Technical, economic and energetic competitiveness of rail-road combined transport: evaluation of the effects of possible ITS applications on intermodal terminal.

L'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen

Simulation of railroad terminal operations and traffic control strategies in critical scenarios

n/

Range of technical-economic competitiveness of rail-road combined transport

Abstract Purpose Road haulage has been the most widely used mode of freight transport in many European countries for several decades. Given the attention to sustainable transport in this century, the rail-road combined transport may result to be a good alternative, under specific conditions, to road haulage. This paper analyses the main conditions to make the option competitive, using a simplified method useful for the stakeholders involved in decision processes. Method Relevant cost items have been identified since previous studies available in literature. The proposed formulas consider the different phases of transport chain and have been used to investigate such parameters as the external costs and the location of terminals. Results If the pre- and post-phases are too long or simply too onerous, the economic advantages of the rail section may not be sufficient to guarantee the convenience of the combined transport. It can be economically competitive over long distances, even when the drayage covers greater distances. Conclusions The method has been used to examine those situations, in terms of distance covered and frequency of the service, in which rail-road combined transport can be cost-effective as an alternative to the full-road solution. The obtained range can be reviewed based on the services, such as shuttle trains to connect seaports with dry ports: the short distance covered may be more convenient due to the high quantities of goods as well as the fixed train composition and path allocation, which means lower terminal cost and times. Finally, some innovative proposals have been introduced

Monitoring urban accessibility for freight delivery services from vehicles traces and network modelling

n/

The Landscape of Giving Circles/Collective Giving Groups in the U.S.

This research presents an updated understanding of the current landscape of Giving Circles and similar models of collective giving or giving collaboratives in the United States. This research comprises the first of a three-part inquiry, which also looks at research underway related to the impact of participation in GCs on donor giving and civic engagement, and a study of the relationships between GCs and their hosting organizations

Gender perceptions of active mobility: Insights from three European cities

European cities have seen an increase in the use of personal means as an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic: they are asked to accelerate the shift towards more sustainable modes, as the active ones. The current paper tries to shed light on how the perception towards these latter modes changes according to gender. In the framework of H2020 TInnGO project, data collected through a survey in three European cities (Turin, Valencia, Paris) are investigated. Results show that women are more worried about safety, both while walking or riding a bike, as female cyclists do not appreciate sharing space with motor vehicles. Moreover, the absence of a dedicated space for children prevents women from starting to use bike-sharing. Comparing the results in the three cities provides interesting indications and suggestions for including the need of all active modes users in transport plannin

Walking in European cities: a gender perception perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes in daily mobility, such as a general increase in the use of active means. However, the shift towards a different mode of transport is always influenced by various aspects that can affect users in distinct ways. Gender is among those factors, and research on this aspect has started to spread in the last decade. In this context, this work investigates how gender could impact the perception of pedestrians in Europe. A survey was designed and spread in Winter 2020- Summer 2021, collecting more than 4000 responses in 10 European regions/countries analysed - France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Baltic States, German, Scandinavia, Romania and the United Kingdom. General statistics on the mode chosen for the most frequent journey on a weekday show different trends, with a more significant number of female walkers than males. Gender equity while escorting dependents is found in more than half of the samples, especially in northern European countries. Further analyses are based on the respondents' replies to satisfaction statements regarding walking conditions. Comparing the results from the 10 samples, the satisfaction levels of pedestrians for most samples are lower for women, except for the Romanian sample, where men are less satisfied. Results indicate a difference in the perception of security between men and women in most samples. From the pedestrians' group, women feel more insecure and less satisfied with the provided infrastructure while walking on the streets than men; thus, the proposal of adequate ameliorations is essential to push people to choose this sustainable and equitable active mode for their daily mobility

Estimating charging demand by modelling EV drivers' parking patterns and habits

The diffusion of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) requires a proper charging infrastructure to supply users the chance to charge their vehicles according to energy, time, and space needs. Thus, city planners and stakeholders need decision support tools to estimate the impacts of potential charging activities and compare alternative scenarios. The paper proposes a modelling approach to represent parking activities in urban areas and obtain key indicators of the electric energy required. The agent-based model reproduces the dynamics of user parking and assesses the impacts on the electricity grid during the day. Since the focus is on parking activities, no detailed data on vehicle trips are required to apply the standard demand modelling approach, which would require Origin-Destination matrices to simulate traffic flows on the road network. Preliminary results concerning the city of Turin are presented for simulated scenarios to identify zones where charging demand can be critical and peak events in electric power over the day. The model is designed to be scalable for all European cities because, as the case study shows, it uses available data. The results obtained can be used for the design of charging infrastructure (power and type) by zones