Spatial reorganization of urban logistics system and its impacts: Case of Tokyo

We use the comprehensive freight survey data from 2003 and 2013 to analyze how the restructuring of logistics industry that occurred amid the broad trend of decentralization in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area has affected the efficiency of truck shipments. The analysis reveals that the negative effects of the outward migration of logistics facilities were offset by the increase in average shipment load and efficient spatial distribution of logistics facilities that occurred in parallel with the decentralization. As a result, the truck shipment efficiency improved by 4%.     

Evaluation of the spatial pattern of logistics facilities using urban logistics land-use and traffic simulator

Despite the growing research interests on the spatial restructuring of logistics facilities that occurred in many cities around the world, the relationship between the spatial pattern of logistics land use and the level of externalities is far from being elucidated. We use the Urban Logistics Land-use and Traffic Simulator (ULLTRA-SIM), developed for the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, to evaluate the level of externalities that accompany different spatial distribution patterns of logistics facilities. The ULLTRA-SIM takes a novel approach to analyze the urban freight impacts through the simulations of logistics facility locations, urban logistics chains, and truck flow. The results indicate that, while the moderate concentration and deconcentration of logistics facilities do not significantly affect the level of externalities, scarcity of logistics facilities in or near the high demand locations exacerbates negative externalities. Also, the results of the simulations underscore the need for rigorous analysis in order to reduce negative externalities through logistics land use policies.     

Logistics facilities for intra and inter-regional shipping: Spatial distributions,location choice factors,and externality

Existing studies of urban logistics facility locations and their impacts on negative externality tend to focus on the movements of freight that start and end within a metropolitan area and overlook the role of the shipments with origin or destination outside of the urban area – external shipments – in characterizing logistics facilities. This research aims to fill such gap. Focusing on the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, we analyze locations and goods vehicle trips associated with four logistics facility groups that have different splits between intra and inter-regional trips for inbound and outbound shipments. The spatial density analysis and the location choice modeling highlight the differences in the distribution and location choice factors among those groups. The importance of trip distance minimization is more evident for the facilities that serve intra-regional shipments. Furthermore, we show that the traffic impacts of goods vehicle traffic associated with logistics facilities also differ in many ways among the above-mentioned groups. Finally, we discuss the policy insights to address their heterogeneity in the contribution to externality.     

Logistics land use patterns in metropolitan Canada

This paper focuses on the spatial patterns of freight and logistics activities in Metropolitan Canada. The literature acknowledges that these activities, while fundamentally important to economic and social wellbeing in cities, also contribute negatively to aspects of urban life through their associated vehicular traffic for example. The at times sprawling nature of their pattern (Dablanc, Ogilvie, & Goodchild, 2014; Dablanc & Ross, 2012), driven by industry desires for larger footprints, can further exacerbate these negatives. However, the existence of sprawl is not common in all major centres, with local variations in influencing factors interacting with systematic developments in the logistics industry (e.g. larger facilities). The objectives of this paper are to analyse the pattern of logistics developments in Canadian cities and to explore the factors influencing the observed patterns. The methodology employs a case study approach (building on the authors previous work on the Greater Toronto Area - (Woudsma, Jakubicek, & Dablanc, 2015), obtaining fine-grained spatial data on logistics businesses and their employment levels across selected Canadian cities including Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Winnipeg and Halifax. The data used to assess these patterns were business listings from DMTI spatial, a Canadian provider of geospatial data. The data set used in this paper contains listings of business names, addresses, SIC codes in 2002, and NAICS and SIC codes in 2012. For analysis of this data, our approach uses basic spatial indicators, like mean centre of establishments and average distance to mean centre, along with statistical analysis of facility types and intra-regional changes. The exploration of influencing factors is conducted through in-depth review of industry publications, regional news sources, and conversations with experts in the commercial development industry in each case study city. Preliminary results indicate that in smaller metropolitan areas (Winnipeg, Halifax), the land supply pressures, and scope of logistics developments result in no evidence of sprawl. In the remaining cities, there is moderate evidence of sprawl, with noted influences including supply and local development controls. These results are discussed in the context of the current literature on urban logistics sprawl with directions for future work provided.     

