Massimo Di Gangi, Orlando Marco Belcore, Antonio Polimeni
{"title":"Rail Transport across the Strait of Messina: Some Policies to Improve the Service","authors":"Massimo Di Gangi, Orlando Marco Belcore, Antonio Polimeni","doi":"10.2174/0126671212285520240105073430","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0126671212285520240105073430","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 The railway system represents a more sustainable alternative to road and air transport. In some cases, barriers negatively impact travel by train, thus affecting users' choices. Some of such barriers (e.g., rivers, and maritime straits) divide urbanized areas (especially if a stable connection between the two areas is unavailable). In these cases, methods, policies, and planning procedures must be adopted to improve the service. The Strait of Messina (South Italy), considered in the paper as a case study, represents a particular barrier so long as the trains must be decomposed before embarking on a ferry, thus increasing dwelling time.\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 This paper moves from analyzing the current crossing condition in the Strait of Messina and offers an analysis of the most pointless activities at the maritime barrier. In it, some policies (with short or middle time horizons) aimed at reducing long embarkation and disembarkation times due to the decomposing operation of the convoys, as well as the subsequent recompositing and verification operations of the rolling stock, are proposed.\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 The proposed solutions are based on time schedules and direct observation. The proposals are not to be considered mutually exclusive, and they could represent a progressive improvement whose results are beneficial in reducing the crossing time. For each one, setup time and costs are considered to evaluate which is more appropriate.\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 The report assesses the benefits of introducing some interventions, and the solutions have been organized sequentially to reduce infrastructure costs. Consequently, some of the proposed solutions can be implemented immediately, thus improving the quality of the service without requiring high financial and time costs.\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 Planning a succession of actions could lead to a progressive improvement in the quality of the services offered, letting public administration focus on priorities, thus offering the opportunity to monitor and evaluate the efficiency of each measure.\u0000","PeriodicalId":385106,"journal":{"name":"The Open Transportation Journal","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140507390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Using SWARA II for Subjective Evaluation of Transport Emissions Reduction Policies","authors":"Mehdi Keshavarz-Ghorabaee","doi":"10.2174/0126671212271963230922093258","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0126671212271963230922093258","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Transportation is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, necessitating the implementation of effective policies to mitigate its environmental impact. The use of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods is crucial for evaluating policies that aim to reduce transport emissions and for assigning importance or prioritization to various options. These techniques are valuable because they allow for unbiased and thorough evaluations of policies in a systematic way. Objective: This study aims to address the evaluation of transport emissions reduction policies, while considering varying levels of budget constraints. Methods: An MCDM technique, called SWARA II (Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis II), is presented to evaluate the effectiveness of different policies across three budget scenarios. This study provides a framework for addressing the challenges associated with transport emissions reduction policies. Results: The evaluation results show that at a low and medium-budget level mode, increasing active and public transport trip share and reducing trip demand could be a feasible policy for implementation. As a result of the analyses, the weight of this criterion is 0.207 at the low-budget level and 0.204 at the medium-budget level. Moreover, switching from fossil-fuelled vehicles to low or zero-emission vehicles is a suitable policy at the high-budget level. This criterion has a weight of 0.247, according to the results. Conclusion: This study offers insights into the evaluation of transport emissions reduction policies while considering the impact of varying budget levels. The findings contribute to the development of informed policy strategies that optimize emission reduction efforts within financial constraints.","PeriodicalId":385106,"journal":{"name":"The Open Transportation Journal","volume":"30 11","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134909907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Domenico Gattuso, Domenica Savia Pellicanò, Gian Carla Cassone
{"title":"Policies and Models for Efficient and Eco-sustainable Ports","authors":"Domenico Gattuso, Domenica Savia Pellicanò, Gian Carla Cassone","doi":"10.2174/0126671212265181230921103400","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0126671212265181230921103400","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction The port system is one of the main sources of national and international trade; it is essential for the transfer of freight and people, but at the same time it is a critical site in relation to energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, some management strategies are developed to optimize the freight terminal activities using innovative technologies to limit the negative environmental impacts. Objective This study focuses specifically on vehicle management on the landside of a container port and aims to evaluate the impacts and performance of the system, in which the traditional handling units are replaced by green and automated ones. The study is part of a framework of actions to be undertaken to pursue the target “to make a port more competitive and sustainable”. Methods This study deals with the assessment of the handling time, energy consumption, and gas emission deriving from the innovative vehicular technologies capable of making the port more competitive and sustainable. A modeling approach is used to understand the possible impacts generated by new technologies on port performance. The models have been calibrated on the basis of a large database carried out by a specific survey of port operators and specialized companies. Results A case study is proposed about the container port of Gioia Tauro (Italy), an important port in the center of the Mediterranean area in terms of transshipment. Some specific indicators are analyzed by quantitative models, such as energy consumption for efficiency and harmful gases for ecology, considering the current port configuration and some project scenarios in which green and automated handling units are used. The analysis has been performed using a spreadsheet, with automatic calculation. The input data related to the actual port configuration have been provided by the port management company; those related to the scenarios have been taken from specialized companies. Data included refer to the last 5 years. Conclusion The study highlights the advantages of green and automated