Center for Infrastructure, Transportation, and the Environment (CITE)

Freight Transportation

Behavioral Microsimulation (BMS)

By

A major component of the project is the development of a freight flow modeling tool to support the design and implementation of EEL initiatives. The Behavioral Microsimulation (BMS) is a custom-made computational system developed by RPI. The objective of the BMS is to assess the impacts of EEL initiatives by simulating all the tours required for delivering supplies to commercial establishments in a study area. The BMS considers a complete representation of the supply chain as shown in Figure 1, and the tours are simulated based on real life data about delivery stops and employment, as well as economic interconnections among industry sectors.
Figure 1: Supply Chain Interactions Modeled by the BMS
Figure 2 shows the main logic of the BMS. It uses real life data to simulate delivery tour. First, delivery tours are simulated for a base case, then they are simulated in scenarios considering the implementation of EEL initiatives. With the simulated delivery tours, it is possible to estimate indicators such as emissions, costs and VMT, and compare the indicators of the various scenarios with the base case.
Figure 2: Logic Behind the BMS
As an example of application of the BMS, it was used to assess land use initiatives in the Capital District. Three scenarios were considered:
  • Introduce a new distribution center in Colonie
  • Introduce a new distribution center in Amsterdam
  • Relocate an existing distribution center from Amsterdam to Colonie
Figure 3: Location of Colonie and Amsterdam Within the Capital District
Differences in VMT from base case and the three scenarios considered (Figure 4) were computed for different freight flows of the supply chain modeled by the BMS: from gateways to large establishments, from large establishments to other large establishments, and from large establishments to small establishments.
Results show that:
  • Locating the DC in a more central area (Colonie) generates less freight VMT than locating it in the outskirts of the area (Amsterdam)
  • The central position of Colonie allows shorter trips to reach other establishments in the area
  • A new DC in Colonie generates an increase of 2.89% in VMT of freight vehicles going from large establishments to other large establishments, while locating a new DC in Amsterdam increases VMT by 4.08%
  • The relocation of an existing DC from Amsterdam to Colonie reinforces that the central location is more adequate to reach commercial establishments in the Capital District, as it would cause the VMT of trips going from large establishments to other large establishments to decrease 1.02%.
Figure 4: Results of Simulating Land Use Initiatives in the Capital District

Catalog of Initiatives and Energy-Efficiency Framework

By

A key outcome of this project is to propose initiatives that have the highest potential at fostering Energy Efficient Logistics (EEL). In this sense, “initiatives” refer to projects, programs, regulations, policies, or other mechanisms that can help to achieve this goal. The purpose of the Catalog of EEL Initiatives is to characterize a wide spectrum of initiatives that can enhance freight energy efficiency. The catalog works as a state-of-the-art inventory of sustainable freight initiatives. The 52 initiatives presented in the catalog are based on the characterization of the supply chain going from supply-related to demand-related initiatives.
The initiatives can be classified into seven major categories with supply initiatives at one end and demand related/land use management related at the other. The seven groups of initiatives are:
  1. Infrastructure management
  2. Parking/loading areas management
  3. Vehicle-related strategies
  4. Traffic management
  5. Pricing, incentives, and taxation
  6. Logistical management
  7. Freight demand/ land use management
To qualitatively assess the degree to which the various initiatives could foster EELs, the team identified the various ways in which the initiatives could increase energy efficiency and created an energy efficiency framework tailored for freight transportation (Figure 1). The existing energy efficiency frameworks in the literature were developed for person-travel decisions and are not necessarily aligned with the decisions made in logistics. For instance, mode and travel (routing) are decisions made separately from the decision of mode choice.
Thus, the team proposes a framework that considers the following components of efficiency:
  • Vehicle efficiency
  • Travel efficiency (routing, driving and traffic)
  • Mode efficiency
  • Demand/land use efficiency
  • Network level efficiency
Figure 1: Framework for the Identification of Energy Efficient Initiatives
To facilitate the analyses of various initiatives, one-page summaries were created for each of the 52 initiatives included in the catalog. The one-pagers describe the attributes of the initiatives in terms of their potential contributions to EEL, and the factors that ought to be taken into account to assess feasibility for implementation. Figure 2 shows an example of one of the one-pagers.
Figure 2: Example of One-Pager From the Initatives Catalog

