Transportation Rate Analysis of Waterborne Trip Movements Through the Calcasieu Lock
This paper summarizes the research findings, field data collection procedures and limitations, and alternative methodologies employed to develop transportation rates from origin to destination--including transfer and handling fees--for a sample of 150 waterborne movements routed through the Calcasieu Lock and their alternative least-cost all-overland routings (rail and/or truck). The methodology and results of this research expanded significantly on an earlier smaller pilot effort. Both were originally intended to be based on data collected via surveys and interviews regarding waterborne and alternative land routings and rates and this study was to also include lock closure response surveys. Again however, the researchers encountered stiff resistance from terminal operators when requesting cost information and discovered substantial inaccuracies in the dock contact and ownership information contained in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center’s (WCSC) trip data and Port Series Reports. Therefore it was necessary to use the Barge Costing Model (BCM), external data, supplementary sources, information from rail and motor carriers, and professional experience. This study also found that no off-river origins or destinations were associated with any movement. In 149 movements rail was the least-cost, most practical, land-only line haul alternative to barge. Overall, barge was found to be by far the least-cost per net ton-mile alternative for all WCSC commodity groups resulting in annual savings of $1.56B. This study confirmed that it is vital to include barge operators in future data collection efforts in order to “ground truth” the BCM and the researchers’ assumptions.
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Supplemental Notes:
- This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AW020 Inland Water Transportation
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Corporate Authors:
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001 -
Authors:
- Protopapas, Annie
- Kruse, C James
- Olson, Leslie E
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Conference:
- Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting
- Location: Washington DC, United States
- Date: 2012-1-22 to 2012-1-26
- Date: 2012
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 11p
- Monograph Title: TRB 91st Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Barges; Freight traffic; Locks (Waterways); Origin and destination; Rates
- Subject Areas: Finance; Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; I10: Economics and Administration;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01363755
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: 12-1758
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Feb 24 2012 7:20AM