Performance ranking methodology for roading operations management

Management of enterprises in the public domain are being asked to look beyond financial measures of performance towards a system of performance indicators which will reflect achievement in quantitative but not necessarily monetary terms. The essential element of this approach is the role that management must play in the selection of indicators which reflect key dimensions of performance and objectives of the organization. This paper identifies comparison and presentation methods which are likely to be of practical help to managers facing the tasks of control and communication in the wider accountability process.

The issues raised are illustrated in a case study derived from an analysis of road maintenance management data from New Zealand territorial local authorities 1982–87.     

Energy savings in transport

A decade of increasing Federal attention to urban transportation needs has culminated in the 1970 Urban Mass Transportation Assistance Act. This Act is intended to provide 10 thousand million dollars over the next 12 years in Federal assistance money to urban public transportation systems. This paper examines the needs of selected U.S. cities as a basis for (1) understanding the vast, various and complex transportation needs of urban areas throughout the country, and (2) assessing the sufficiency of these funds. The sample cities have been placed into three broad categories based on the state of development of their transportation systems. In Category I cities, the essential need is to ensure the survival of bus systems for the use of non‐drivers, or to provide some other viable alternative to the automobile; in Category II cities, the primary needs are to relieve auto congestion and to improve public transportation components, while in Category III cities, the primary need is massive investment to improve and to extend public transportation facilities. It is concluded that the presently intended Federal funding level for transportation will not meet the financial requirements of the Category III cities.     

Seaport performance analysis using robust non-parametric efficiency estimators

Abstract

Seaport services have been developing year on year, playing an increasingly important role in the economy and the transportation markets of each country. This increases interest in measuring their performance. This paper evaluates the performance of a set of European seaports by means of robust non-parametric approaches. Using order-m and bootstrap procedures, the major problems of traditional data envelopment analysis and free disposal hull methods – concerning noise, presence of outliers and the ‘curse of dimensionality’ – are overcome. With this study considerable levels of inefficiency were found in the European seaports sector.     

Technological innovations in the transport sector: the need for cooperation to meet environmental interests

Environmental problems have become urgent in many countries. A large contribution to the solution of environmental problems is expected from technological change. This raises the issue of how technological change takes place, and more in particular how technological change can be promoted that is beneficial to long term sustainability objectives.

In the paper we discuss this topic in the context of the transport sector. This is relevant because transportation contributes significantly to various types of pollution, existing trends might lead to even more negative impacts and finally there are high expectations about the potential of future technological development to reduce the environmental impact of transportation.

We approach the issue of technological change towards more environmentally sound development from the perspective of technology dynamics and sustainable development. We argue that additional theoretical insights are needed especially when one wants to study technological change in the context of environmental problems. We therefore discuss a strategy of cooperation between government and firms in network. Special attention is paid to the role of the government in networks and the use of a new type of instruments.     

Public transport enterprises in transition

Since the mid-1970s many western governments have felt that liberalization of market forces through deregulation and better control or privatization of public enterprises would raise productivity and reduce inflation and government deficits. This paper reviews the recent literature on public enterprise and draws on the Canadian experience. It discusses the rationale for and concept of public enterprise and focuses on two reform proposals, accountability and privatization. To increase the degree of accountability would require, on the one hand, that the government establish a formal mandate and role for the enterprise and periodically provide formal government directives, and on the other hand, provide an appropriate evaluation framework. Government compensation for imposed public duties is addressed. Full or partial privatization should be pursued when the rationale for a public enterprise has been significantly altered. This applies particularly to public transport enterprises which are in competition with the private sector.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Fourth World Conference on Transport Research, Vancouver, Canada, 1986. The author wishes to acknowledge the financial support of the Research Branch of the Canadian Transport Commission, and the valuable input provided by Dr Gennady Orzornoy.     

Complex Network Topology of Transportation Systems

ABSTRACT

As a strategic factor for a country to survive in the global competition, transportation systems have attracted extensive attention from different disciplines for a long time. Since the introduction of complex network theory in the last decade, however, studies on transport systems have witnessed dramatic progress. Most roads, streets, and rails are organized as a network pattern, while link flows, travel time, or geographical distance are regarded as weights. In this article, the authors will present the current state of topological research on transportation systems under a complex network framework, as well as the efforts and challenges that have been made in the last decade. First, different kinds of transportation systems should be generalized as networks in different ways, which will be explained in the first part of this paper. We follow this by summarizing network measures that describe topological characteristics of transportation networks. Then we discuss the empirical observations from the last decade on real transportation systems at a variety of spatial scales. This paper concludes with some important challenges and open research frontiers in this field.     