DOE: Energy-Efficient Logistics

By

The project “Collaborative Approaches to Foster Energy-Efficient Logistics in the Albany – New York City Corridor” is funded by the Department of Energy (DoE). It is done in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory and George Mason University. The main goals of the project are:
  • Foster the adoption of Energy Efficient Logistics (EEL) along supply chains
  • Develop collaborative approaches between shippers, carriers and receivers
  • Induce carriers to incorporate energy efficient Technologies and Operations (Tech/Ops) and induce receivers to modify their demand patterns to exploit synergies with Tech/Ops
  • Develop analytical tools to estimate impact of EEL initiatives
  • Gain insight into ways to induce behavioral changes in the participants of supply chains
  • Foster the transformation of supply chains
At the current status of the project, the following tasks are either in progress or have been completed:
  • A new energy-efficiency framework tailored for freight transportation was developed, and a catalog of initiatives to foster energy-efficient logistics was produced.
  • A behavioral microsimulation (BMS) that models freight activity and supply chain’s interactions to assess the effectiveness of EEL initiatives is in progress.
  • A traffic simulation to assess the impacts of changing working hours of a port on the fuel consumption of all vehicles in the area of the port was produced.
  • Archival GPS data was acquired to estimate baseline conditions of emissions and fuel consumption in the Albany-New York City corridor.
  • A multi-method qualitative/quantitative approach compounded of in-depth interviews, behavioral surveys and behavioral modelling is being developed to identify which are the freight management strategies are most likely to be used by receivers, receivers and carriers.
  • Surveys to households were implemented to gain insight on consumers’ perception of management strategies to make e-commerce deliveries more energy efficient.
For detailed information about the tasks of the project click on the following links: 
 

Energy Efficient Logistics

By

CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY ABOUT ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN SUPPLY CHAINS

Collaborative Public-Private Sector Approaches to Foster Energy Efficient Logistics in the NYC-Albany Corridor

START YEAR: 2017

COMPLETION YEAR: 2022 (estimated)

PRIMARY CONTACTS:

  • José Holguín-Veras,
  • Jeffrey Wojtowicz

RESEARCH PARTNERS:

  • Argonne National Laboratory
  • George Mason University

SPONSORS/FUNDING:

  • US Department of Energy

ADVISORY GROUP MEMBERS

OVERVIEW

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is leading the “Energy Efficient Logistics: Behavior-Based Policymaking at NYC-Albany Corridor” in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, George Mason University and multiple public and private sector organizations operating in the Albany and NYC regions. This project would be led by Dr. Jose Holguin-Veras at RPI.  This proposed living lab will: (1) fully exploit behavior-based policymaking approach developed by the team during the NYC Off-Hours Delivery project to reduce the energy consumption of freight activity; (2) design and pilot test Energy Efficient Logistics (EEL) initiatives to simultaneously reduce energy use and emissions, increase profits, and improve quality of life. This high priority work will focus on the vital, yet often neglected, freight sector, with an innovative approach that will yield significant reductions in energy use. A powerful feature of the behavior-based policymaking approach is its business friendly nature. The private sector will be an ally.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

KEY FINDINGS

  • Results from an online survey, implemented by the team on June 2019 to more than 500 frequent e-commerce shoppers, show how delivery lockers and delivery consolidation (delivering multiple orders at the same time) are the strategies with the most acceptance among shoppers to improve sustainability of e-commerce deliveries.
  • Traffic simulations show that if ports extended their working hours and stagger the arrival of freight vehicles coming to load and unload, there would be a reduction in fuel consumption to all the vehicles that travel through the area of the port.
  • Analysis of an extensive GPS data base of freight vehicles show that vehicles traveling in the New York City metro area emit more pollutants per mile traveled than in the corridor or Capital District. Between, the three geographical areas, the Capital District is the area where freight vehicle are less pollutant.
  • A new energy efficiency framework was designed to consider the unique aspects of logistics. Six determinants were identified as key
    factors for characterizing energy efficiency. (1) Network level efficiency, (2) demand level efficiency, (3) mode/vehicle choice efficiency,(4) routing efficiency, (5) traffic and/or driving efficiency and (6) vehicle efficiency.
  • Synergy between energy efficiency logistic initiatives can be exploited to exacerbate the potential benefits each initiative has while reducing the adverse effects. For example, a combination of Off-Hour Deliveries (OHD) with electric vehicles is ideal because noise pollution concerns of OHD are reduced with the usage of electric vehicles. At the same time, operational concerns of electric trucks diminish in the off-hours where delivery routes are shorter and more efficient. A virtuous cycle among energy efficiency strategies is the preferred outcome.
  • A Behavioral Microsimulation that models all freight vehicle activity in the Capital District indicate that locating distribution centers closer to the core of the metropolitan area generates less vehicle miles traveled than locating them in the outskirts of the area.

