Papers by Niklas Arvidsson
International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 2015
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Research in Transportation Business & Management
Nordic countries have committed to improve the energy efficiency and decrease the CO2 emissions o... more Nordic countries have committed to improve the energy efficiency and decrease the CO2 emissions of freight transport. The aim of this paper is to compare the energy efficiency and CO2 emissions in the road industry for the Nordic countries in 2010, in order to identify the key factors and their impact on energy efficiency and CO2 emissions. A joint analysis method was developed to compare data. Quantitative data was used to conduct a decomposition analysis for several sectors, taking several indicators into account. Statistics from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden include continuous road haulier surveys, national account data and fuel consumption data. The CO2 emissions of road freight transport in the Nordic countries vary from 1.14 Mt in Denmark to 2.27 Mt in Sweden. While the size of the economy, measured in gross value added (GVA), is a major determinant for the emissions, the differences in transport intensity and energy efficiency also have a significant effect on the total emissions. This study is the first of its kind for the Nordic countries. Our research can be used as a first step in a continuous evaluation of the determinants of road freight CO2 emissions in the European countries.
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Energy Policy, Dec 17, 2013
In order to promote policy targets for decarbonising road freight, it is important to gain knowle... more In order to promote policy targets for decarbonising road freight, it is important to gain knowledge on the current energy efficiency practices of hauliers in various countries. This research aimed to provide such knowledge to enable international comparison of the energy efficiency practices of road freight hauliers. This was achieved by replicating the Finnish haulier survey in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Energy efficiency index was developed to provide a simple metric for international comparison. The EEI covers various aspects of energy efficiency to provide a comprehensive outlook into the issue. The monitoring practices are fairly similar in all four countries, with typical monitoring done manually when filling the tank and data kept on a computer. Tonne-kilometre data is rarely monitored, but some other performance measures may be used. Current level of implementation of various energy efficiency actions is rather similar between the four countries. The simple and inexpensive actions, like choosing the lorry according to the cargo and idling avoidance, are most widely implemented. The energy efficiency index developed in this research proved to be a very useful tool for comparing the hauliers in the four countries.
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Freight transport efficiency, as one proposed abatement strategy for transport related emissions,... more Freight transport efficiency, as one proposed abatement strategy for transport related emissions, is a concept that has received much research attention during the last de-cade, often from the transport buyers’ perspective. In contrast, the aim of this thesis is to explore the subset concept of operational freight transport efficiency and how it affects transport related emissions from the perspective of the transport operator. The focus is on the transport operators and their interfaces with other actors such as tran-sport providers/forwarders, transport buyers, and the society. I open with a dissection of the term “operational freight transport efficiency.” I make these primarily semantic efforts to open up and introduce a few aspects that are commonly overlooked. The concept is argued to be “fuzzy”, in the sense that it means different things depending on who you ask, and a “wicked problem”, in the sense that the problem has no clear solutions with significant and present trade-offs. The methodology, or vessel, used in this thesis to launch a “critical spirit” is “phronetic social science”. After phronetically testing the efficiency measures, some recommendations are presented. A suggestion on operational decarbonisation is provided and the attitudes and trade-offs among the actors are explored. The thesis identifies a gap with respect to the absence of a common semantic definition of the concept of operational freight transport efficiency measures. The thesis proposes that the gap be filled with the following derived define-tion of operational freight transport efficiency: “A set of utilisation measures of time, space, vehicle, fuel and driver in the movement of goods”. From the operators point of view, as well as from an aggregated level, also missing are the trade-offs between environmental and economic considerations. Most operational freight transport effi-ciency improvement measures are likely to reduce emissions, however; it is probable that mere cost-reduction measures will not lead to reduced emissions in the long term. The traverse across these topics represented by the present thesis is offered as a theo-retical contribution to the discussion about defining what is meant by sustainable logistics. In other words, what the word sustainable means in a logistics context.
