Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Efficiency in Sustainable Mobility - Thematic Research Summary

Transport Research Knowledge Center
February 2009

This paper deals with the minimisation of the resource costs of a given transport system and the maximisation of its performance. Costs considered include those borne by the transport users and those by the transport operators. The relief of congestion and reliability is a significant element in the consideration of efficiency.

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Empirical evidence for integration and disintegration of maritime shipping, port and logistic activities

OECD - International Transport Forum
Joint Transport Research Centre
Discussion Paper No. 2009-1
January 2009

Prepared for the Round Table of 5-6 February 2009 on Vertical Relations between Transport and Logistics Businesses

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Monday, March 30, 2009

Statistical Bulletin: Bus and Coach Statistics: 2007-08

The Scottish Government Publications
Statistical Bulletin: Transport Series Trn/2009/1
March 2009

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High Speed Passenger Rail: Future development will depend on addressing financial and other challenges and establishing a clear federal role

U.S. Government Accountability Office
March 2009

Federal and other decision makers have had a renewed interest in how high speed rail might fit into the national transportation system and address increasing mobility constraints on highways and at airports due to congestion. GAO was asked to review (1) the factors affecting the economic viability--meaning whether total social benefits offset or justify total social costs--of high speed rail projects, including difficulties in determining the economic viability of proposed projects; (2) the challenges in developing and financing high speed rail systems; and (3) the federal role in the potential development of U.S. high speed rail systems. GAO reviewed federal legislation; interviewed federal, state, local, and private sector officials, as well as U.S. project sponsors; and reviewed high speed rail development in France, Japan, and Spain...

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Friday, March 27, 2009

Major Legal Issues for Highway Public-Private Partnerships

Transport Research Board
National Cooperative Highway Research Program
March 2009

TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Legal Research Digest 51: Major Legal Issues for Highway Public-Private Partnerships explores legal issues that are likely to arise in the implementation of public-private partnerships in the U.S. highway sector.

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Public-Sector Decision Making for Public-Private Partnerships

Transport Research Board
National Cooperative Highway Research Program
March 2009

TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 391: Public Sector Decision Making for Public–Private Partnerships examines information designed to evaluate the benefits and risks associated with allowing the private sector to have a greater role in financing and developing highway infrastructure.

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Guía de buenas prácticas para la ejecución de obras marítimas

España: Puertos del Estado
Julio 2008

A los efectos de servir de orientación y recomendación para los directores de obras marítimas o portuarias, se considera de interés el sintetizar y recoger en un documento los distintos aspectos que suponen “buenas prácticas” de ejecución de obras, conforme a la experiencia adquirida en la construcción de obra marítima en España. Este documento, editado y distribuido por Puertos del Estado entre las Autoridades Portuarias, puede servir para complementar la formación de los directores de obra de los puertos. La Guía de buenas prácticas para la ejecución de obras marítimas es el resultado del esfuerzo conjunto de un grupo de trabajo constituido por ingenieros portuarios españoles de reconocido prestigio y dilatada experiencia profesional en la ejecución de obra marítima.

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Innovations for Airport Terminal Facilities

Transport Research Board
Airport Cooperative Research Program
February 2009

TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 10: Innovations for Airport Terminal Facilities explores worldwide developments in airport landside facilities design, and examines future trends and innovative passenger service/processing concepts.

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Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide: Best Practices for Developing and Managing Capital Program Costs

U.S. Government Accountability Office
March 2009

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a guide designed to help federal, state, and local government agencies develop more reliable cost estimates for government projects of all sizes. According to a GAO press release, the guide is intended to help agencies produce well-documented, comprehensive, accurate, and credible estimates.

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Evaluation of a sleepiness warning system – a test track study

VTI
January 2009

Sleep related crashes have received increasing attention over the past decade. Driver support systems that are able to detect sleepiness and warn the driver could be a potential countermeasure to reduce sleepiness related crashes. The aim of this study was to evaluate a warning system in an experimental investigation performed in a real time car driving application. An additional aim was also to examine the suitability of using an experimental vehicle at test track for evaluation of a sleepiness warning system. The modalities used for warning was a combination of sound, vibrations in belt and spoken messages. In addition a hand worn confirmation button was used.

