Comprehensive Freight Demand Data Collection Framework for Large Urban Areas - Sustainable Urban Logistics: Concepts, Methods and Information Systems - page 93

Table 2 Modeling techniques classification

Modeling
focus

Flow unit Modeling technique/principle

Trip interchange
models

Commodity
based

Commodity generation: regression models, trip
rates, cross classification analyses(simple,
multiple)
Distribution spatial interaction, opportunity,
variants
Input-output: single region, multi-regional,
inter-regional
Freight mode choice: ad-hoc procedures, without
considering shipment size, considering
shipment size(endogenous, exogenous)
Empty trip: econometric, simplified trip chain

Joint commodity flow
and vehicle-trip
based

Spatial price equilibrium: trip based, tour based

Vehicle-trip based Trip generation: regression models, trip rates,

cross classification analyses(simple, multiple)
Distribution models: spatial interaction,
opportunity, etc.

Tour based models Vehicle-trip based Micro-simulation: logistic based, with/without

behavioral models

Join commodity flow
and vehicle-trip
based

Micro-simulation-hybrid: with modeling of
commodity flows and routing of vehicles
Spatial price equilibrium: tour based, static,
dynamic

Both(trip or tour) Both(commodity flow

and vehicle-trip)

Freight origin-destination synthesis models; with
and without empty trips, structured and
unstructured approaches, and their variants

Freight trip generation data. This process is concerned with the estimation of the
number of freight vehicle-trips that are needed to transport the freight generated. In
essence, the freight trip generation is expression of the logistics used while the
freight generation reflects the economics of production and consumption.
Delivery tours. This category refers to the information required to characterize
delivery tours. It includes information about the sequence and location of the
nodes visited by the delivery vehicles, and amount of cargo (or deliveries) picked
up or delivered. In addition, data should be gathered about the commodity origin-
destination (OD) flows along the tour and data about the empty vehicle trips—used
for empty trip models.
Economic characteristics and spatial distribution/location of agents. Most mod-
eling techniques require data to characterize the behavior of the agents involved.
Important data include: business size, number of employees, number and type of
trucks, frequency of deliveries, shipment size, inventory policies, hours of oper-
ations, sales, industry segment, spatial location and distribution of the businesses
and of their respective suppliers and consumers, among others.