Loading bay booking and control for urban freight

摘要

This paper investigates the concept of a loading bay advance booking and control system for delivery and service vehicle drivers. A case study of Winchester High Street is presented to illustrate the potential impact of such a system. A number of operating scenarios were considered based on the punctuality of deliveries and service visits, using a comprehensive database of vehicle arrival patterns. The main performance measures used were adherence to schedule, delivery time and the use of unloading points, with reference to their desirability, both from the freight vehicle drivers’ and other road users’ viewpoints. The research has highlighted the different factors that would need to be taken into account when evaluating a managed loading bay system, from the standpoints of the various actors involved, including the traffic authority, freight operator, driver, retailer and other road users.