Analysis of the efficiency of local government services delivery. An application to urban public transport

In recent years in the European Union (EU), we have witnessed an externalization process of the provision of local government services, in order to separate the political responsibility and the direct delivery of the service. The reasons that justify this process are focused on the belief that the private sector is more efficient in carrying out economic activities, the pressure to reduce the public deficit and the public debt, the search for management systems that bypass public administration procedures, and the increase of control on local governments in auditing and accountability issues.The objective of this paper is to compare the efficiency of public and private sectors in the provision of urban transportation services. This paper shows the results of an empirical study commissioned by the Regional Audit Office of Catalonia (Spain), in order to evaluate the efficiency with which urban transportation services are delivered in the most important cities of this region. This efficiency study has been carried out using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model, multiple linear regression and logit and cluster analysis. The results allow us to conclude that, in the cities studied, exogenous factors are not relevant and the private management of urban transport service is not more efficient than public management.     

Transporting Singapore—The Air‐Conditioned Nation

Abstract

The role of a metaphor of centrally controlled air conditioning in governing Singaporean transport planning is examined, and its consequences evaluated. A modern transportation system has been put in place to link a hierarchy of central places. Tight government control has made change possible. A reliance on technical expertise at the expense of public involvement has, however, failed to develop public transport to effectively serve a range of dispersed‐destination travel needs. Regulatory approaches, furthermore, have discouraged service innovation. Policies making car purchase expensive have restricted car ownership. Effective change would be facilitated by involving a highly educated public more in decision‐making.     

Urban public transport in Australia

Urban public transport in Australia has been the responsibility of State governments. The National government has indicated that it wishes to assume some financial responsibilities for capital programmes, but not for funding of operational deficits. This paper is a review of the problems of the urban public transport industry. Economic, social and financial issues are examined in the context of these changing governmental responsibilities.     

Logistics opportunities in Asia and development in Taiwan

The economy in Asia is growing rapidly. As a consequence, transportation and communication technologies and the changing needs of customers and shippers have resulted in Asian and Taiwan's logistics being in transition. This paper discusses why logistics changes, and explores the opportunities for Asian logistics development. The issues of logistics perspectives of private sectors in Taiwan are then raised. Finally, logistics development in Taiwan is described.     

Resilience in transportation systems: a systematic review and future directions

ABSTRACT

The Belt and Road (B&R) initiative was introduced by the Chinese government to promote the worldwide economic development and multilateral cooperation between China and the associated countries. As a crucial part of global supply chains, transportation plays a key role to ensure the implementation of the B&R. Safety is one of the issues with great importance in transportation research. However, its foci have been expanded from traditional risk through security to resilience and sustainability. Resilience has attracted considerable interests from both researchers and practitioners across different research domains in recent years. Various studies have been conducted on transportation resilience from different perspectives. Consequently, different definitions have been developed to define and describe resilience. This paper presents a systematic review on transportation resilience with emphasis on its definitions, characteristics, and research methods applied in different transportation systems/contexts. It aims to figure out what transportation resilience is and what kind of essential characters it usually has. More importantly, research challenges are analysed and a future research agenda on the resilience of transportation systems is proposed. This paper will provide comprehensive insights into understanding the transportation resilience, as well as establish new horizons for relevant research topics within the context of the B&R.     

Man and his transport behaviour. Part 2c Planning as a substitute for implementation: a bicycle case study

Abstract

Researchers, planners and politicians alike have emphasized the need for systematic planning prior to the introduction of new transportation measures and schemes. Innovations ranging from the construction of new freeways to the encouragement of mode shift are therefore usually the result of detailed studies and extensive planning.

With unsettling frequency, however, the planning has come to replace implementation. The governing body identifies a problem area and commissions either a government planning department or a consultant to develop a plan which outlines needs and proposes measures which address the problem. The problem usually has two groups of people anxious to solve it; individuals who are being affected in their day‐to‐day living or travel, and longer‐term planners (usually politicians) who see it in terms of both extended community planning and votes.

