Freight forwarders speak: the Perception of Route Competition via Seaports in the European Communities Research Project. Part 1

This paper, in two parts, reports on the Perception of Route Competition via Seaports in the European Communities Research Project wherein a total of 72 interviews were held in 11 European countries. Respondents were also asked to fill in a questionnaire, and it is these questionnaire findings that are reported in this first part of the paper. These is a perhaps surprisingly widespread belief that frequency of shipping service is a main reason for choice of seaport in cargo movement. Time on the route and labour problems at ports are major concerns of freight forwarders whose minds are powerfully imbued with the spirit of free enterprise(absence of governmental or other planning agency intervention). Among other major conclusions are a preference for 'delivered price' consignments and the belief in the importance of port charges in route determination (see table 2 for summary of major conclusions).     

A nested logit model of automobile holdings for one vehicle households

This paper presents a model of automobile choice by single vehicle households. This effort is distinguished from previous disaggregate automobile holdings models primarily by the use of the nested logit model rather than the more restrictive multinomial logit model. We present a 2-step estimation technique that provides consistent and asymptotically efficient parameter estimates, yet is tractable for very large choice sets. Using disaggregate data on 237 one-vehicle households we estimate the unknown parameters on an automobile choice model containing 785 individual makes, models and vintages of passenger vehicles.     

Economic development and non-marine initiatives at American seaports

Public Port Authorities engage in a multimedia of activities under the guise of economic development that may be only marginally linked to the disposition of frieght or passengers. The mix of economic functions is determined as a result of shifts in marine cargo throughput, competition for shorefront land with other non-water-dependent users, the level of power and control wielded by Port personnel, and the legal mandate granted to the Port Authority. These non-marine functions often play an important role both for the Port itself and for the port community, regardless of the size of the port.     

Challenges and opportunities for transportation: Implementation of the clean air act amendments of 1990 and the intermodal surface transportation efficiency act of 1991

The Federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) may be the most powerful of all environmental laws affecting transportation. They are intended to significantly affect transportation decision-making, not only to achieve air quality goals but also to affect broader environmental goals related to land use, travel mode choice, and reductions in vehicle miles traveled. The CAAA require greater integration of transportation and air quality planning, and assign a greater responsibility to transportation plans and programs for reducing mobile source emissions. By expanding the requirements for determining the conformity of transportation plans, programs, and projects with State Implementation Plans for air quality, and by expanding the use of highway funding sanctions to enforce those requirements, the CAAA ensure a continuing linkage between transportation and environmental goals.While the CAAA give transportation and air quality decision-makers the mandate to better coordinate their respective planning processes, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 offers the tools to help carry out that mandate. Consequently, this paper summarizes the transportation and air quality provisions of both of these Acts and their relationships.     

The economics of railway safety

This paper reviews the statistics and economics of railway safety in Great Britain, the European Union and the United States, together with some results for Finland and Japan. In these countries railway safety has improved over recent decades. That finding applies both to train accidents and to personal accidents such as persons struck by trains. Fatal train collisions and derailments command most attention even though they are infrequent and account for only a small minority of railway fatalities. Great Britain, the EU and the USA formally espouse conventional cost benefit analysis for the appraisal of railway safety measures, using the same valuations for the prevention of casualties as are used in road safety appraisal. However there are often strong institutional, legal and political pressures towards adopting railway safety measures with safety benefit: cost ratios well below 1. The best-documented examples of this are automatic train protection systems, which are discussed in the paper. Apart from trespassers, the largest group of railway fatalities occur at level crossings, which the paper also discusses. Level crossing safety measures would seem to be an appropriate subject for cost benefit analysis, but there are few case-studies in the literature. Over the last few decades, the railways in many countries have been privatised or deregulated with the aim of improving their economic performance. Such changes have the potential to affect safety. The paper reviews evidence of the effects on safety of railway restructuring in Great Britain, Japan and the United State, and finds no evidence that safety deteriorated.     

Land use implications of sea level rise: A case study at myrtle beach,South Carolina

Abstract

the prospect of global warming and consequent sea level rise will have important implications for coastal communities. this article examines the land use implications of alternate sea level rise scenarios on the city of myrtle beach, south carolina. current trends as well as high and low sea level rise scenarios are superimposed on the city's beach profile and near shore contours to estimate the type and value of land development likely to be impacted.

It is found that losses associated with accelerated sea level rise would be particularly high in the city's hotel district and that overall property loss could range from 21 to 60% of the city's total property value. to lessen these potential losses, coastal communities such as myrtle beach must choose among one of three policy options including: (1) barricade the beach, (2) raise the land, and (3) implement a strategic retreat. specific alternatives within each of these options are explored in turn. the article concludes that successful development plans will incorporate ground rules sensitive to and consistent with dynamic coastal processes.