ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE INLAND WATERWAYS

Traditional means of increasing the capacity of our inland waterways have focused on structural improvements such as the provision of bigger, better and more expensive locks. Little attention has been given to various operational changes that can significantly improve system efficiency. The major theme of this paper is that relatively inexpensive changes in the operation of our waterways are likely to be highly cost effective, and that this route to system efficiency should be vigorously investigated. Inefficient use of congested facilities by tow operators stems from the divergence between individual costs and social delay costs which are incurred by all users as a group. It is argued that more economic individual decisions will be made if user charges are levied for the purpose of equating individual and social costs.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the SNAME Spring Meeting, Chicago, Ill., May 22-24, 1974.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers

  601 Pavonia Avenue
  Jersey City, NJ  United States  07306-2907
• Authors:
  • Carroll, J L
  • Rao, S
  • Wilson, H G
• Publication Date: 1974-6

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; References;
• Pagination: 17 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Canal lock operations; Economics; Inland waterways; Marine transit; Tug ship interaction; User charges; Waterways
• Old TRIS Terms: Inland waterways economics; Tug barge operations
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Marine Transportation; Public Transportation; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00054080
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
• Report/Paper Numbers: Paper No. 3
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 7 1978 12:00AM