Urban and metropolitan freight transportation: a quick review of existing models

Abstract

The freight transportation model is comparatively underdeveloped and had not been paid much attention to for decades. This study provides a synopsis of existing models at the urban and metropolitan levels, their major procedures, techniques, weaknesses and strengths. Based on consistent and comprehensive criteria synthesized from existing literature, this study also assesses the performances of different models. The assessment indicates that the tour-based model outperforms other ones. Each model, as expected, only outperforms others in some aspects. That is, there is no perfect freight model. Freight modelers should adopt a context-sensitive and problem-specific attitude when choosing their respective models. Specifically, choosing models based on the nature and scope of the problem at hand rather than on general performance assessment results or related personal impression or preference. Copyright © 2011 by Science Press.