The plan satisfies both sides temporarily, but becomes an effective planning tool only if implemented. Unrealistic plans and unwilling implementors have left a trail of plans which have been ends in themselves. Examples from bicycle planning in Australia show how the use of plan formulation can be either an essential element leading to the implementation of a planning scheme, or an expensive substitute for positive action.

A feature of plans which have been implemented is an integrated approach which makes extensive use of data collection to ascertain the needs of the population. A feature of the unimplemented plans is their concentration on the feasibility of introducing physical elements into the transport infrastructure without studying the travel demand.

It is concluded that the greater the concentration on individual needs and constraints, the less likely that planning will come to replace the implementation of a scheme.     

The potential health,financial and environmental impacts of dieselgate in Ireland

ABSTRACT

The transportation sector is the greatest contributor to air pollution. With the booming demand for transportation, reducing the pollution has become one of the main concerns of researchers. EPA emission standards are designed to protect air quality and human health. Diesel Euro 5 NO_x has become a matter of disquiet since it has been found that NO_x emissions are significantly exceeding the standard limit. This paper presents a study to estimate the disparity in real-world NO_x emission levels resulted from all diesel Euro 5 passenger cars (PC) and light commercial vehicles (LCV) that are present in Ireland. NO_x emission levels calculated based on laboratory test results, on-road measurements and the COPERT 4 model were compared. Additionally, NO_x emission levels from the defective Volkswagen models have been calculated to quantify the effect of the Volkswagen scandal on Ireland. Impacts of excess NO_x emissions on health and cost have also been presented.     

A multi-layer scenario analysis for sustainable international transport

This article considers the development of the international transport sector based on four globalization scenarios. These four images of the future transportation market are constructed at three different levels (global, European and Dutch). The possible consequences of these scenarios are mapped out not only by key aspects such as modal split and spatial organization but also by providing empirical insights into expected transport flows for both passenger and freight transport in 2020 based on data from 1995.     

Delivering Value for Money to Government through Efficient and Effective Public Transit Service Continuity: Some Thoughts

Abstract

This paper documents some thoughts on the reform agenda in public transit that is occurring throughout the world. The specific focus is on a growing commitment to competitive regulation through competitive tendering, and the efforts by a few governments (notably in Australia) to take control of the tangible assets used by private operators as a mechanism to exercise the opportunity, if so taken, to put services out to competitive tender. The paper reviews the theoretical arguments and empirical evidence on contracting regimes and asset ownership, and the role that government and the operator might play in a setting in which building trusting and collaborative partnerships has merit in delivering services that are in the main funded from the public purse.     

Redefinition of roles and responsibilities in U.S. transportation

Major shifts in U.S. Federal transportation policy are occurring which are realigning the roles and responsibilities of the Federal, State and local governments, and the private sector. These shifts include a decentralization of control to State and local governments, a larger role for the private sector, and reduced emphasis on construction of new facilities and more on rehabilitation and utilization of existing facilities. Although some reaction to these changes is already apparent, it is unclear at this time what the effect will be on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of transportation systems.     

Automated vehicles: exploring possible consequences of government (non)intervention for congestion and accessibility

ABSTRACT

Academic research on automated vehicles (AVs) has to date been dominated by the fields of engineering and computer science. Questions of how this potentially transformative technology should be governed remain under-researched and tend to concentrate on governing the technology’s early development. We respond in this paper by exploring the possible longer-term effect of government (lack of) intervention.

The paper tests the hypothesis that a “laissez-faire” governance approach is likely to produce less desirable outcomes in a scenario of mass uptake of AVs than would a well-planned set of government interventions. This is done using two prominent themes in transport policy – traffic flow and accessibility – in a scenario of high market penetration of Level-5 automated vehicles in capitalist market economies. The evidence used is drawn from a literature review and from the findings of a set of workshops with stakeholders.

