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E-commerce
has revolutionized corporate America.
Business applications range from electronic information exchange
with customers and business partners to electronic monitoring of goods
movement through the supply chain. E-commerce
places a premium on getting the product to the consumer quickly and
reliably. Supply chain
alliances between companies (a.k.a. the business to business, or “B2B”
strategy) permit a more efficient utilization of resources.
With freight, shippers can enjoy increased reliability of product
delivery and monitoring and can receive better information on network
flows.
Efficient internet communications between customers
and businesses promote expectations of fast and reliable delivery. This strategy requires a transportation system that provides
near ubiquitous access to all possible consumer locations in a market.
Without coordination and integration of such service, the increased
flows could result in greater levels of congestion and impacts on
community quality of life.
As
a result, intermodal transportation becomes a more important concept in
system planning. Terminal
capacity, location and operations that allow integrated product movements
across modes are critical business considerations in providing the most
cost-efficient delivery of services.
Integrating Freight and Planning
Providing infrastructure and services that will
support e-freight activity is an important component of a metropolitan
area’s regional transportation strategy.
The following examples illustrate how such a strategy can be
applied.
Portland’s Regional Transportation Strategy. Portland,
Oregon’s 2000 transportation plan gives freight movement considerable
attention. As noted in the
plan, “the significant growth in freight projected by the 2040 Commodity
Flow Analysis indicates the need to make adequate land available for
expansion of intermodal facilities, manufacturing, wholesale and
distribution activities, and to continue maintaining and enhancing the
freight transportation network.”
Intermodal Freight and Brownfield
Redevelopment. The
New Jersey Transportation Planning Authority is planning the redevelopment
of abandoned industrial sites near northern New Jersey ports, airports,
and rail terminals. This
“freight village” concept is not only a response to expected increases
in freight volume, but is also a strategy to “reduce freight-driven
sprawl in greenfield areas by developing freight and trade-related
distribution facilities within existing transportation corridors.”
Consolidation/Clustering Distribution Centers Near
Intermodal Facilities. There
are numerous examples of distribution centers and warehouses being located
near intermodal facilities. Public
investment strategies that support this type of consolidation include
primarily access improvements, both physical infrastructure as well as
signing and traffic control.
Priority to Freight Movements.
Some metropolitan areas are considering ways to segregate and/or
give priority to goods movers. Southern
California is considering providing freight haulers with preferential
treatment on freeway lanes and a commercial vehicle-only lane has already
been implemented in the new tunnel under Boston harbor. It seems likely that preferential treatment for freight will
be more widely considered in heavily congested regions.
Improving System Reliability Through ITS
Technologies. Transportation
reliability is essential to e-commerce.
As noted in a recent U.S. DOT report, “by 2010, high quality,
real-time travel information will be generally available for urban and
heavily used Interstate routes, usually via wireless receivers.
By 2025, real-time transportation management will be a reality,
with highways and transit not just monitored, but proactively managed.”
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in combination with advanced
system surveillance and communications capabilities will allow a more
efficient schedule operation for many freight operators.
Emerging
Concepts in Service Reconfiguration. It is likely that increased e-commerce activity will cause
package deliverers to rethink basic strategies in delivering goods,
especially in metropolitan areas where congestion levels create
significant delays. Not only
is it inefficient to make multiple delivery attempts, but it also delays
shipments to other customers. A
concierge service has been implemented by New Jersey Transit in which
packages can be left for pick up at neighborhood commuter rail stations.
A European system uses urban rail systems to deliver packages in
congested urban cores.
Our Challenge
The
history of transportation has been dominated by the interplay between
changing market demands and technological potential.
The Internet presents unprecedented opportunities to society and
the marketplace. Yet, the
impact of this phenomenon on the way Americans live, work, shop and
recreate is still poorly understood.
As we begin to grasp how the Internet will shape urban form and
transportation systems, we all must prioritize the improvement of goods
movement within future planning.
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