For detailed information about the tasks of the project click on the following links:

RELATED PROJECTS

  • Off-Hour Delivery Program

Off-Hour Delivery In NYC

By

Off-Hour Delivery In NYC

START YEAR: 2010

COMPLETION YEAR: 2013

TOPIC(S): Off-Hour Delivery

PRIMARY CONTACT(S):

  • José Holguín-Veras,
  • Jeffrey Wojtowicz

PARTNER(S):

  • New York City Department of Transportation,
  • Rutgers University

SPONSORS/FUNDING:

  • US Department of Transportation
Off Hour Delivery Project

OVERVIEW

Urban freight transportation is crucial to the quality of modern life, though at the same time it produces significant negative externalities. Despite the relatively small proportion of freight with respect to all traffic, urban freight movements are increasingly recognized as significant forces of influence on urban transportation systems and urban economic vitality. A range of freight system management strategies have been tried and implemented with various degrees of success throughout the world. Some of these strategies are carrier-centered, such as the use of cooperative delivery systems, which change the logistical aspects of carrier operations, but do not affect the actual underlying demand. As a result, their influence tends not to extend beyond carriers, to other aspects of urban transportation systems. At the other end of the spectrum, receiver-centered traffic demand management (TDM) measures attempt to change the nature of the actual demand for the cargo. These policies take advantage of the fact that receivers—by virtue of being the carriers’ customers—have a great deal of power over when and how deliveries are made. Carriers must respect receivers’ wishes if they want to stay in business.

The Off-Hour Delivery (OHD) project is an innovative example of receiver-centered freight TDM. This initiative relies on incentives (financial or otherwise) to induce receivers to accept deliveries in the off-hours (7PM to 6AM). Since the incentives remove the opposition of the receivers, and the carriers are generally in favor, entire supply chains can switch to the off-hours, and the effect of these shifts reverberate through entire supply chains. The NYC OHD project has been implemented in stages. After a successful pilot phase that concluded in 2010, the Research and Innovative Technology (RITA) sponsored implementation phase (Integrative Freight Demand Management in the New York City Metropolitan Area: Implementation Phase) was launched in June 2011. Although this is technically the implementation phase, it should be noted that the term ‘launch phase’ may be more appropriate. The reason for this is that for a proper and successful implementation of an off-hour delivery program a sustained effort over a long period of time is required. After all, the program aims at transforming supply chains, which requires profound modifications of business practices. This report documents the key aspects and findings, impacts and influence of the OHD project, through the implementation phase which concluded in September 2013.

KEY FINDINGS

  • Substantial receiver reluctance or opposition to the program was based on the perceived risk associated with vendors having unaccompanied access to their premises while making off-hour deliveries
  • Possible effects on the community of noise emissions from delivery operations taking place at night and ways to address the noise issue
  • The benefits of targeting receivers in the most congested part of the cities
  • A combination of small toll increases, combined with targeted incentives, could have a dramatic effect on urban congestion

KEY PRODUCTS

ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS

CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS

RELATED PROJECTS

  • Development of a Trusted Vendor Program to Support the Off-Hour Delivery Program

Improving Freight System Performance in Metropolitan Areas

By

Improving Freight System Performance in Metropolitan Areas

START YEAR: 2012

COMPLETION YEAR: 2014

TOPIC(S): Sustainable Freight Systems, Urban Freight, Transportation Planning

PRIMARY CONTACT(S):

  • José Holguín-Veras,
  • Jeffrey Wojtowicz

PARTNER(S):

  • CDM Smith
  • New York City Department of Transportation
  • HDR
  • Michael Browne

SPONSORS/FUNDING:

  • The National Cooperative Freight Research Program Project 38 (NCFRP 38)

Initiative Selector

OVERVIEW

This project focuses on freight systems as a crucial economic and quality of life contributor, and a major source of environmental pollution, unwanted noise, and safety hazards. The primary goal of this project is to improve the overall performance of the urban freight industry.

