Analyzing log and chip truck performances in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with GPS tracking devices

File(s)
Date
2008Author
Vartiainen, Janne
Ogard, Libby
Stewart, Richard
Pouryousef, Hamed
Lautala, Pasi
Publisher
National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Rising fuel costs are expected to increase truck rates by 10 to 30 percent over the next two years. Many of the products shipped in this region are heavy, bulk, and raw materials such as logs that benefit from economies of scale and bulk modes of transportation. Current estimates suggest that truck log delivery systems in the region may be operating at less than 50% loaded capacity. The "empty miles" impact not only increases in truck rates but also contributes to needless production of green house gases and carbon emissions. The optimization of truck, rail and marine modes with an efficient intermodal linkage would result in the reduction of transportation costs, congestion, pavement and roadway degradation, and harmful air emissions. This is a preliminary investigation into the potential of optimizing log truck operations and establishing regional log superyards.
Subject
Trucking
Timber construction
Pollutants
Optimization
Logs
Freight traffic
Air quality management
Permanent Link
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/55965Type
Technical Report
Description
14 p.