A behavioral micro simulation case study: Distribution center location

Abstract

The potential negative externalities that can be produced by urban freight transportation make it critical to investigate the impact of urban freight and land use-related decisions on energy efficiency, congestion, and emissions. To advance such investigation, the authors developed a Behavioral Microsimulation Software (BMS) that simulates freight vehicle tours generated in a study area. At the most general level, the BMS provides aggregate performance metrics. At the detailed level, it outputs the freight vehicle tours and their corresponding characteristics. This study sheds light on the impact of the location of logistic facilities on the delivery operation to businesses in metropolitan areas. Thus, the goal of this research is to quantify the impacts of three scenarios in a metropolitan area: (i) location of a new distribution center in the outskirts, (ii) location of a new distribution center in the core, (iii) relocation of an existing distribution center from the outskirts to the core. The impacts discussed are vehicle miles traveled, deliveries per tour, and the number of tours. The authors developed a case study on the New York State Capital Region (USA). The results indicate a reduction in total vehicle miles traveled when locating distribution centers closer to the area's urban core, where demand is concentrated, compared to when located in the outskirts.