Alternative fuels for transportation

The alternatives to the oil based fuels for transportation are considered and analysed. These are the synthetic fuels, made from coal, the liquid petroleum gases of propane and butane, compressed natural gas and methanol. The problems associated with the use of electric vehicles are discussed; the main problem being that of range.

The possible use of hydrogen as a fuel is analysed in some detail. Since its supply can be tied directly to nuclear energy sources, rather than hydrocarbon feed stocks, it could be an alternative in the long term. The main problems of the storage of hydrogen on the vehicle and of its propensity to “back‐fire” into the engine intake are discussed. The first can be ameliorated and the second eliminated by dual fuelling; with petrol. It is advocated that the on‐board storage of hydrogen be by the use of hydrides for private cars. However, it is expected that it may be as liquid hydrogen for some forms of transport and will certainly be in this form for aircraft.     

Measuring community reaction to urban transportation impacts using Von Neumann‐Morgenstern utility theory

This paper attempts to measure the impacts of urban transportation system improvements or changes on the community. The community's perceptions of the impacts are represented by its utilities (or disutilities) over various ranges of values of the multiple attributes representing these impacts. The utility technique used in the evaluation is based upon von Neumann‐Morgenstern (vN‐M, 1947) Utility Theory, and is applied using Raiffa's (1970) Fractile Method.

The paper specifically applies the technique to model the perceptions of five subgroups within a community to the impact of a new light rail transit system that is being incorporated in the transportation system of the City of Calgary.

Results of the modeling indicate explicitly how the community changes its perception over ranges of values of the attributes evaluated. Biases of various subgroups within the community over these attributes are also shown. Statistical tests indicate that aggregated utility perceptions can represent the utility perceptions of the individual subgroups quite reasonably.     

The design of a terminal for dangerous goods

This paper aims at examining the possibility of setting up a model terminal for the transportation of dangerous goods. It should be designed in such a manner that its use would be possible for any kind of transportation.

This consideration has been prompted by the interface between transportation planning and technology, as well as by the tendency for harmonizing international recommendations pertaining to the transportation and handling of dangerous goods, especially during the last decades where unified transport has gained ground due to the advantages provided for the safe consignment of dangerous cargoes.

Since the large increase in terminal productivity is due to the heavy investments that were effected in terminal installations and to the modernization of the administration‐management of terminals, a mathematical simulation has been adopted to assist the determination of the capacity of a terminal for dangerous goods.

It is evident that different criteria and various assumptions have been taken into account in order to facilitate a deeper analysis, without ignoring the contribution of dangerous goods to the socio‐economic development.

From the outset of the study, it was already clear that the said process will make it possible to present—as a model—a simple but well defined situation for the purpose of drawing useful conclusions.     

Improving the estimation of total and direction-based heavy-duty vehicle annual average daily traffic

Abstract

The estimation of annual average daily traffic (AADT) is an important parameter collected and maintained by all US departments of transportation. There have been many past research studies that have focused on ways to improve the estimation of AADT. This paper builds upon previous research and compares eight methods, both traditional and cluster-based methodologies, for aggregating monthly adjustment factors for heavy-duty vehicles (US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) vehicle classes 4–13). In addition to the direct comparison between the methodologies, the results from the analysis of variance show at the 95% confidence level that the four cluster-based methods produce statistically lower variance and coefficient of variation over the more traditional approaches. In addition to these findings – which are consistent with previous total volume studies – further analysis is performed to compare total heavy-duty monthly adjustment factors, both directions of traffic, with direction-based monthly adjustment factors. The final results show that the variance as well as the coefficient of variation improve on average by 25% when directional aggregate monthly adjustment factors are used instead of total direction.     

Dynamics of LRT growth: Karlsruhe since 1975

The public transport system of Karlsruhe, in particular its innovative services on jointly used heavy rail lines, has received substantial attention throughout the past 20 years. The discussion of the system and of its development has been rather limited in the past, mostly highlighting technical aspects. This paper provides an overview of the development, including the urban development, of the region and of the funding system. The ridership and financial development of the operator is documented in detail. Three case studies focus on the integration of the system development in the general political process of the region and demonstrate the limitations of the operator under its current ownership structures.     