In total 40 participants drove at a closed test track during night (00h–05h). They were instructed to sleep between 01.00 and 07.00 for two nights prior to the night of the experiment. The design of the study was a between group, with 10 participants in each group. The four different groups experienced one of the following: A: No warning – baseline; B: SENSATION warning system with an early trigger; C: SENSATION warning system with a late trigger; D: Feedback (DMS – Siemens) and warning with a late trigger. The trigger of the warnings was based on observer registrations of the driver and driver behaviour.

The drivers were instructed to drive a distance of 110 kilometres. The car was a Volvo 850, equipped with sensors in order to measure driving behaviour (lateral position, speed, steering wheel angle). As sleepiness indicators blink duration was used (mean and sd), measured with EOG. After the drive the participants answered a questionnaire. The experiment focused on comprehension, usability, effectiveness, and acceptance.

There was no significant observable difference between the groups that received the warning at an early point, at a late point, or at a late point in combination with a feedback system. Regarding the self reported measures, it should be noticed that no participant considered the warning to be too early. The sound was seen as most disturbing and most effective. The belt vibration was seen as least disturbing, but also as least effective. These results seem to be highly related to the level of the sound and the amplitude of the vibrations. In total, 27 out of 30 drivers in group B-D reported they had experienced warnings. About 50 per cent felt that the warning had come at the correct time, and no driver found it to be too early. More than 70 per cent stated that the warning had influenced their driving and 85 per cent thought it had made them more awake; 55 per cent stated that the warning had helped them to stay awake. The warning was easy to understand, and the drivers felt that it was clear what was expected from them. No clear feedback was given when pressing the confirmation button, and so some users pressed the button several times. Confirmation feedback to the user is necessary. Almost all drivers thought that the warning system would contribute to increased traffic safety, and that it would contribute to the prevention of crashes caused by sleepiness.

Even if driving for real on a test track gives higher ecological validity than a driving simulator there is still problems to be solved. Drivers, prepared to be sleepy during night time will most truly accept and agree with a given warning. This will influence the drivers’ acceptance of the system. Additionally, sensors used do not have a high technical reliability for speeds under 50 km /h. However, the present study shows that a test during real driving can be done without any risky situations. The recommendation is to take the next step and move out on real roads with experimental cars equipped with double commands in order to have a high external validity, but still a high control, at least regarding the participants’ preparation and actions under the experiment.

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Boletin Interamericano de Puertos

Comisión Interamericana de Puertos
No. 22
Febrero 2009

1. X reunión del Comité Ejecutivo de la CIP
2. Gobierno chileno alista ley de puertos para 2009
3. ATI lidera movimiento portuario en norte de Chile
4. Concesión de puertos de Costa Rica
5. Gobierno ecuatoriano plantea revisión de concesión de puerto de Manta
6. 11 nuevas grúas llegaron al puerto de Guayaquil, Ecuador
7. El Salvador recibe puerto la unión e inicia cabildeo por concesión de puertos
8. Puerto de Long Beach (eeuu) afectado por la crisis económica global
9. Autoridades mexicanas revisarán licitaciones portuarias pendientes
10. Crisis reducirá tráfico en puertos mexicanos y afectaría proyectos
11. 2008, buen año para puertos y buques en Panamá
12. Críticas a la ANNP al no dragar ríos que bajaron en Paraguay
13. DP World presenta propuesta para concesión de muelle norte en el Callao, Perú
14. Arriban grúas pórtico al Callao
15. Lanzamiento expopuertos Uruguay 2009
16. Los grandes puertos españoles llegan a un incierto 2009
17. Listo borrador de nueva ley de puertos española
18. Actividades portuarias

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Highway Project Cost Estimating and Management

prepared for THE STATE OF MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
in cooperation with
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

prepared by
Sirous Alavi, Ph.D., P.E.
Michael P. Tavares, P.E.
Sierra Transportation Engineers, Inc.
Reno NV

February 2009

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) has released a report that explores its cost estimation practices for highway projects.

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Thursday, March 26, 2009

The future of transport

European Commission

In 2001, the Commission issued a White Paper setting an agenda for the European transport policy throughout 2010. Approaching the end of the ten-year period, it is time to look further ahead and define a vision for the future of transport and mobility, preparing the ground for later policy developments.
The Commission intends to launch a debate on the main challenges and opportunities for the transport sector in the long term (20 to 40 years). The aim is to produce a Communication on the Future on Transport, to be adopted by the Commission in June 2009.