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This paper considers the potential use of trams and Electric Distribution Vehicles (EDVs) as carg... more This paper considers the potential use of trams and Electric Distribution Vehicles (EDVs) as cargo carriers in intermodal
urban freight distribution. Distribution activities are vital for society but are also the cause of environmental and social
problems. Transporting goods in urban areas, where most logistics chains start or end, is an activity that increasingly
generates severe problems for all stakeholders, for instance, local authorities, the logistic industry, customers and society
in general. New transport solutions are necessary in order to decrease traffic congestion, noise and traffic pollution, e.g.,
emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants in urban areas. A possible solution to these problems is to transform
the current freight distribution system within cities, for example by favouring the enhancement of intermodal transport
alternatives, i.e. combining road and rail transport. Information has been collected through a literature review and
interviews in Amsterdam and from these results a conceptual model is presented, as well as a low emission concept
using electric vehicles on trams in Gothenburg. The concept utilizes techniques from the shipping industry, train
industry, and the car industry.
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Research has shown that time access restrictions in city centers might increase social sustainabi... more Research has shown that time access restrictions in city centers might increase social sustainability aspects such as livability or safety, but might also increase the number of vehicles and the total distance travelled; which have negative environmental impact and can decrease economic sustainability. In this paper we see that this negative effect could also be the result of other access restrictions, like load factor restrictions, and may be related to factors other than the number of vehicles and total distance travelled. Such as if the distribution center is in the outskirts of the city and customers are situated outside the city center. In this study a common urban distribution network scenario is presented – the milk run – where only the load factor is changed. Increasing the load factor is usually regarded as a way of improving efficiency, but we observe that under certain conditions improving the load factor affects economic and environmental sustainability, by increasing total costs and emissions. Following insights from this study, policy makers and companies should be careful when using single key performance indicators in urban freight distribution.
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This paper analyses a set of measures for transport efficiency improvements from the perspective ... more This paper analyses a set of measures for transport efficiency improvements from the perspective of the road haulier, particularly regarding improvements suitable for urban distribution and their effects. The first part of the paper addresses literature within the area of transport efficiency. The second part reviews potential transport efficiency improvements with respect to environmental impact and the number of actors involved in the decision. The third part presents results from interviews with the CEOs of two road hauliers regarding their opinions of the transport efficiency measures. Finally, the conclusions about transport efficiency measures are summarized in a matrix, taking into account whether these measures can be considered as costs or benefits for the actors involved. The results show ambiguous and often intricate relations with regard to costs and benefits for the actors in the system. They also explain part of the inertia to change within the freight industry. However, an increasing number of transport operators are now offering more sustainable transport solutions and this service might gain them a competitive advantage in the future.
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"Abstract
Freight transport efficiency, as one proposed abatement strategy for transport related... more "Abstract
Freight transport efficiency, as one proposed abatement strategy for transport related emissions, is a concept that has received much research attention the last decade, often from the transport buyers’ perspective. In contrast, the aim of this research is to explore the subset concept of operational freight transport efficiency and how it affects transport related emissions. The focus is on the transport operators and their interfaces with other actors such as transport providers/forwarders, transport buyers, and society. The concept is argued to be “fuzzy”, in the sense that it means different things depending on who you ask, and a “wicked problem”, in the sense that the problem has no clear solutions with significant and present tradeoffs. The methodology or vessel used in this licentiate thesis to launch a “critical spirit”
is “phronetic social science”. After phronetically testing these efficiency measures some recommendations are presented in paper 1. A suggestion on operational decarbonisation is
provided in paper 2 and the attitudes and trade-offs among the actors are explored in paper 3. This thesis identifies a gap in the sense that a common semantic definition of the concept of
operational freight transport efficiency measures do not exist. The thesis proposes that the gap be filled with the following derived definition of operational freight transport efficiency: “A set of utilisation measures of time, space, vehicle, fuel and driver in the movement of goods”. From the operators point of view as well as from an aggregated level, another gap is the tradeoffs between environmental and economic considerations. Most operational freight transport efficiency improvement measures are likely to reduce emissions, however; it is probable that mere cost-reduction measures will not lead to reduced emissions in the long term. The traverse across these topics represented by the present thesis is offered as a theoretical contribution to the discussion about defining what is meant by sustainable logistics. In other words, what the word sustainable means in a logistics context."
