A Study on the Characteristics of Freight Transport Business Operations and These Operations'' Impacts on Traffic

• Main Authors: Li-chin Huang, 黃立欽
• Other Authors: Tai-sheng Huang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 1999
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/99423873901503247232

碩士 === 國立交通大學 === 交通運輸研究所 === 87 === Urban areas are seeing rapid development of economic activities, as well as ever more frequent flow of goods. All this therefore gives rise to a host of problems as regards freight transport in urban areas. For example, insufficient amount of parking space along the streets is usually taken up by sedans, so that it is immensely difficult for freight transport operators to load and unload freight. In the face of scant parking space, freight transport operators choose to park illegally, which has its detrimental effect on traffic flow. Further, related research at home is more ''people''-oriented, whereas ''freight''-focused studies are scarce. As a result of this, this paper is more geared towards freight issues, and hence seeks to discuss the characteristics of freight transport business operations in urban areas and these operations'' various impacts on traffic. This study encompasses two major issues, i.e., characteristics of each freight transport business operation category in urban areas, and the different impacts by different categories on traffic. The methodology of this paper is as follows: this study intends to probe into and therefore foster a general understanding of the characteristics of different freight transport business operation categories. A questionnaire is designed in order to carry out surveys whose results are carefully analyzed. In so doing, this paper proves the basic hypothesis of the said characteristics and impacts, in the hope of putting forward a conclusion and useful recommendations. In this paper, it is discovered that the categorization of freight transport business operations as adopted in this study fails to embrace those who run business with their own private minivans and trucks. Consequently, this study is limited to examining the behavior of those with licensed vans and trucks. This study classifies freight transport business operations under seventeen categories, one of which that takes up the lion''s share of the market (roughly 47.1%) is the category of automobile transport business operators concurrently offering mover’s services. This paper also addresses the impacts on traffic. When categorized according to the ratio of major to minor business operations, automobile transport operators, alongside movers and distributors, are the most detrimental to traffic, followed by couriers, as opposed to route-specific freight transport operators and air cargo carriers who are the least harmful. When categorized according to major business operations, movers are the most damaging to traffic, followed by automobile transport operators, route-specific freight transport operators, couriers and air cargo carriers, while distributors are the most harmless.