We suggest that a laissez-faire approach will lead to an increase in traffic volume as a result of a growing population of “drivers” and a probable increase in kilometres driven per passenger. At the same time, the hoped-for increases in network efficiency commonly claimed are not guaranteed to come about without appropriate government intervention. The likely consequence is an increase in congestion. And, with respect to accessibility, it is likely that the benefits of AVs will be enjoyed by wealthier individuals and that the wider impacts of AV use (including sprawl) may lead to a deterioration in accessibility for those who depend on walking, cycling or collective transport.

We consider the range of possible government intervention in five categories: Planning/land-use; Regulation/policy; Infrastructure/technology; Service provision; and Economic instruments. For each category, we set out a series of interventions that might be used by governments (at city, region or state level) to manage congestion or protect accessibility in the AV scenario described. Many of these (e.g. road pricing) are already part of the policy mix but some (e.g. ban empty running of AVs) would be new. We find that all interventions applicable to the management of traffic flow would also be expected to contribute to the management of accessibility; we define a small number of additional interventions aimed at protecting the accessibility of priority groups.

Our general finding is that the adoption of a package of these interventions could be expected to lead to better performance against generic traffic-flow and accessibility objectives than would a laissez-faire approach, though questions of extent of application remain.

In our conclusions, we contrast laissez-faire with both anticipatory governance and “precautionary” governance and acknowledge the political difficulty associated with acting in the context of uncertainty. We point out that AVs do not represent the first emerging technology to offer both opportunities and risks and challenge governments at all levels to acknowledge the extent of their potential influence and, in particular, to examine methodically the options available to them and the potential consequences of pursuing them.     

General fuzzy rule base for isolated traffic signal control‐rule formulation

Traffic signal control is one of the oldest applications of fuzzy logic, at least in transportation engineering. The aim of this paper is to present a systematic approach to fuzzy traffic signal control and to derive the linguistic control rules based on expert knowledge. Traffic signal programming is generally divided into two problems: firstly, the choice and sequencing of signal stages to be used, and secondly, optimizing the relative lengths of these stages. The rule bases for both problems are introduced in our paper. The results of tested rule bases and field tests of fuzzy control have been promising. The fuzzy signal control algorithms offer better measures of effectiveness than the traditional vehicle‐actuated control.     

Organizational and Ownership Transformation in Poland’s Urban Transport Companies

Abstract

This paper seeks to reconstruct the organizational and ownership transformation involving Poland’s urban transport that companies passed through after 1990. Data collected from various sources (above all the Internet, including the Bulletins of Public Information) were used to establish the degree of advancement of the transformation processes. Despite the passage of nearly two decades since the new economic reforms were launched, the privatization processes involving enterprises of municipal origin are not well‐advanced. There is not a single private company among the organizers of urban transport. Instead, an absolute domination of budgetary‐sphere entities may be noted. Furthermore, there are seven transport municipal unions. Among the operators (carriers) public ownership remains dominant in the form of single‐person local authority companies, local government companies, municipal union ownerships, municipal companies as well as budgetary units. Privatization processes have encompassed fewer than 10% of all operators in the form of companies with foreign participation, workers’ companies and companies with Polish non‐public sector participation. Moreover, in 20 localities urban transport is supplied by multi‐trade municipal services enterprises (as of end‐2008). Thus, transformation processes, though started earlier than in the case of Poland’s State Road Transport coach companies, are much less advanced.     

Why and How to Use Customer Opinions: A Quality-of-Life and Customer Satisfaction-Oriented Foundation for Performance-Based Decision-Making

Abstract

The concepts of ‘customer satisfaction’ (CS) and ‘quality of life’ (QOL) have both been used, on a limited basis, in strategic planning and performance measurement at state departments of transportation. However, the meanings and usefulness of these concepts are still unclear or evolving to many practitioners. Based on a review of the literature and customer opinion data collected for various transportation studies in the USA and Europe, this paper offers two important contributions to the transportation literature. The paper clarifies the relationship between the CS and QOL concepts, placing CS in the broader context of customer opinions and subjective well-being. The paper then identifies six categories of survey tools for collecting customer opinions, describing how each can be used within a performance management framework to reveal the QOL impacts of transportation decisions. Agencies can use the definitions, conceptual relationships, performance measures, and decision-making processes discussed in this paper to refine their performance management programs, to better understand customer and public perceptions, and to make systematic progress toward their QOL oriented goals.