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Abstract
Purpose: This paper aims to analyse the potential use of trams and Electric distribution... more Abstract
Purpose: This paper aims to analyse the potential use of trams and Electric distribution vehicles
(EDVs) as cargo carriers in intermodal urban freight distribution. Transporting goods in urban
areas, where most logistics chains start or end, is an activity that increasingly generates severe
problems for all stakeholders, for instance, local authorities, the logistic industry, customers, as well
as the society in general. New transport solutions are necessary in order to decrease traffic
congestion, noise and traffic pollution, e.g., emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants in
urban areas. Furthermore, distribution activities are not only the foundation of our society, but the
cause of environmental and social problems as well. A possible solution to these problems is to
transform the current freight distribution system within cities, for example by favouring the
enhancement of intermodal transport alternatives, i.e. combining road and rail transport.
Information has been collected through a literature review and interviews in Amsterdam and from
these results a conceptual model is presented, as well as a potential zero emission scenario using
electric vehicles on trams in Gothenburg.
Keywords: light rail, tram, electric distribution vehicles, EDV, transport efficiency, sustainability,
urban freight distribution, intermodal city freight distribution, urban rail freight transport
Acknowledgements: I would like to thank the students Fawad Awais, Patric Lindquist and Rafael
Serrado for their valuable input in the creation of this paper.
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… Research Network Annual …, Jan 1, 2009
Abstract
This paper seeks to establish a set of measures for transport efficiency improvements f... more Abstract
This paper seeks to establish a set of measures for transport efficiency improvements from the perspective of the road haulier, particularly regarding improvements suitable for urban distribution and their effects. The first part of the paper addresses literature within the area of transport efficiency. The second part reviews potential transport efficiency improvements with respect to environmental impact and number of actors involved in the decision. The third part presents results from interviews with the CEOs of two transport operators regarding their opinions of the transport efficiency measures. Finally, the conclusions about transport efficiency measures are summarised in a matrix, also taking into account whether these measures can be considered as costs or benefits for the actors involved. The results show ambiguous and often intricate relations with regards to costs and bene-fits for the actors in the system. They also explain part of the inertia to change within the freight industry. How-ever, an increasing number of transport operators are now offering more sustainable transport solutions and this service might gain them a competitive advantage in the future.
Keywords: Transport efficiency, sustainability, urban freight distribution.
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Papers by Niklas Arvidsson
urban freight distribution. Distribution activities are vital for society but are also the cause of environmental and social
problems. Transporting goods in urban areas, where most logistics chains start or end, is an activity that increasingly
generates severe problems for all stakeholders, for instance, local authorities, the logistic industry, customers and society
in general. New transport solutions are necessary in order to decrease traffic congestion, noise and traffic pollution, e.g.,
emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants in urban areas. A possible solution to these problems is to transform
the current freight distribution system within cities, for example by favouring the enhancement of intermodal transport
alternatives, i.e. combining road and rail transport. Information has been collected through a literature review and
interviews in Amsterdam and from these results a conceptual model is presented, as well as a low emission concept
using electric vehicles on trams in Gothenburg. The concept utilizes techniques from the shipping industry, train
industry, and the car industry.
