Title: A GEOMETRY OF UNCERTAINTY Cost and time in intermodal freight competition
Abstract: The objective of this paper is to determine, what is the best choice to carry a volume of goods between two points? This question does not have a single answer. It depends on, among other things, who answers the question, the volume and nature of the goods, the location of the origin and destination, the hour, and the transportation techniques available. However, it is clear that a motor carrier and the people living along the route do not agree. It is less easy to understand that two carriers or two shippers having exactly the same cargo may use different mode choices even though they have the same selection criteria. The paper discusses a cost comparison between all road and intermodal rail-road door to door services. It shows that one carrier may use intermodal when another carrier may use all road because of the fact that the first carrier has enough clients in the terminal market area and he has a return freight when the second carrier does not. But cost is not the only selection criteria. Freight transportation choice relies on other factors: availability, suitability, time, and quality of service. This paper attempts to answer the question, is it possible to take these parameters into account in the theory of market areas? It uses two selection criteria, time and cost, and presents a case study.
Publication Year: 2002
Publication Date: 2002-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 2
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