Modelling planner–carrier interactions in road freight transport: Optimisation of road maintenance costs via overloading control

Abstract

-A bi-level modelling approach is proposed to represent the interaction between the vehicle loading practices of road freight transport carriers, and the decisions of a road planning authority responsible both for road maintenance and for the enforcement of overloading control. At the lower (reactive) level, the overloading decisions of the carriers impact on road maintenance expenditure, while at the upper (anticipatory) level the planner decides fine and enforcement levels by anticipating the responses of the carriers. A case study using data from Mexico is used to illustrate the method.

Evaluating Impacts of Overweight in Road Freight Transportation: A Case Study in Brazil with System Dynamics

“…Also, a more detailed cost-benefit analysis is indicated because the use of overweighed vehicles reduces the number of trips but increase the unitary costs of the trips (generalized costs) due the lower average speed and fine costs, for example. Moreover, the overweighed vehicles need more maintenance due to the accelerated wear of the vehicle parts but the fleet used is smaller and therefore the number of maintenances is also smaller [21]. This kind of analysis was not carried out in this study due to lack of available data but it is also indicated for future researches.…”

“…Based on a case study of Mexico, a bi-level modeling approach was presented [21] to represent the interaction between the vehicle loading practices of carriers and the decisions made by road planning authorities, which are responsible both for maintenance and overload control. Results show that at a lower level (reactive), decisions made by carriers regarding overload impact road maintenance expenses, while at an upper level (preventive), the planner decides about inspection levels anticipating carrier responses.…”

Locating Control Stations for Mobile Monitoring of Overloaded Trucks on Rural Highways

“…Quintero et al (2013) proposed a bilevel modeling approach to represent the interactions between vehicle loading practices of freight transport carriers and the decisions of a road planning authority responsible both for road maintenance and for the enforcement of overloading control. The model can predict the reactions of the carrier under a series of planner decisions and then help the planner choose an appropriate combination of the number of inspection points and the punishment levels to have the minimal total expenditure (on repairs and overloading inspection costs) [7]. However, issues regarding locating control stations and routing enforcement vehicles have not been addressed.…”

Scheme of Overloaded Truck Control on a Rural Highway

“…Bagui provided a definition of an overloaded truck and proposed a method to compensate for road damages by fining the overloaded trucks [3]. Quintero et al proposed a bi-level model to represent the interactions between the truck loading practices of freight transport carriers and the decisions of a road planning authority which is responsible for the enforcement of the overloading control [4]. The model can predict a carrier's reactions under a series of planner's decisions and then help the planner choose an optimal combination of the number of check points and the punishment levels to have the minimal total expenditure (on repairs and overloading inspection costs).…”