Freight transport efficiency, as one proposed abatement strategy for transport related emissions, is a concept that has received much research attention the last decade, often from the transport buyers’ perspective. In contrast, the aim of this research is to explore the subset concept of operational freight transport efficiency and how it affects transport related emissions. The focus is on the transport operators and their interfaces with other actors such as transport providers/forwarders, transport buyers, and society. The concept is argued to be “fuzzy”, in the sense that it means different things depending on who you ask, and a “wicked problem”, in the sense that the problem has no clear solutions with significant and present tradeoffs. The methodology or vessel used in this licentiate thesis to launch a “critical spirit”
is “phronetic social science”. After phronetically testing these efficiency measures some recommendations are presented in paper 1. A suggestion on operational decarbonisation is
provided in paper 2 and the attitudes and trade-offs among the actors are explored in paper 3. This thesis identifies a gap in the sense that a common semantic definition of the concept of
operational freight transport efficiency measures do not exist. The thesis proposes that the gap be filled with the following derived definition of operational freight transport efficiency: “A set of utilisation measures of time, space, vehicle, fuel and driver in the movement of goods”. From the operators point of view as well as from an aggregated level, another gap is the tradeoffs between environmental and economic considerations. Most operational freight transport efficiency improvement measures are likely to reduce emissions, however; it is probable that mere cost-reduction measures will not lead to reduced emissions in the long term. The traverse across these topics represented by the present thesis is offered as a theoretical contribution to the discussion about defining what is meant by sustainable logistics. In other words, what the word sustainable means in a logistics context."
Purpose: This paper aims to analyse the potential use of trams and Electric distribution vehicles
(EDVs) as cargo carriers in intermodal urban freight distribution. Transporting goods in urban
areas, where most logistics chains start or end, is an activity that increasingly generates severe
problems for all stakeholders, for instance, local authorities, the logistic industry, customers, as well
as the society in general. New transport solutions are necessary in order to decrease traffic
congestion, noise and traffic pollution, e.g., emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants in
urban areas. Furthermore, distribution activities are not only the foundation of our society, but the
cause of environmental and social problems as well. A possible solution to these problems is to
transform the current freight distribution system within cities, for example by favouring the
enhancement of intermodal transport alternatives, i.e. combining road and rail transport.
Information has been collected through a literature review and interviews in Amsterdam and from
these results a conceptual model is presented, as well as a potential zero emission scenario using
electric vehicles on trams in Gothenburg.
Keywords: light rail, tram, electric distribution vehicles, EDV, transport efficiency, sustainability,
urban freight distribution, intermodal city freight distribution, urban rail freight transport
Acknowledgements: I would like to thank the students Fawad Awais, Patric Lindquist and Rafael
Serrado for their valuable input in the creation of this paper.
This paper seeks to establish a set of measures for transport efficiency improvements from the perspective of the road haulier, particularly regarding improvements suitable for urban distribution and their effects. The first part of the paper addresses literature within the area of transport efficiency. The second part reviews potential transport efficiency improvements with respect to environmental impact and number of actors involved in the decision. The third part presents results from interviews with the CEOs of two transport operators regarding their opinions of the transport efficiency measures. Finally, the conclusions about transport efficiency measures are summarised in a matrix, also taking into account whether these measures can be considered as costs or benefits for the actors involved. The results show ambiguous and often intricate relations with regards to costs and bene-fits for the actors in the system. They also explain part of the inertia to change within the freight industry. How-ever, an increasing number of transport operators are now offering more sustainable transport solutions and this service might gain them a competitive advantage in the future.
Keywords: Transport efficiency, sustainability, urban freight distribution.
urban freight distribution. Distribution activities are vital for society but are also the cause of environmental and social
problems. Transporting goods in urban areas, where most logistics chains start or end, is an activity that increasingly
generates severe problems for all stakeholders, for instance, local authorities, the logistic industry, customers and society
in general. New transport solutions are necessary in order to decrease traffic congestion, noise and traffic pollution, e.g.,
emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants in urban areas. A possible solution to these problems is to transform
the current freight distribution system within cities, for example by favouring the enhancement of intermodal transport
alternatives, i.e. combining road and rail transport. Information has been collected through a literature review and
interviews in Amsterdam and from these results a conceptual model is presented, as well as a low emission concept
using electric vehicles on trams in Gothenburg. The concept utilizes techniques from the shipping industry, train
industry, and the car industry.