Four main exercises will contribute to this debate:
The “Transvisions” study, developing a set of long-term scenarios (2030-2050) for transport and mobility in Europe;

An evaluation study, analysing the performance of the Common Transport Policy in reaching the objectives laid down in the 2001 transport White Paper and in its 2006 mid-term review.

A report [8 MB] , produced within three focus groups gathering the views of transport experts and discussing the drivers of transport activity in the fields of the economy and society, technology and the environment, and infrastructure and logistics;

A High Level Conference , which took place on 9 and 10 March and gave stakeholders the possibility to express their views on the future development of transport in Europe.

The Commission encourages interested parties to submit their own views on the future of transport. Stakeholders can send their contributions until 27 March 2009 to the mailbox tren-future-of-transport@ec.europa.eu, indicating whether they would agree to publish them on the website's debate page.

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Road Infrastructure: The backbone of transport system

European Commission
June 2008

Transport is widely recognised as the basic structure enabling development and growth. The road infrastructure in particular, due to its capillary dissemination, can ensure a proper level of competitiveness to Countries, Regions, and local Communities.

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Global Determinants of Stress and Risk in Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Infrastructure

Asian Development Bank Institute
March 2009

This study analyzes the determinants of stress in public-private partnerships (PPPs) in infrastructure investment. While project failures seldom occur, there are many stresses that hinder success. One of these is broad political risk: the prerogative of government executives to make sweeping changes in investment rules or regulations—through measures such as protracted tariff freezing—that undermine a project’s market value. Broad political risk can constitute the biggest threat to project outcomes. However, this is usually only realized after other risks, such as currency risk, have materialized first. Thus, broad political risk can be controlled.

The empirical analysis in this study yields a number of surprising results: (i) strong growth and rigid currency regimes heighten risk by leading to adverse selection of proponents and moral hazard in project design; (ii) many of the World Bank’s indices of governance quality lead to perverse outcomes, suggesting that new governance standards must be used to judge PPPs; and (iii) except for political risk guarantees, loans and equity from multilateral institutions have no effect on outcomes; however, political risk guarantees are rarely utilized, suggesting that they may need to be redesigned or marketed better to be more useful. The paper concludes with suggestions for policy improvements.

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Strategic Choice of Freight Mode and Investments in Transport Infrastructure within Production Networks

Asian Development Bank Institute
March 2009



In the context of production linkages in which downstream producers require freight services provided by transport operators, the author shows that the strategic choice of using an alternative transport mode does not necessarily induce lower access charges, relative to the standard transport mode. Additionally, he shows that the nature of infrastructure investment determines the share of final goods delivery by the alternative transport mode. An immediate implication is that interactions among infrastructure investments; building transportation capacity costs; and industry-specific characteristics should be carefully assessed when planning transport infrastructure investments to enhance competitiveness in export markets.

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Regional Cooperation, Infrastructure, and Trade Costs

Asian Development Bank Institute
December 2008

International trade has played an essential role in Asia's remarkable growth, development, and integration in recent decades. Infrastructure, both hard and soft, has played an integral part in facilitating that trade, primarily through reducing the associated transaction costs. Regional coordination and cooperation can help to reduce negative externalities from trade and to capitalize more fully on positive spillover effects. This study explores the nexus between Asia's trade flows and patterns, trade costs and how they are influenced by infrastructure development, and the role of regional cooperation in facilitating trade's contribution to economic integration. A virtuous circle between growth, infrastructure investment, trade expansion, and regional integration is elucidated.

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Beyond transport policy – exploring and managing the external drivers of transport demand: Illustrative case studies from Europe

European Environment Agency
Technical report No 12/2008
December 2008

This report is presenting an analysis of three examples of relations between societal activities and transport demand … effects of food production and consumption on shopping journeys and freight traffic; increasing use of air travel for business and leisure; effects of education based travel on transport demand.