Spatial patterns of logistics facilities in Gothenburg,Sweden

In recent years, the location of logistics facilities, in particular with regard to “logistics sprawl,” has emerged as a topic in the literature that is, a process of spatial decentralisation of logistics facilities in large metropolitan areas. The aim of this paper is to look at logistics sprawl patterns in the Gothenburg metropolitan area, in the south-west of Sweden. Looking at a medium-size monocentric urban region that is also a major port gateway for the country, this study provides novel elements in the study of locational patterns of freight facilities in metropolitan areas. It also provides an opportunity to identify the role of freight in planning, land use and zoning policies. A literature review is carried out on the issues of freight and logistics facilities locational patterns. A quantitative analysis is proposed, using data from Swedish statistics about the number of establishments with a NACE code related to logistics, as well as an original method providing a “cleaned” and more comprehensive dataset. We look at data at two different scales, one metropolitan and one regional, for years 2000 and 2014, as to enable a comparative and diachronical analysis. Logistics sprawl is measured by the average distance of warehouses to their common centre of gravity. Finally, interviews with transport and logistics providers as well as real estate investors and public agencies in the region, add qualitative information on the relative importance of different location factors related to logistics facilities and the issues raised. Logistics sprawl in Gothenburg occurs in specific ways, and differently at the two geographical levels of analysis.     

Consequences of logistics sprawl: Order or chaos? - the case of a parcel service company in Paris metropolitan area

Logistics sprawl is the phenomenon driving warehouses and freight terminals further and further away from city centers, for reasons that are mostly dependent on urban planning, field price and economies of scale. In the past, studies have already described logistics sprawl in Paris Metropolitan area. These studies have concluded that logistic facilities far from Paris city center increased the distance travelled, and by extension, CO₂ emissions. This study does not question logistics sprawl in Paris metropolitan area but questions its consequences.This study presents a point of view on the location of cross-docking terminals. One main parcel service carrier was studied through a database strong of 600,000 inputs including pick-ups and deliveries for two months in the Paris metropolitan area. This study is not intended to be representative of all merchandise flows but makes it possible to understand the running of one significant actor. This project aims at determining the optimum terminals location according to two criteria: minimization of the total distance as calculated by the Euclidean distance (as the crow flies) between terminals and points of pick-up/ delivery, and the number of authorized terminals. The number of terminals is modified to study its relationship with the spatial distribution of its clients.Interestingly, we found that optimized locations for this parcel service carrier are located outside of Paris city center. Those locations minimize the total distance to the clients, and thus, are the best places to limit pollution. The reason is that the carrier manages this perimeter through a polycentric organization. Paris Metropolitan area is viewed as several sectors and not as a whole for this carrier. It is therefore unknown how the carrier's performance has evolved over time, but its current organization is close to the optimal situation.     

Goods movement,road safety,and spatial inequity: Evaluating freight-related crashes in low-income or minority neighborhoods

The significant growth in freight traffic and relevant crashes has aroused increasing concerns about road safety threats in local communities. We use data from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area and examine the spatial relationship between freight-related crashes and neighborhoods with low-income and minority populations. We find that both household income and percentage of minority population are significantly correlated with the density of both freight-related crashes and freight-related crashes causing severe injuries and fatalities. The results indicate that freight-related crashes are subject to a spatial inequity problem. The findings underscore the importance of incorporating freight-related safety improvement within these low-income and minority neighborhoods.     

