Chapter 33: Urban Freight Movement Modeling

The pattern of urban transport activity has two major components; the movement of people and the movement of freight. Roads in urban areas carry large numbers of trucks laden with food, consumer goods, building materials, industrial inputs, and all of the other goods that support the urban economy and lifestyle. Urban freight transport therefore plays a vital role, but at the same time, urban freight movements are an important source of congestion, and a major contributor to the adverse environmental and social impacts of urban transport. In addition, the demand for freight transport is growing at a faster rate than personal travel in many cities, due to changes in industry logistics and consumer purchasing patterns. As a result, the significance of urban freight activity is increasing in terms of both its role in the urban economy and its adverse impacts on urban amenity.