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In brief: 5th Annual Public Private Partnerships USA Summit

Transportation Information Group
Feb 2009

The Reason Foundation is supporting the 5th Annual Public Private Partnerships USA Summit, the government-industry forum on PPP developments in the United States, which is organized with the official support of the U.S. Department of Transportation and includes a presentation by Reason Foundation Director of Transportation Studies, Robert Poole. The conference takes place in Washington D.C on 11-13 March 2009.

And more information on PPP's in the following link:

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Friday, March 20, 2009

Cambio Climático y Desarrollo en América Latina y el Caribe: Una reseña

ECLAC
Documentos de proyectos Nº 232
Febrero 2009

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Mobility for Development

Executive Summary
WBCSD
March 2009

The WBCSD studied the state of mobility in four rapidly growing cities in the developing world – Bangalore, Dar es Salaam, São Paulo and Shanghai. Its final report concludes that although mobility opportunities are increasing and are an important driver of economic development in all cities, overall mobility systems are not sustainable and for poorer residents the mobility situation is deteriorating.

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ECLAC Statistical Yearbook 2008

ECLAC
March 2009

The 2008 edition of the Statistical Yearbook for Latin America and the Caribbean has been issued in English and Spanish. The Yearbook is divided into four chapters: Demographic and social areas, with special attention to gender; Economical statistics such as prices, international trade, balance of payments and national accounts; Information on natural resources and the environment; Methodological aspects and other data on sources, definitions and coverage of the statistics cited.

*Pg 336. Transport Statistics

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Transport Trends: 2008 Edition

UK Department for Transport
February 2009

This publication presents an overview and analysis of trends in transport and travel in Great Britain over the past 25 years, and highlights some of the key issues. It is intended as a companion volume to Transport Statistics Great Britain, which contains reference tables of more detailed figures and some longer time trends.

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Using Pricing to Reduce Traffic Congestion

U.S. Congressional Budget Office
March 2009

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Sistema regional de estadísticas de transporte de los países de la ALADI

ALADI/SEC/Estudio 197
Diciembre de 2008

El objetivo del Estudio es exhibir el tratamiento que se realiza en los países miembros de la Asociación a las Estadísticas de Transporte, identificando las principales variables de medición utilizadas y reconociendo los aspectos que requieren análisis y trabajo en lo que respecta a la homogeneización de la información presentada para todos ellos. Todo esto considerando el proyecto de elaboración de un Sistema Regional de Estadísticas de Transporte que compile los datos y los presente de forma uniforme y completa para convertirse así en un referente de consultas a nivel regional. Cabe resaltar que el estudio se elaboró a partir de la información disponible en los sitios Web de los Ministerios de Transporte, Institutos Nacionales de Estadística y Direcciones Generales de Transporte de los países miembros de la Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración.

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Seat Belts & Child Restraints

Foundation for the Automobile and Society
February 2009

‘Seat Belts & Child Restraints’ is a practical guide to implementing, enforcing and evaluating seat belt programmes, published by the FIA Foundation as one of a series of good practice manuals produced by the UN Road Safety Collaboration.

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Modal-split effects of climate change:

The effect of low water levels on the competitive position of inland waterway transport in the river Rhine area
Transportation Research Part A
Jan 2009

Future climate change is expected to affect inland waterway transport in most main natural waterways in Europe. For the river Rhine it is expected that, in summer, more and longer periods with low water levels will occur. In periods of low water levels inland waterway vessels have to reduce their load factors and, as a result, transport prices per tonne will increase. One possible consequence of these higher transport prices is a deterioration of the competitive position of inland waterway transport compared with rail and road transport, and thus a change in modal split. We study this issue using a GIS-based software model called NODUS which provides a tool for the detailed analysis of freight transportation over extensive multimodal networks. We assess the effect of low water levels on the costs of transport operations for inland waterway transport in North West Europe under several climate scenarios. It turns out, that the effect on the modal split is limited. Under the most extreme climate scenario, inland waterway transport would lose about 5.4% of the quantity that is currently being transported annually in the part of the European inland waterway transport market considered. The very dry year of 2003 can be seen as an analogue for this scenario.