Location factors for logistics facilities: Location choice modeling considering activity categories

While many past studies analyze the changes in the spatial distribution of logistics facilities and provide insights on the factors that drive the migration of logistics facilities, only a few studies analyze the factors of location choice at the individual facility level. Furthermore, the differences among various facility types, with respect to the key locational characteristics that attract logistics facility developments, are still not clear. This research attempts to fill the research gap by analyzing the location choices for logistics facility development. Using the data from the Paris Region, we characterize the locations and activities of logistics facilities and estimate a logistics facility location choice model for each activity category. The analysis reveals the key locational characteristics that influence logistics facility locations, such as zoning regulations, wholesale job accessibility, population density, and the accessibility to autoroute (controlled-access highway), as well as the heterogeneity in the effects of these characteristics by activity category. Zoning and traditional clusters play a significant role for the locations of newly developed logistics facilities, which underlines the importance of public policies for logistics land use in the Paris region. The effect of the accessibility to population is identified for the group of facilities which serve for retail shops and end-consumers only under the assumption that alternative locations are limited to specialized economic activity/logistics zones, indicating that population accessibility is a secondary factor to the designation as the specialized zone. Zoning changes to/from economic activity/logistics zones may cause significant impacts on the spatial distribution of logistics facilities, and thus, the distribution of goods vehicle traffic flow.     

Urban spatial structure,employment subcenters,and freight travel

Metropolitan areas in the U.S. have become increasingly polycentric. Large employment subcenters have emerged outside of central cities, competing against the traditional city center for labor and businesses. The existing literature on land use and transportation focuses on passenger travel, providing little insight into the impact of polycentric metropolitan development patterns on freight activity. In this study, we use the Los Angeles region as a case study to examine the relationship between urban spatial development patterns and freight travel. Using the National Employment Time Series (NETS) data, we identify employment subcenters in metropolitan Los Angeles. We characterize freight activities associated with the subcenters using data from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). We develop a regression model that estimates freight activity as a function of geographic characteristics, such as whether a location is in an employment subcenter, measures of nearby employment, access to the highway network, and proximity to intermodal freight facilities. The results indicate that employment is an important driver of freight activity; however, employment subcenters have an independent effect on freight activity. The results of this study suggest that further research on urban spatial structure and freight activity should assess the effects of employment subcenters and how their particular employment composition and characteristics are associated with freight activities at the metropolitan level. Such an approach would lead to more precise policy recommendations for urban goods movement.     

The role of airport proximity on warehouse location and associated truck trips: Evidence from Toronto,Ontario

This paper examines the two-way relationship between land use and transportation from the perspective of warehouses in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area. A location choice model is first developed to reproduce the decision process of firms selecting suitable locations to operate warehousing facilities. The results highlight that transportation plays a prominent role in the location of warehouses with proximity to airport, highway infrastructure, and rail to a lesser extent. However, the proportion of industrial land use provides the largest role in the model suggesting that available land and zoning is the most important factor. This paper also studies the impact of warehouse location on freight transportation trips. The resulting analysis highlights that GPS derived trips arising from warehouses near a major airport in Toronto tend to travel 1.8 times further than trips pertaining to other warehouses in the region. This suggests that trips related to the airport are more likely to be connected to a larger supply chain process.     

Location analysis for the modal shift of palletized building materials

At present, the distribution of palletized building materials is mostly carried out by trucks, despite their movements having negative effects on society, the economy and the environment. However, these problems can be reduced if the transport of palletized goods is shifted to inland waterways. By doing so, the goods are bundled for the main haulage by barge. In order to reduce the transport distances by truck to an absolute minimum, a possible last-mile distribution would have to be organized via a limited number of directly canal-served hubs. The locations of those hubs are crucial for the feasibility of modal shift. This study advances the transport geography literature by elaborating a location analysis model specifically for palletized goods. This model determines the optimal hub location by taking into account the large variation of origins and destinations of transport flows, while the introduction of a cost structure enables potential economic gains (cost savings) and reductions in CO₂ emissions to be calculated. The analysis is performed for transport data on palletized building materials in Belgium. Two concepts were defined, which resulted in an optimal intermodal network of 9 hubs and one with 27 hubs; through the implementation of these networks, respectively 26% and 38% of the transport flows can be shifted to the inland waterways at a profitable cost. It can be expected that over time these percentages will increase further.     