Experience in judging controversial road projects

Abstract

Road construction of all kinds, especially of urban motorways, has in recent years acquired a very bad reputation in industrialized countries. Traffic engineers are, because of their attitude, not entirely without blame for this development. With their attention glued nearly hypnotically to dimensions and technical design, considerations about the meaning and function of the construction are very often neglected, all the more since the engineers might otherwise risk their own jobs. It is, however, becoming increasingly clear that the cause of the scepticism and uneasiness prevailing in the public is the lack of a comprehensive judgement. Using a concrete example, this paper describes how decision‐making can degenerate when such judgement is omitted. Using a second example, it is then demonstrated how such a comprehensive judgement can be integrated in decision‐making from the very beginning. Such an integration sets very high methodological and procedural standards and constructive aids are offered for this purpose. It is shown that, while the substantial findings of a comprehensive judgement should be logically consistent, plausible and up to the latest standard of knowledge, the nature and intelligibility of the presentation and the preparedness for a publicly presented explanation in the form of ‘after‐care’ are of much greater importance for decision‐making in the political sphere. This ‘after‐care’ should accordingly become an indispensable component of the decision‐making process.

All those involved should become aware of the fact that a ‘positive’ result of decision‐making in the field of road construction is not a priori defined as the construction of road and a ‘negative’ one as its prevention. The actual positive result is rather the creation of a consciousness of the problem on hand, which can serve as a basis on which a decision is taken in full realization of all its consequences.     

The federal republic of Germany: the federal ministry of transport

The continued liberalization of the airline market in the European Community offers the prospect of competition in terms of price, frequency of service and many other attributes. Understanding these factors that influence passenger demand and incorporating them into a demand function poses a substantial theoretical and empirical challenge. A basis for estimating demand functions is the logit model. This paper examines the value of a logit share model in explaining how the share of airlines between airports varies as a function of measured and unmeasured attributes. It shows how demand functions are necessary for understanding a competitive market and evaluates the progress to date in identifying accurate coefficients of the logit function.     

Restructuring the Lebanese Railway and Public Transport Authority (RPTA): From losing operator to effective regulator

The Lebanese Council of Ministers has recently endorsed a plan for the reform and organization of the Land Public Transport Sector (LPTS). The plan implies a new role for the government: it would cease being just a loss-making service provider and become the planner and regulator of the sector under a new strategy. The strategy would aim at creating the enabling environment and conditions that allow and ensure the existence of sufficient, affordable and efficient transport services provided by several private-sector operators functioning under competitive conditions. Thus, the existing autonomous Railway and Public Transport Authority (RPTA) will be restructured to serve as the effective regulator, its bus operations will be corporatized (for possible eventual privatization), and all existing private sector service providers will be regulated. Following a brief overview of the problems of the sector and the components of the reform and organization plan, this paper focuses on developing options for the restructuring of the RPTA to carry out its new role.     

Traffic integration and environmental traffic management in Denmark

This paper assesses Danish experience in attempting to integrate traffic with its surroundings in existing areas. Rest and play areas, quiet roads with a 30 km/h speed limit, and major road schemes on urban shopping streets and through villages are all discussed; so too are policies seeking to create safe routes to school, the problems arising from the introduction of speed reduction measures on bus routes, and the merits of area‐wide as opposed to incremental approaches. Evaluations indicate that speed reductions to a maximum of 30 km/h are achievable on local roads, and that the quiet street approach represents a cost‐effective and popular means of achieving environmental improvements and safer, more liveable streets for residents. It is recommended as an appropriate model for Britain to follow. Incremental implementation risks being sub‐optimal in design terms but has distinct advantages in minimizing conflicts and enabling rapid implementation. Evaluations of shopping street and village schemes are incomplete but speed reductions and environmental gains have undoubtedly been achieved.     

Book reviews

The European Community Transport Policy: Towards a Common Transport Policy. By Jurgen Erdmenger (Gower Publishing Co. 1984) [Pp. 155.] £14.50.

Transport Reform: Changing the Rules. By Stephen Plowden. P.S.I. No. 642 (London: Institute, 1985.) [Pp. 250.] £6.50. ISBN 0–85374–258–8.

The Atlas of British Railway History. By Michael Freeman and Derek Aldcroft (London: Croom Helm, 1985.) [Pp. 128.] £12.95.

Losing Track. By Kerry Hamilton and Stephen Potter (Routledge & Kegan Paul in association with Channel Four, 1985.) [Pp. viii + 152.] £7.95. Paperback.