Reviewing Truck Logistics: Solutions for Achieving Low Emission Road Freight Transport

Abstract

Low emission logistics have become an expected and desired goal in all fields of transportation, particularly in the European Union. Heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) are significant producers of emissions and pollution in inland transports. Their role is significant, as in multimodal transport chains truck transportation is, in most cases, the only viable solution to connect hinterlands with ports. Diesel engines are the main power source of trucks and their emission efficiency is the key challenge in environmentally sound freight transportation. This review paper addresses the academic literature focusing on truck emissions. The paper relies on the preliminary hypothesis that simple single solutions are nonexistent and that there will be a collection of suggestions and solutions for improving the emission efficiency in trucks. The paper focuses on the technical properties, emission types, and fuel solutions used in freight logistics. Truck manufacturing, maintenance, and other indirect emissions like construction of road infrastructure have been excluded from this review.

Efficiency of Governmental Policy and Programs to Stimulate the Use of Low-Emission and Electric Vehicles: The Case of Romania

“…Although in recent years the emergence and development of electric and hybrid vehicle technology for passenger transportation has had a positive impact on road transport pollution, the total CO 2 levels are rising. This can be explained by the increase in the total number of vehicles and freight operations which, unfortunately, do not yet use an electric or hybrid propulsion system, with the majority of road transport vehicles still powered by diesel engines [42]. In Romania, carbon dioxide emissions followed the European trend, registering annual increases in 2015-2019, from 15,714 thousand tons of CO 2 in 2015 to 18,935 thousand tons of CO 2 in 2019.…”

Improving the Operational Efficiency of Parcel Delivery Network with a Bi-Level Decision Making Model

“…Variable processing rates imply that a service manager can control the processing time by increasing the temporary service rate at the amount of ∆ s if the shipments arrival rate at a terminal is beyond the maximum processing rate (C a cri ). However, handling shipments beyond the scheduled processing rate may bring additional costs (p a ) due to several factors such as demurrage, unskilled servers, insufficient sorting machine, and overtime allowance, as indicated in Equation (17), which increases the total processing cost at a terminal, Equation (16). Additional cost due to the excessive demand can be estimated by the average hourly wage (h a ) over the processing rate of unscheduled works ∆ a .…”

“…Heavy-duty trucks for long-haul trips and light-duty trucks for urban logistics comprise a significant portion of gas emissions [16]. In [17] a comprehensive review of research on truck emission is provided and the importance of incorporating multiple approaches such as engine technology, traffic flow regulation, and speed regulation of trucks in green logistics is discussed. In [18], a supply chain framework is proposed that adopts blockchain technology for communication and utilizes logistic information for efficient collaboration between stakeholders.…”

Customized Approach to Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculations in Railway Freight Transport

“…Logistics with low emissions have become a preferred aim in all transport modes, especially in the EU [19,20]. The EU is on the correct path to achieve its GHG emissions reduction goal for 2020 and yet has submitted a plan to further reduce emissions by at least 55% in 2030 [21][22][23].…”