handling means; the use of these solutions represents a fundamental step to making a port more competitive and sustainable. This research could stimulate policymakers and port managers towards innovative technological solutions to make a port more competitive and sustainable. The proposed approach can be applied and extended to other contexts.","PeriodicalId":385106,"journal":{"name":"The Open Transportation Journal","volume":"8 2","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135461133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bridge Frost Prediction Using K-nearest Neighbor Classifier","authors":"Jinhwan Jang","doi":"10.2174/0126671212263648230921115634","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0126671212263648230921115634","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Considering the frequent occurrence of accidents on icy bridges during winter nights, it would be advantageous to notify both road managers and drivers regarding the most perilous areas. This notification would allow road managers to address the icy conditions by applying de-icing substances, while drivers could be more adequately prepared for potential hazards. Methods: In this study, the focus was on investigating k-nearest neighbor algorithms to predict nighttime icing caused by frost on three distinct bridges located on the National Highways in Korea. The algorithms utilized atmospheric data as input, which was obtained from the weather agency's website through an open API. The input data included relative humidity, air temperature, and dew point temperature, as well as the disparities in air temperature and humidity between two consecutive days. Results: In order to assess the effectiveness of the prediction models, reference data were created using the fundamental principle that ice is formed when the temperature of the pavement is below freezing and lower than the dew point temperature. Consequently, the developed algorithm demonstrated favorable performance, achieving an accuracy of 95% when evaluated using a test dataset that occupies 30% of the entire data. Conclusion: Considering the increasing focus on preventive maintenance, these newly developed forecasting models can be employed proactively as a preventive measure against icing. This proactive approach will ultimately contribute to improving traffic safety on winter roads.","PeriodicalId":385106,"journal":{"name":"The Open Transportation Journal","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135944551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Athina Diamanti, Apostolos Ziakopoulos, George Yannis
{"title":"The Impact of Cognition-affecting Neurological Diseases on Reaction Time and Driving Speed Deviation","authors":"Athina Diamanti, Apostolos Ziakopoulos, George Yannis","doi":"10.2174/18744478-v17-230804-2022-48","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/18744478-v17-230804-2022-48","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Globally, more than 322 million people are living with depression, with a considerable percentage driving while under the effects of such impairments. Their impacts on specific parameters of driver behavior and road safety, such as driver speed and reaction time, however, remain understudied. The literature indicates that driving performance deteriorates in patients with depressive symptoms, causing increased crash probability and more aggressive behavior. Objective: The objective of this research was to examine the influence of neurological diseases on driving performance, and particularly, how depression affects reaction time and the standard deviation of driving speed. Methods: Data were obtained from a large-scale simulator study comprising 12 driving urban and rural trials. The sample consisted of 113 impaired participants, suffering from mild cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression, and 92 people with no cognitive impairments as the control group. Inclusion criteria comprised having a driving license and driving experience (≥3 years), being active drivers, not having critical psychosis, eye or motor disorders, and not having drug/alcohol addictions. Results: Analysis of cognitive impairments based on GDS questions showed that frequent ‘feelings of boredom’ correlated with a 7% increase in reaction time and a 8% increase in the standard deviation of driving speed. Conversely, ‘feelings of worthlessness’ reduced the standard deviation of driving speed by 4.5%. ‘Feeling full of energy’ contributed marginally significant increases to reaction times of 4%. Drivers with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases showed higher reaction times, while drivers with depression and the control group showed lower reaction times. Drivers with Parkinson’s disease showed statistically fewer deviations of average speed. Conclusion: This research shows that cognitively impaired individuals have larger reaction times and more erratic driving speeds. Present findings can be used to inform both patients and authorities of their driving behavior and can be considered when (re)issuing driving licenses.","PeriodicalId":385106,"journal":{"name":"The Open Transportation Journal","volume":"37 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135023037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Public Transport: A Mobility Survey in Naples (South of Italy)","authors":"Ilaria Henke, Francesca Pagliara, Armando Cartenì, Pierluigi Coppola","doi":"10.2174/18744478-v17-e230420-2022-47","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/18744478-v17-e230420-2022-47","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak has not only had a fatal impact on people's lives, but it has also threatened the entire world of transportation. The number of trips, the mobility habits and the users’ mode choices from the beginning of the pandemic has changed significantly over the last year. Objective: This manuscript analyzed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the users’ mobility choices following the pandemic phases during “new normality” was analysed. The objective of this research is twofold: i) to estimate and evaluate the changes in user's mode choices and environmental impact; ii) to identify mobility policies aimed at fostering the use of local Public Transport (PT). Methods: A Stated Preference survey was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of Naples (South of Italy): i) to assess users’ mobility habits before the COVID-19 pandemic; ii) to evaluate users’ choice of Public Transport after the COVID-19 pandemic period; iii) to identify the attributes related to users’ reluctance ( e.g ., fear of contagion, service uncertainty) to continue using public transport and the main characteristics that Public Transport should have to be perceived as a safe transport alternative. Results: The results show that 56% of users would be willing to wait up to 20 minutes longer for the bus and train to ensure social distancing, especially on reliable info mobility. Conclusion: Moreover, 6% of the users, who previously travelled with local PT, would shift to private transport. This means that in the province of Naples, there would be more than 54 million trips by private car with the subsequent effects on congestion and environmental pollution in one month.","PeriodicalId":385106,"journal":{"name":"The Open Transportation Journal","volume":"37 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135601652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}