International Journal of Sustainable Transportation最新文献

To satisfy the need for resident transportation between offshore islands and a mainland, and among offshore islands, some ferry firms are asked to run low-volume routes. Since low-volume routes often bring losses to operators, the government may provide compensation to those offshore ferry routes. However, the current subsidy methods may result in operating inefficiency. Also, the previous studies lack a mechanism for auditing the performance of these ferry routes while considering subsidies. In order to solve these problems and consider the operational characteristics of ferry routes and the fairness of input and output multipliers, this study proposes a different performance-based mechanism built by a cross-efficiency two-stage network data envelopment analysis to allocate subsidies and set targets for individual offshore ferry routes. By setting targets, the government can supervise subsidy usage. An empirical example of seven offshore ferry routes in Taiwan is illustrated. The different results of allocation between stages can be found for all routes and the individual intermediate product and final output targets can be set for all routes. The results provide constructive suggestions for the policymaker on how to allocate subsidies and set targets among offshore ferry routes.

The strengthening of the railway mode is one of the main policies that can help to achieve more sustainable future mobility. A methodology is presented to estimate future transport demand scenarios over the medium (2030) and long term (2050) considering three trip lengths: urban, regional, and long distance for two trip purposes: work and leisure. The objective of the scenarios is to answer the question: would railways benefit from a 10% drop in car usage? Qualitative techniques have been applied, based on in-depth interviews and focus groups, as well as a stated preference survey where the people sampled answered to different scenarios which included the presence of a new train, with a high level of service, and other possible new modes of transport such as autonomous cars and buses. The results obtained using Best-Worst discrete choice models show that the rail mode could capture a significant part of the demand from the car over all three journey lengths, but especially for long distance, if the new rail mode were introduced.

The operation of airports is considered as particularly energy intensive and with the use of conventional energy sources, significant amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are emitted, fueling the existential crisis of global warming. Hence, this study investigates the energy management system (EnMS) of Midtjyllands Airport with respect to its energy consumption, energy sources, and energy-related GHG emissions. The intention is to develop a sustainable energy strategy to close the gaps in their energy and carbon management by applying the methods of ISO 50001 EnMS and Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) Program. The findings reveal a total energy consumption of about 1 GWh including electricity (53%), natural gas (47%), and others (0.1%) while emitted GHGs account for in total 203 tCO₂e. With regard to the developed baseline trends, the designed objectives comprise (1) net zero GHG emissions without offsetting by 2030, (2) 40% reduction in energy consumption by 2025, and (3) 40% reduction of two energy performance indicators (EnPIs) by 2030. The achievement of the objectives is summarized in a nine-point action plan including the major actions of identifying significant energy users (SEUs), improving thermal state of total building envelope and heating system, as well as replacing the current electricity and natural gas contract with a renewable electricity and biogas contract, respectively.

Active travel choice analysis in response to policies related to sustainability and urban sprawl has been considered in past research. Recent research emphasizes the importance of attitudinal variables in explaining underlying travel preferences. However, these studies lack detailed econometric analysis of attitudinal preferences impact on active and non-active transport choices for non-work travel activities explicitly. In this study, travel diary data from a Netherlands-based mobility panel survey is utilized. Bicycle-oriented and car-loving attitudinal indicators along with travel time and sociodemographic variables are incorporated in a simultaneous integrated choice and latent variable model for non-work travel activities. It is found that latent preferences for bicycle and car significantly impact the choice of active and non-active modes, respectively, for non-work travel activities. Bicycle choice probability is found to be more elastic to the latent car-loving attitude as compared to bicycle-oriented attitude. Both auto and bicycle choice probabilities are found to be more elastic to their respective latent preferences as compared to their respective travel times. Current research aims to contribute toward the dialogue on policies for promotion of active travel. This study provides empirical support for strategies that consider persuasive techniques and incentive mechanisms to enhance active transport usage through information technologies. Since the current empirical research advocates the influence of attitudes on the active transport choice for non-work activities, there is a high probability that such policies can be implemented and would be preferred by the individuals.

Hydrogen-based transportation has gained popularity and has presented significant growth over the past few years, providing an excellent platform for capitalizing on natural resources while attaining global carbon policies and sustainability targets. However, lack of infrastructure, cost of fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fuel, and absence of established hydrogen supply chains have been identified as critical challenges of hydrogen-based mobility. Despite current studies predominantly focusing on hydrogen-fueled passenger vehicles and related infrastructure, it was identified that the impacts of hydrogen fuel supply chain for freight transportation from a life cycle thinking perspective have been largely overlooked. This article aims at critically reviewing the existing body-of-knowledge on the current status of hydrogen fueling supply chain and exploring the potential of integrating hydrogen fuel for road freight transportation. Accordingly, the current status of alternative fuel use for freight transportation is discussed over technical, economic, and environmental dimensions outlining its benefits and challenges. Moreover, the pertinence of innovative and established methods of hydrogen production, distribution, and storage for freight transportation are evaluated based on a comprehensive literature review. This study reveals that the transformation of freight transportation into low-emission alternative fuels would require a comprehensive multicriteria assessment that includes technical, economic, environmental, and social feasibilities over the life cycle of the freight vehicle and the fuel supply chain. Moreover, decision parameters affecting the optimal fuel selection process were established through this study, while providing insights on the future prospects for hydrogen-fueled freight transformation in Canada.

