Total cost analysis: An alternative to benefit-cost analysis in evaluating transportation alternatives

This paper explains the theory in support of total cost analysis (TCA) to compare transportation system alternatives. The full costs of each alternative are first aggregated, including travel time costs and monetizable environmental and social costs. Many costs which are considered on the benefits side of the equation in benefit-cost analysis (BCA) as "cost savings" are brought over to the costs side. Total cost differences among alternatives are then traded off against their estimated non-monetized benefits or impacts, just as a consumer trades off product quality against cost before deciding which product he or she will buy. One advantage of TCA over traditional BCA is that the concept of "total cost" is more easily understood by the public and by political decision-makers than BCA concepts such as "net present worth", "benefit-cost ratio" and "internal rate of return". A second advantage is that there is no suggestion that all "benefits" have been considered; decision-makers are free to use their own value judgements to trade off total cost against non-monetizable social, environmental and economic impacts, just as they trade off quality and convenience against cost when purchasing goods and services in their roles as consumers. The TCA approach is demonstrated in this paper through a case study of two systemwide alternatives for the Baltimore, MD urban area.     

Regulatory reform and freight mode choice

Reform of trucking Vehicle Weights and Dimensions (VWD) regulations in Canada is now underway. The effect these reforms will have on the freight transportation industry are only recently the subject of research. This paper is part of this new research effort, aimed at understanding how regulatory reform in the trucking sector will affect the existing competitive relationship between trucks and the railways. The paper presents the results of study and research into modelling the relationship between mode choice and the service characteristics that are affected by VWD reform.Using several periods of data, a series of econometric models are developed which help to elucidate the relative relationships between the mode service characteristics for both of the principal interprovincial freight modes. A technique is developed and presented to model railway user costs in order to overcome the complex and often unrepresentable pricing activities of Canadian railways.The strength of the developed econometric models is presented, including their significance and statistical reliability. This is further reinforced by the similarities exhibited by all the models in the series. The selected model is applied to predict market service responses required of the railway industry in order to compete with the trucking sector now adapting to the new regulations.The impact of the newly implemented vehicle weight and dimension reform on the rail transportation industry is analyzed and railway industry improvements aimed at maintaining its market share are presented. The results predicted by the model show that railway user cost reductions should be moderate, and likely less than the level of inflation over the period of time when trucking converts its fleet to take advantage of the new regulations.Abbreviations AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials - CCMTA Canadian Conference of Motor Transport Administrators - EPI End products, inedible commodity classification - GVW Gross Vehicle Weight - NA 1988 VWD National Agreement - RTAC Roads and Transportation Association of Canada - VWD Vehicle Weight(s) and Dimension(s) - WA 1988 VWD Western Agreement     

汽车系统单元化集成设计中相似性与复杂性

基于相似性科学和相似系统理论，研究了汽车系统中单元特征相似性分析方法，汽车系统相似性度量方法，相似单元设计和单元化系统集成设计中的相似性与差异性变化引起的复杂性。提出了以系统相似性度序列变化和差异性，集成设计系列化、多样化、个性化汽车产品系统新的理论方法。     

基于ITS的汽车主动避撞性关键技术研究(一)

利用信息感知、动态辨识、控制等技术与方法提高汽车的主动安全性，是智能交通系统（ITS）的主要研发内容之一。介绍了基于ITS的汽车主动避撞关键技术的研究工作，主要包括：车辆运动中对周围障碍物的感知技术方法；危险或安全状态的动态辨识；具有主动避撞性能的ACC（Adaptive Cruise Control）技术等；给出了相关技术研究的仿真及实验结果，并对该技术在我国的实用化前景进行了展望。     

多货物品种集装化运输的优化调度问题

用数学模型描述了供应商根据某一用户在各个不同时间段内对不同货物的需求量情况,利用各种不同型号的箱体进行分时段货物发送的问题。其最终目的是为了求得能够使运输成本和存储成本达到最小的货物发送方案,该问题是一个由批量问题和拼箱问题所组成的复合问题。就此问题,提出了一种三阶段算法。通过理论分析,该算法可以有效地解决此类问题。     

基于弹性动力分析的工程机械集成化设计系统

为了解次目前国内工程机械设计中由于动力学分析水平和设计效率较低而造成的产品性能落后这一长期存在的问题，首次引入弹性动力分析理论建立了工程机械工作装置的通用弹性动力分析模型，以此为基础建立了工程机械动力学仿真系统，并建立了工程机械方案设计与部件选型专家系统以实现总体方案设计、部件选型和整机动力匹配的自动化，最后利用信息集成技术建立了基于弹性动力分析的工程机械集成化设计系统。     

我国道路客运业的现状及发展对客车制造业的影响

本文对我国道路客运业的现状和特点进行了分析介绍,指出道路客运业向集约化、规模化发展,客运经营主体的资质、经营管理水平等需要进一步的提高。道路客运业的发展对客车制造企业提出了更多要求,但二者又是相互融合、共同发展的。     

运用经济杠杆长效治理超载超限运输

分析了经济利益贯穿的货主—运输业户—车辆生产、改装厂家的超载超限运输链条的成因、现状和危害;提出了要从以核定载质量为依据转而以货车实际总重和轴载限额为依据对货车实施计重收费的思路,通过区别对待,体现公平,分步推进,累积治理,实现运用经济杠杆,达到长效治理超载超限运输的目的;阐述了江苏、河南、青海等省份实行计重收费所产生的积极效果以及他们推广的安排;提出在计重收费方法以及低速动态轴载称重设备精度、可靠度和价格方面还需要进一步探讨。     

公路交通经济增长中的制度因素分析

在总结传统的经济增长理论(资本决定论、技术进步论、人力资本论、专业化的人力资本和特殊知识积累论)的基础上,采用新制度经济学的分析方法,对建国以来中国公路交通的制度变迁和经济绩效及其相互关系进行了实证分析,指出了制度在公路交通发展中的极端重要性;提出了"生产要素的制度性边界"这一概念,指出制度边界具有随经济、技术等因素变化而不断变化的特性,在此基础上建立了新的经济增长分析框架和模型;为打破制度的"低度均衡",扩展生产要素的制度边界,最后提出了关于加快制度创新的建议。     

收费公路计重定价理论模型

为了遏制超限运输,解决公路通行费征收中的不公平问题,必须改变目前按车型收费的计费模式,实施计重收费。建立计重收费的定价理论模型是推动这种收费方式健康发展的关键。在提出计重收费定义和类型的基础上,根据公路的准公共产品特性,分析了各种价格结构管制定价模式的特点,提出公路收费宜采用非线性的"两部定价"理论模型。结合收费公路费用分摊的具体方法,给出了收费公路计重定价理论模型,并对相关参数进行了标定。该模型已在江苏省和青海省计重收费标准制定中使用。