A Disaggregate Analysis of Rail-Truck Mode Choice Behaviors for Freight Shipments in Iran and their Environment Effects

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Civil Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Transportation infrastructure imposes enormous costs, along with several negative consequences, on the governments. Confronting such issues, freight transport policy analysts struggle to shift truck movements to rail to diminish transportation externalities that include environmental costs and safety issues. Therefore, policy-makers need to be aware of the consequences of their decisions beforehand. This study is mainly focused on two policies targeting fuel price and access to rail. A nation-wide freight mode choice model is developed for Iran, based on which, shippers’ tendency to choose rail or truck is analyzed, given shipping cost, commodity weight, commodity type, and rail accessibility. Total fuel consumption and air pollution costs are compared in 30 scenarios. We found that total transportation costs will be reduced by more than 20 percent as a result of modal shift from truck to rail, if the government reallocates the gasoline subsidy to construction of prioritized railroads.

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References

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Amirkabir Journal of Civil Engineering
Volume 50, Issue 3
September and October 2018
Pages 519-528

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