01154868

Component

This article aims to provide guidelines to urban freight transport practitioners in cities around the world, including those in developing countries. This paper will present data on freight transport and its impact on local communities, based on which the author will make recommendations for cities seeking a more efficient and environmentally friendly freight system. The principle underlying all these recommendations is that freight transport must serve the local economy. (1) Assessing the needs of the economy. Cities have to assess the needs and challenges of their economy by conducting surveys and setting up a Freight Forum to negotiate with private stakeholders. These can be low cost actions with great benefits to businesses. (2) Serving urban growth and providing value added logistics services. Serving urban growth by enhancing the quality and added value of goods distribution is an important objective for policy-makers. Key priorities include the promotion of local initiatives and the provision of modern logistics facilities and training programs. (3) Making cities safer and more liveable. Land use and planning policies have to integrate logistics activities. Cleaner and quieter modes of transport must be (re) introduced on city streets. Environmental standards for truck access contribute to reducing pollutant emissions. (4) Facilitating deliveries and providing better labor conditions for delivery personnel. Governments can take decisive action to improve working conditions and skills in the urban freight sector, which is often the least considered in the trucking industry. Fair competition must be guaranteed through increased enforcement of transport regulations. Well-designed on-street and off-street delivery areas must be provided to make urban deliveries easier and faster. This article is based on work done for the World Bank as part of the “Freight transport for development" initiative, which examines how freight transport operations contribute to development. This paper's analyses are based on a rather comprehensive review of the current literature on urban freight along with some surveys and reports provided by local governments.

01147878

10-0977

English

22p

2010

Transportation Research Board 89th Annual Meeting

DVD

Figures (2) ; References (31) ; Tables (1)

Developing countries; Economic growth; Freight traffic; Freight transportation; Guidelines; Land use planning; Sustainable development; Transportation policy; Urban growth

Freight Transportation; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2010 Paper #10-0977

TRIS, TRB

Jan 25 2010 10:26AM