Knowledge about how weather conditions affect travel behavior in different user groups and contexts is relevant for planners and policymakers to facilitate sustainable transportation systems. We aimed to assess the influence of day-to-day weather on cycling for transportation among parents of young children with access to different bike types (e-bike vs non e-bike) in a natural study setting over nine months. We hypothesized less impact of weather variability on cycling when using an e-bike compared with a non e-bike. A randomized, controlled trial was conducted in Southern Norway. The intervention group (n = 18) was in random order equipped with an e-bike with trailer for child transportation (n = 6), a cargo (longtail) bike (n = 6) and a traditional bike with trailer (n = 6), each for three months. These 18 participants reported cycling on 832 out of 3276 person-days (25%). We used dynamic structural equation modeling for intensive longitudinal data to examine the relations between daily weather conditions, bike type (e-bike vs traditional bike), and cycling (dichotomized daily at yes or no). Air temperature (positively) and wind speed (negatively) were both credible predictors of cycling, whereas the other predictors (precipitation in the morning (yes or no) and presence of snow (yes or no) were not. We added interaction terms between bike type and weather conditions, but none of the interaction terms had a credible effect on cycling. Thus, the relations between weather conditions and cycling were not moderated by bike type among parents of young children.

Walkable neighborhoods are known for bringing social and economic benefits to their residents. One of these benefits is the real estate premium associated with the neighborhood's walkability, which has been explored in studies worldwide. Here, we extend the available evidence by proposing the evaluation of the walkability premium in a new context. We use multigroup structural equation models to evaluate the direct and indirect effects on low-income neighborhoods in two Brazilian metropolitan cities, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The walkability perception is modeled, mediating the impact of the built urban environment elements on real estate pricing. The results confirm that we can expect a premium for walkability investments, even in poor neighborhoods under non-ideal conditions for walking, and this result is invariant between cities. The effects of the built environment on the real estate price are mediated by latent perceptions, showing the importance of incorporating subjective measures when assessing the walkability premium. Additionally, Latin American cities' socioeconomic and environmental conditions provide new interpretations of the studied phenomenon, highlighting the importance of considering the local context.

Multimodality refers to the phenomenon of using more than one mode of transport in a given period. Encouraging multimodality potentially provides an effective solution to reduce CO₂ emissions and induce modal shifts toward sustainable transport. This research investigates the extent to which the level and correlates of multimodality differ by trip purpose. We used one-week travel diaries of the English National Travel Survey. Our analyses showed that the level of multimodality varied by trip purpose and the associated time-space variability as well as by the number of trip stages. We found that the level of variability in departure time and travel distance was greater for leisure trips than for maintenance trips, which was in turn greater than for work trips. Trips that were more variable in departure time and travel distance showed on average higher levels of individual multimodality, but only if sufficient stages (at least 3) were made. Moreover, we detected cross-purpose disparities in correlates of multimodality in terms of significance and variance explained. This research may provide support to the development of trip purpose-specific policies aiming to increase multimodality.

In view of the pressing need to reduce the negative environmental impact of freight transportation we argue that it is essential to take account of the organization of the freight transportation system when considering how to address various individual activities and parts of the system. To support a transition to a more sustainable freight transportation system this paper examines the way in which different parts of the system interact and the way this can impact the scope for profound change. Taking loosely coupled systems (Weick, 1976) as a starting point, we scrutinize the couplings within and between three system layers of the freight transportation system: the supply chain layer, the transportation layer, and the infrastructure layer. In addition, we address two interfaces connecting these layers: the market for transportation services, and the traffic using the infrastructure. We find that tight couplings dominate in the supply chain and infrastructure layers and that these couplings depend on loose couplings in the transportation layer and the two interfaces. The pattern of couplings identified in the freight transportation system can explain several positive outcomes, such as flexibility and efficiency. But there are also major negative aspects of the loosely coupled nature of the system that create resistance to change and present a barrier in the drive for increased sustainability. The paper concludes that the identified couplings and system features have important implications for policies aiming to change the freight transportation system in ways that lead to significant reduction in the reliance on oil.