Estimating levels of service (LOS) for freight on rural roads

This paper presents: (i) the analysis and outcomes of a large interview survey for three groups of transport stakeholders (road freight drivers, operators and road infrastructure managers); and (ii) analysis and outcomes of a rural arterial road driver test based circuit survey using both drivers of heavy vehicles and cars to rate variations in three major factors impacting on LOS in order to define the comparative requirements for rural freight. The top three major factors, or road attributes, impacting on LOS for heavy vehicle drivers and freight operators subsequently ranked in descending order of importance by the interview survey were: (i) ride comfort (road roughness); (ii) road shoulder width and condition; and (iii) road and bridge geometry and general access. The follow-up driver test survey investigated the responses of truck and car drivers to variations to the above identified three key road inventory attributes. Analysis of sample rating data indicated that LOS ratings provided by car and truck drivers closely followed changes in LOS for roughness, shoulder width and lane width, but truck drivers on average rated LOS below that rated by car drivers. Results also indicated that the use of road surface measures linked to truck ride characteristics, as opposed to currently used roughness measures such as IRI which heavily reflect car ride response, would improve the capability of asset managers to deliver LOS better tailored to the needs of freight vehicles.

• Record URL:
  http://atrf.info/papers/2016/index.aspx
• Authors:
  • Martin, T
  • Thoresen, T
  • Ai, U
• Conference:
  • Australasian Transport Research Forum (ATRF), 38th, 2016, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Publication Date: 2016-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 17p
• Monograph Title: 38th Australasian Transport Research Forum (ATRF 2016), Melbourne, 16th - 18th November 2016

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drivers; Heavy vehicles; Highway corridors; Level of service; Public opinion; Ride quality; Rural highways; Texture
• Uncontrolled Terms: Freight transport logistics; Interviews; Road design and asset management
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ATRI Terms: Heavy vehicle driver; Public opinion; Riding quality; Road inventory; Rural road
• ITRD Terms: 1112: Freight transport; 1236: Lorry; 2775: Rural road
• Subject Areas: Highways; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01627373
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 27 2017 10:02AM