (2016).