The project will define a pragmatic and conceptually well-grounded planning guide that includes both supply and demand strategies (including hybrids), that is supported by solid guidelines to establish effective and proactive stakeholder engagement processes and software tools to estimate freight trip generation in urban areas. The project will provide practitioners with comprehensive, pragmatic, and actionable guidelines on how to plan, design, and implement both supply and demand strategies.

The public sector strategies (both supply and demand side) to be considered in the project will seek to achieve one or several of the following objectives:

  • Reduce Congestion: Public agencies seek to reduce delays by either increasing capacity (which may induce demand and a return of congestion in the long term) or managing demand. This is an important objective because congestion delays are correlated with air pollution externalities, as well as economic inefficiency.
  • Environmental Sustainability: The desire is to minimize environmental impacts, e.g., emissions, associated with freight activity. Often correlated with congestion reduction, it is not necessarily a cause and effect relationship; for instance, fostering the use of alternative fuels, efficient engines, and electric trucks reduces environmental impacts without impacting congestion.
  • Enhance Safety: The main intent is to reduce the risk/severity of accidents. This is an important objective, particularly for local communities that tend to think of freight activity as the cause of traffic accidents.
  • Enhance Security: In this case, transportation decision makers are looking to improve the ability of the freight system to repel security attacks that may compromise life and property, and to enhance the resiliency of the system to manmade or natural threats.
  • Enhance Economic Competitiveness: The desired intent here is to foster economic activity in the study area. For instance, by means of freight-friendly land use policies, or by enhancing the efficiency of freight related economic activities.
  • Revenue Generation: Increasingly transportation agencies are seeking to use fees and other forms of payment transfers to generate funds that can enhance the capabilities of the metropolitan area to perform its duties.
  • Enhance Livability: These considerations seek to preserve the community culture, foster a positive synergy between business and residents, and seamlessly integrate freight activity into the fabric of the local communities.

KEY TASKS

  • Identify and Summarize Applicable Research
  • Identify Strategies and Initiate Stakeholder Engagement
  • Identify Obstacles and Successes
  • Prepare Interim Report
  • Develop a Draft Planning Guide
  • Develop Software Tool to Estimate Freight Trip Generation
  • Gather Input from Stakeholders
  • Revise the Draft Planning Guide
  • Conduct Workshop
  • Finalize and Disseminate the Planning Guide
  • Produce Final Report

KEY FINDINGS

  • FG and FTG are very different concepts: their modeling approaches follow different principles
  • Using constant FTG rates is bound to produce large estimation errors
  • Employment and establishment area are good variables to explain FG and FTG
  • The type of economic activity is a key variable to estimate FTG
  • Industry sectors are better proxies of economic activities than land use
  • The aggregation procedure should be determined according to the disaggregated model specification

KEY PRODUCTS

ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS

  • Holguín-Veras, J., Amaya, J., Sanchez-Diaz, I., Gonzalez-Calderon, C., Jaller, M., Wojtowicz, J., Wang, C., Browne, M., Hodge S., and Rhodes, S. Strategies to Improve Urban Freight Systems
  • Presentation at the INFORMS Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN
  • Presentation at the Fifth International Urban Freight Conference INUF-METRANS in Long Beach, CA

CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS

  • José Holguín-Veras
  • Cara Wang
  • Johanna Amaya Leah
  • Jeffrey Wojtowicz
  • Ivan Sanchez-Diaz
  • Carlos González-Calderón
  • Miguel Jaller

RELATED PROJECTS

  • Effective Decision-Making Methods for Freight-Efficient Land Use
  • Collaborative Approaches to Foster Energy-Efficient Logistics in the Albany-New York City Corridor