Dynamics of the spatial distribution of hubs in groupage networks – The case of Berlin

This paper analyses the development of the spatial distribution of hubs in freight forwarding groupage networks in Berlin and the surrounding municipalities of Brandenburg over the last two decades, and the reasons underlying it. From 1994 to 2014 the mean distance between groupage networks and their respective barycentres increased by 34%. While the number of locations <10 km from Berlin city centre decreased significantly, the number of locations over 10 km from the city centre but under 30 km away increased. The main reasons found for the relocation of the logistics hubs that were analysed were a lack of large expanses of industrial land in Berlin, and the quest for good infrastructure connections to motorways and federal highways.     

An integrated modeling framework for design of logistics networks with expedited shipment services

This paper studied an integrated logistics network problem that determines optimal supplier locations, assignments of these suppliers to terminal facilities, expedited shipment configurations, and inventory management strategies in an uncertain environment. We studied the problem structure and proposed mathematical models to determine the optimal network design that minimizes the expected total system cost. We developed a customized solution approach based on Lagrangian relaxation that can solve these models efficiently and accurately. Numerical examples are conducted to draw managerial insights into how problem settings and key parameter values affect the optimal design results.     

Monitoring trucks to reveal Belgian geographical structures and dynamics: From GPS traces to spatial interactions

Despite the fact that freight transport has a huge impact on the economy and the environment, Belgian datasets have always been scarce or restricted to very small a-spatial samples. Spatial data collected in Belgium for toll-paying trucks are here examined, and geographical structures and dynamics are extracted from this massive dataset. The originality of this dataset is its exhaustivity and its real-time approach: the location of all the trucks circulating in Belgium is collected every 30 s.The paper first relates to the methodology applied when using and transforming big data generated by On Board Units GNSS (cleaning, transforming and pre-processing). Second, it maps and comments on the movements (traffic) and stops of trucks within the whole country, providing a clear picture of the Belgian situation, useful for regional planners and logistics companies. Finally, the flows of trucks observed between Belgian locations enable the country to be divided into mathematical communities of places that interact the most. Analyses are performed for sub-categories based on the country of registration, underlining the spatial specificities of freight transit in Belgium. This exploratory spatial data analysis enables to reveal not only multi-level spatial structures associated with urban hierarchies and the transport infrastructure, but also firm locations or political organizations and to consider the complexity and interconnectivity of any measure taken for a more sustainable future. With a clear methodological framework to cope with the data pre-processing, this paper opens the way to various potential applications linked with freight transportation in Belgium.     

基于现代物流理念的铁路货运组织改革的思考

铁路货运是物流体系的重要组成部分,也是亟待改进的部分.简要分析现代物流作用和发展趋势,结合现行铁路货运组织存在的问题,从信息系统、管理模式、设施设备、运营机制和人才机制几个方面,探讨基于现代物流理念的铁路货运组织改革,以利于提高铁路货运组织效率和效益.     

The geography of warehouses in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region and contributing factors to this spatial distribution

This paper aims to characterize the relocation of warehouses in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region (SPMR) considering the spatial structure of changes in warehouse locations. We also discuss the potential factors that could attract warehouses to their location, especially in peripheral regions. The study encompasses the period between 1992 and 2017 and analyzes the influence of geographical, economics, road infrastructure, municipality service tax rate, cargo theft, and real estate prices on logistics facility location. The results show no evidence of logistics sprawl in SPMR during the studied period, although a small sprawl appeared between 2010 and 2017, moving the barycenter to the Northwestern direction of the SPMR. The main factors that influence the decision to move the warehouses are the low cost of land, lower tax, and a well-served infrastructure with highway intersections. There is a positive spatial correlation between warehouse per capita and cargo theft.     