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Los cambios en los sistemas integrados de transporte masivo de las principales ciudades de América Latina

CEPAL Documentos de proyectos
Nº 229 35 pp.
Febrero de 2009


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Lecciones del Mantenimiento de Carreteras en el Perú, 1992 - 2007

Instituto Peruano de Economía
Mayo 2008



La importancia del mantenimiento de las obras de infraestructura muchas veces no es considerada en su real dimensión. En el caso de la infraestructura vial, el proceso de deterioro de un camino no se hace aparente o visible hasta que la carretera ya se encuentra en tan mal estado que la intervención a través de un mantenimiento ya no es suficiente.

En estos casos, es necesario rehabilitar la vía, incurriendo en costos que pueden ser hasta ocho veces mayores en relación con los que se hubieran dado si se hubiera mantenido la vía. Por ese motivo resulta importante incorporar un “atractivo” político a las acciones destinadas al mantenimiento de carreteras que significan un ahorro para el Estado, que de haber realizado un gasto de US$ 98 millones en mantenimiento de carreteras hubiera evitado realizar un gasto de US$ 718 millones que se realizó en la rehabilitación de carreteras entre los años 1992 y 2005.

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Green Transport: Resource Optimization in the Road Sector in the People’s Republic of China

Asian Development Bank
Enero 2009

The purpose of the in-depth study on Resource Optimization in the Road Sector was to examine how the development of the road system in the People’s Republic of China affects the use of land, the use of energy, and the quality of the environment, and whether more efficient management of the transportation system could limit or reduce those impacts. The outcome of the study is a series of recommended policies and guidelines and a handbook to help better balance the needs of economic growth with the valid concerns about the use of energy and scarce resources and the environmental impacts

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Ensayos sobre el rol de la infraestructura vial en el crecimiento económico del Perú

Arturo Vásquez Cordano y Luis Bendezú Medina
Serie Diagnóstico y Propuesta
CIES Consorcio de Investigación Económica y Social
Setiembre 2008

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Britain’s Transport Infrastructure High Speed Two

UK Department for Transport
January 2009

Following the Oral Statement of 15 January 2009 on Britain's transport infrastructure this document contains details of the formation of the company High Speed Two.

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Bidders entry and auctioneer s rejection : applying a double selection model to road procurement auctions

World Bank Policy Research Working Paper # 4855
March 2009

Limited competition has been a serious concern in infrastructure procurement. Importantly, however, there are normally a number of potential bidders initially showing interest in proposed projects. This paper focuses on tackling the question why these initially interested bidders fade out. An empirical problem is that no bids of fading-out firms are observable. They could decide not to enter the process at the beginning of the tendering or may be technically disqualified at any point in the selection process. This paper applies the double selection model to procurement data from road development projects in developing countries and examines why competition ends up restricted. It shows that bidders are self-selective and auctioneers also tend to limit participation depending on the size of contracts. Therefore, limited competition would likely lead to high infrastructure procurement costs.

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A review of regulatory instruments to control environmental externalities from the transport sector

World Bank Policy Research Working Paper #4867
March 2009

This study reviews regulatory instruments designed to reduce environmental externalities from the transport sector. The study finds that the main regulatory instruments used in practice are fuel economy standards, vehicle emission standards, and fuel quality standards. Although industrialized countries have introduced all three standards with strong enforcement mechanisms, most developing countries have yet to introduce fuel economy standards. The emission standards introduced by many developing countries to control local air pollutants follow either the European Union or United States standards. Fuel quality standards, particularly for gasoline and diesel, have been introduced in many countries mandating 2 to 10 percent blending of biofuels, 10 to 50 times reduction of sulfur from 1996 levels, and banning lead contents. Although inspection and maintenance programs are in place in both industrialized and developing countries to enforce regulatory standards, these programs have faced several challenges in developing countries due to a lack of resources. The study also highlights several factors affecting the selection of regulatory instruments, such as countries' environmental priorities and institutional capacities.

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Asian Development Bank Technical Note: Social Analysis for Transport Projects

Asian Development Bank
2008

This Technical Note on Social Analysis for Transport Projects is the first of a series on social analysis to help staff and practitioners prepare and implement social analysis for different types of projects. It provides practical guidance to address social dimensions such as participation, gender, social safeguards, and other social risks and vulnerabilities in transport projects, as well as offer options to go beyond the technical parameters, and add social value customized in this type of projects. This technical note complements the Handbook on Social Analysis, which provides general guidance on incorporating social dimensions in ADB's operations.

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