A Comprehensive Commodity/Freight Movement Model for Texas

Project Description

Like all other aspects of transportation, improvements in technology and communications systems have had a significant impact on the movement of commodities and freight. Researchers at TTI sought ways to integrate statewide passenger and commodity freight estimates into urban travel demand models to improve estimates of passenger and freight trips within urban areas.

The commodity and freight estimates developed from the Texas Statewide Analysis Model (SAM) are at a level that is not directly compatible with the independent travel demand modeling accomplished within urban areas with populations greater than 50,000. TTI sought to identify, link and integrate the commodity/freight movements from the SAM into the urban travel demand modeling efforts, improve the estimation of commodity/freight movements within urban areas, and establish consistency between the SAM and urban area estimates of commodity/freight movements.

The researchers evaluated and compared the SAM with the statewide modeling efforts in 11 other states, used conceptual models in the Houston-Galveston urban area, and utilized a host of analytical techniques to make recommendations for improvements to the models. They also recommended modifications and improvements to the current travel surveys to improve the commodity flow model.

Project Publications

Development of a Comprehensive Urban Commodity/Freight Movement Model for Texas 0-4430-1

A Comprehensive Commodity/Freight Movement Model for Texas 0-4430-S

Texas Transportation Researcher Articles

Estimating freight movement in urban areas - Volume 39, Number 3

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