Intermodal logistics: The interplay of financial,operational and service issues

This research addresses strategic planning for an interregional, hub based, intermodal logistics network operated by a logistics service provider. A tabu search meta-heuristic is used to solve a mathematical optimization model that extends the p-hub median model for interacting hub location-allocation problems to the domain of intermodal logistics. An empirical study based on a subset of US freight flows shows that intermodal logistics networks differ significantly from traditional over-the-road logistics networks in their hub locations, network structure, and their use of direct and inter-hub shipments. Furthermore, intermodal logistics networks are more sensitive to changes in service requirements and costs.     

Localisation of freight consolidation centres serving small road hauliers in a wider urban area: barriers for more efficient freight deliveries in Gothenburg

This paper discusses the negative impacts of freight transport growth, especially in and around urban areas. Over time, a growing number of road freight vehicles have delivered less freight over longer distances, while average load factors have been reduced. This development is unsatisfactory, as transport capacity that could have been used more efficiently is lost. To mitigate negative impact, it has been suggested that freight consolidation and better planned localisation of freight consolidation centres (FCCs) would improve city logistics. Based on primary data, this paper investigates the potential to establish urban FCCs intended for small road hauliers (SRHs) delivering goods to the retail sector in a wider geographical area, the Gothenburg region in Sweden. While the findings show that a large majority of SRHs could reach potential FCC locations in a short time, congestion affects deliveries and several factors, many of which were observed already in the 1970s, restrict FCC establishments. Under present conditions, there is little scope for SRHs to successfully deliver goods to retailers in the Gothenburg region from FCCs; therefore, a more efficient urban transport system from a business or societal perspective is unlikely. Policy makers need to take into consideration the different segments, requirements, and characteristics of different cities before venturing into costly FCC projects.     

The transport geography of logistics and freight distribution

Goods movement and freight distribution are widely underrepresented in regional science and geographical research. This is surprising since a large body of traditional spatial theory has been developed with respect to transportation costs or to trade areas: those aspects that were originally closely connected with the exchange of goods. Growing attention is being paid in geography to related subjects, such as the emergence of global production networks, to structural changes in retail or to the commodification of modern consumption. To a certain extent, these processes depend upon the efficient transfer of information, finance and physical goods. Yet, with a few exceptions, the freight sector appears to be neglected in contemporary research. This paper provides an overview of the emerging transport geography of logistics and freight distribution. It challenges the traditional perspective where transportation is considered as a derived demand with the idea that logistical requirements underline transportation as a component of an integrated demand. The paper provides an analysis of the evolution of logistics as it pertains to the core dimensions of transport geography (flows, nodes/locations and networks). The concept of logistical friction is also introduced to illustrate the inclusion of the multidimensional notion of impedance in integrated freight transport demand.     

Elasticities of mode choice probabilities and market elasticities of demand: Evidence from a simultaneous mode choice/shipment-size freight transport model

This paper presents empirical estimates of market elasticities of demand and elasticities of mode choice probabilities in the intercity freight transport market. Results are derived from a mixed discrete/continuous choice model of mode and shipment size. The mode choice component of the full model was specified as a binary probit function. The two modes considered were rail and regulated common carriers (full truck load). Data was drawn from the US Commodity Transportation Survey consisting of individual shipments of manufactured goods identified at the most disaggregate level. Results obtained in this study are compared with those obtained in previous studies, and areas of similarities and dissimilarities in the magnitude as well as interpretation of the results are highlighted. The own-price and cross-price elasticities of mode choice probabilities were found to vary from 1.44 to 1.88, and from 1.54 to 1.75, respectively. The market price elasticities of demand were found to vary significantly across commodity groups and geographic territories. Among the 40 market segments considered, the truck price elasticity of demand ranged between −0.749 and −2.525; the rail price elasticity of demand was slightly larger, ranging between −0.956 and −2.489; and the rail–truck cross-price elasticity of demand ranged between 0.904 and 2.532.