Freight transport efficiency, as one proposed abatement strategy for transport related emissions, is a concept that has received much research attention the last decade, often from the transport buyers’ perspective. In contrast, the aim of this research is to explore the subset concept of operational freight transport efficiency and how it affects transport related emissions. The focus is on the transport operators and their interfaces with other actors such as transport providers/forwarders, transport buyers, and society. The concept is argued to be “fuzzy”, in the sense that it means different things depending on who you ask, and a “wicked problem”, in the sense that the problem has no clear solutions with significant and present tradeoffs. The methodology or vessel used in this licentiate thesis to launch a “critical spirit”
is “phronetic social science”. After phronetically testing these efficiency measures some recommendations are presented in paper 1. A suggestion on operational decarbonisation is
provided in paper 2 and the attitudes and trade-offs among the actors are explored in paper 3. This thesis identifies a gap in the sense that a common semantic definition of the concept of
operational freight transport efficiency measures do not exist. The thesis proposes that the gap be filled with the following derived definition of operational freight transport efficiency: “A set of utilisation measures of time, space, vehicle, fuel and driver in the movement of goods”. From the operators point of view as well as from an aggregated level, another gap is the tradeoffs between environmental and economic considerations. Most operational freight transport efficiency improvement measures are likely to reduce emissions, however; it is probable that mere cost-reduction measures will not lead to reduced emissions in the long term. The traverse across these topics represented by the present thesis is offered as a theoretical contribution to the discussion about defining what is meant by sustainable logistics. In other words, what the word sustainable means in a logistics context."
Purpose: This paper aims to analyse the potential use of trams and Electric distribution vehicles
(EDVs) as cargo carriers in intermodal urban freight distribution. Transporting goods in urban
areas, where most logistics chains start or end, is an activity that increasingly generates severe
problems for all stakeholders, for instance, local authorities, the logistic industry, customers, as well
as the society in general. New transport solutions are necessary in order to decrease traffic
congestion, noise and traffic pollution, e.g., emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants in
urban areas. Furthermore, distribution activities are not only the foundation of our society, but the
cause of environmental and social problems as well. A possible solution to these problems is to
transform the current freight distribution system within cities, for example by favouring the
enhancement of intermodal transport alternatives, i.e. combining road and rail transport.
Information has been collected through a literature review and interviews in Amsterdam and from
these results a conceptual model is presented, as well as a potential zero emission scenario using
electric vehicles on trams in Gothenburg.
Keywords: light rail, tram, electric distribution vehicles, EDV, transport efficiency, sustainability,
urban freight distribution, intermodal city freight distribution, urban rail freight transport
Acknowledgements: I would like to thank the students Fawad Awais, Patric Lindquist and Rafael
Serrado for their valuable input in the creation of this paper.
This paper seeks to establish a set of measures for transport efficiency improvements from the perspective of the road haulier, particularly regarding improvements suitable for urban distribution and their effects. The first part of the paper addresses literature within the area of transport efficiency. The second part reviews potential transport efficiency improvements with respect to environmental impact and number of actors involved in the decision. The third part presents results from interviews with the CEOs of two transport operators regarding their opinions of the transport efficiency measures. Finally, the conclusions about transport efficiency measures are summarised in a matrix, also taking into account whether these measures can be considered as costs or benefits for the actors involved. The results show ambiguous and often intricate relations with regards to costs and bene-fits for the actors in the system. They also explain part of the inertia to change within the freight industry. How-ever, an increasing number of transport operators are now offering more sustainable transport solutions and this service might gain them a competitive advantage in the future.
Keywords: Transport efficiency, sustainability, urban freight distribution.