Transport is an inseparable part of the life of all citizens. At the beginning of the year, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. Individual states have taken strict measures to prevent its spread among the population. Due to this fact, the government of the Slovak Republic has issued restrictions on the closure of public spaces (schools, shopping centres, restaurants, bars, etc.). These restrictions have had an impact not only on the economic activity of the population but also on their mobility in the form of reduced traffic. This is due to the drastically reduced mobility associated with the coronavirus, such as commuting trips and extremely limited leisure opportunities. Reduced mobility of the population (reduction of the number of vehicles in the traffic flow) can bring positive effects not only on overloaded road network (increased vehicle speed, lower flow) but also on the environment (reduction of noise, emissions, etc.). This article aims at finding out what effect the measures taken had on the quality of traffic flow. The quality of movement was examined in the form of the flow and speed of vehicles on one of the busiest first-class road sections. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the state of the restrictions. The results show that after the introduction of measures against the spread of coronavirus, the intensity and speed of vehicles in the measured section decreased.
Vehicle fuel consumption is one of the most important operational characteristics of road vehicles. The fuel consumption can be determined by different methods under laboratory conditions or by carrying out drive tests. One of the possibilities to quantify a way of vehicle driving is to analyse the selected parameters of the fuel mixture electronic control system. The objective of the paper is to predict fuel consumption via parameters of throttle position and engine speed. The measurement was carried out in the laboratory of the Department of Road and Urban Transport by using a MAHA roller dynamometer. The result is an estimation of accuracy of such fuel consumption determination and its possible utilisation for a system of assessing the vehicle driving style of drivers.
Not only electrical hybrid technology is used for drivetrain of passenger cars. Also other systems using non-electrical principles (hydraulic or air pressure, mechanical energy storage) can be found in modern vehicles. There is a quantification of the spared energy by using a hybrid vehicle in the paper. Driving cycle ECE 15 was chosen as a platform for simulation of driving resistances.
The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected normal human behaviour in day-to-day activities. As a result of various restrictions, people have significantly changed their shopping and mobility to limit the spread of the pandemic. This article aims to determine the association between consumers’ shopping preferences and the frequency of selected daily activities during and before the COVID-19 pandemic using correspondence analysis. The total sample consists of 407 respondents from Slovakia. The data are obtained from an online questionnaire divided into several sections such as socio-demographic factors, shopping preferences, and frequency of selected activities per week. The results show that there is an association between consumers’ preference for shopping in supermarkets and the frequency of family visits per week during the pandemic, among other factors. These findings follow up on previous studies on the consequences of changing mobility as a result of the global crisis.
Nowadays, a high-quality road network is necessary for sustainable transport systems. A sharp rise in automation results in increased transport problems. The most serious problems include the traffic infrastructure congestion, congestion, and increased risk of a traffic accident and, of course, a negative impact on the environment. The mobility of inhabitants and the transport of goods are one of the key transport objectives. A junction still constitutes the most critical point on the road network. That is why crossing the road smoothly and safely makes a large difference for the vehicle. This article provides an analysis of the current state of the selected circular junction. On the basis of the conducted survey, new solutions for this junction were presented, which should prevent the traffic conditions from becoming obtrusive. The Aimsun microsimulation was performed for checking the new proposals.
The surveyof traffic intensity is used to obtain information on the number of vehicles on roads during the day. Subsequently, it is possible to derive from this the daily, weekly, and other road traffic intensity information. This survey represents the basis for the calculation of the annual average daily traffic volume and the basic characteristics of traffic flow. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused extensive economic and social damage around the world. These damages have also affected traffic. Changes in traffic behavior have mainly affected the reduction in traffic intensity on road networks. Thanks to the reduction in the demand for transport, there has also been a significant reduction in traffic delays, fuel consumption and emissions. An examination of changes in traffic intensity took place at a selected intersection in 2019, 2020 and 2021. This paper describes the effects of reducing the traffic intensity, fuel consumption and emissions obtained by microsimulation. The results obtained confirmed the reduction in traffic, which also contributed to a significant reduction in vehicle delays.
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