Freight demand generation on commodity and loading unit level

Abstract

Freight sustains our daily lives and economy. Information on its characteristics, its production and consumption locations and its modes of transport are consequently of a crucial importance for private and public decision makers. This paper presents a freight generation model for the Belgian territory. Based on data gathered on transport flows by commodity type and loading unit and data on population density and business establishments with their characteristics, generated and attracted freight volumes were obtained for 4934 zones subdividing the country. A generalized linear regression analysis with log link was used to do so. Both generated and attracted volumes are connected to one another by a conditional probability function, resulting in an origin-destination matrix. The analysis is to our knowledge unique as modelled volumes and flows can be distinguished by commodity types and loading unit, and this at very detailed geographical scale. This will lead to new in-depth analyses and added value, including effects of loading unit dependent logistics cost structures.