Congestion in transport: Transportation and strategic distribution

Résumé du document

The term of congestion refers to the degradation of the quality of service when the number of user increases. This phenomenon is characterized by the emergence of delays or even bottlenecks during periods of heavy traffic. Particularly when the capacity of infrastructure is insufficient to regulate flows. This is particularly problematic in the field of Maritime / air transport and rail due to their features (points of departure and destination fixed, fixed slots). In the road sector, the problem is present (locally and periodically) especially in large cities and during holidays.

What is the degree of the congestion? What are the costs for society? How can we improve that? Trough this case study, we will explain you this huge problem and will try to show you some solutions. We will study in the first part the reasons for congestion in areas Road, rail, Maritime and air. In a second step we will try to answer and to find solution to these issues.

Extraits

[...] Coordination of movements of ships and trucks is very complex. Ports and road deposits have different schedules, which usually imply a double peak for the arrival of trucks, (one early morning and afternoon). To increase operational and administrative task in port, we need to improve the flexibility of hours (example by stretching), implement booking systems for the trucks arrive at the harbor entrance and automate document processing and the sorting of goods. These improvements should be supported by better planning within the ports to manage and organize the traffic and links with the hinterland. [...]

[...] The Commission wants to reduce traffic in the cities with better “traffic management” between different transportation systems. Example: In Paris, authorities create congestion in order to stop to use our own car. Firstly, there isn't just one solution to reduce congestion but many and it is very complicated. Authorities are encouraged to make attractive and safe modes of transport to replace private's car such as walking, public transport or motorbikes. Today in lot of cities and country, improving connections between every modes of transport seems to be imperative! [...]

[...] In the EU, according to statistics Association of European Airlines, delays of more than fifteen minutes affected 12% of flights in in in 1996 and in 2000. In France since 1985, domestic transport of goods has risen too. This overall increase is due to road transport which has been multiplied by 2.5 in 20 years while river transport is stable and that rail transport is declining. As regards passenger transport, since 1990, there is an increase all types of transport by 22%. [...]

[...] Solution to the congestion seems be the integration of the European network. The avowed aim is to establish an efficient network and competitive, and a dedicated freight network to compete. Conclusion: We can say, however, concluded that congestion is a phenomenon comparable to the queues in a department store during peak hours: it is an element in the operation of the system. In addition, Europeans have adapted to congestion, in part due to improvements to the road network but also through improvements in vehicles and the driver behavior, a phenomenon that we do not measure and that the cost of congestion remains partially hidden. [...]

[...] Given this rate of growth in air traffic, all predictions agree to say that will arise soon the problem of airport capacity. The airspace is currently divided into sectors crossed by a network of roads air. Traffic controllers are responsible for ensuring a smooth flow of traffic within the area assigned to them. They must also maintain a parallel separation horizontal and vertical clearance between the flights. The agencies responsible for air traffic management have some time a problem that becomes critical, congestion of airspace. [...]