FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION PLANNING: CONVERTING COMMODITY VOLUMES TO VEHICLES

Because of the effect that freight has on the transportation infrastructure, as well as local and regional economy, MPOs must have a better understanding of the amount of freight traffic on their systems before they can make knowledgeable decisions about transportation activities. Existing freight data are reported by volume and/or value. Conversions identified in the literature are general, providing simplified conversion factors. For regional or national freight flow evaluation, general conversions may be appropriate. However, for local planning activities, a more rigorous conversion is necessary to effectively evaluate the impact of freight movement on the system. The objective of this project was to develop a quantitative relationship between commodity type and volume and number of trucks and rail cars.