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Trade-offs in decision making in road freight systems

Andersson, Dan ; Wehner, Jessica ; Swahn, Magnus ; Fors, Tobias ; Hellström, Daniel LU orcid ; Gonzalez-Aregall, Marta ; Rogerson, Sara ; Santén, Vendela and Pålsson, Henrik LU orcid (2025) EDSI ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Abstract
Improving transport efficiency in freight transport systems is essential to reduce operating costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Improvements in one part of the system can lead to negative consequences in other parts, making it difficult to predict the overall effects and thereby made the right decisions. In logistics these contradictions are recognized as trade-offs. The purpose of this study is to identify trade-offs in improving transport efficiency in the road freight system and to explain their underlying logic in order to mitigate negative impacts. The work is addressed through three questions: What are the main categories of trade-offs in road freight systems? How do these trade-offs affect transport efficiency? How can the... (More)
Improving transport efficiency in freight transport systems is essential to reduce operating costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Improvements in one part of the system can lead to negative consequences in other parts, making it difficult to predict the overall effects and thereby made the right decisions. In logistics these contradictions are recognized as trade-offs. The purpose of this study is to identify trade-offs in improving transport efficiency in the road freight system and to explain their underlying logic in order to mitigate negative impacts. The work is addressed through three questions: What are the main categories of trade-offs in road freight systems? How do these trade-offs affect transport efficiency? How can the negative effects of these trade-offs be minimized?

A multi-step methodology was used to map trade offs, combining examples from industry with mapping and categorisation of these through expert focus groups. The process followed five steps: Collection of trade-off examples; Discussion and synthesis of trade-offs in an expert focus group; Categorisation of trade-offs; Evaluation; Discussion in which the underlying logic behind the trade-offs was discussed.

Five primary categories of trade-offs were identified in freight systems: Capacity, Cost, Operations, Service, Packaging. The study highlights how trade-offs in different parts of the transport system affect transport efficiency and shows that these trade-offs are complex and multifaceted. The trade-offs can be described and analysed by the goals and measures that guide. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
conference name
EDSI ANNUAL CONFERENCE
conference location
Gothenburg, Sweden
conference dates
2025-06-01 - 2025-06-04
project
Transport efficiency and fillrate: Analysis and suggested measure for increased resource utilization
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d22ea04e-924e-4909-ae05-a6cbab10dc82
date added to LUP
2025-06-30 13:44:51
date last changed
2025-08-01 14:57:40
@misc{d22ea04e-924e-4909-ae05-a6cbab10dc82,
  abstract     = {{Improving transport efficiency in freight transport systems is essential to reduce operating costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Improvements in one part of the system can lead to negative consequences in other parts, making it difficult to predict the overall effects and thereby made the right decisions. In logistics these contradictions are recognized as trade-offs. The purpose of this study is to identify trade-offs in improving transport efficiency in the road freight system and to explain their underlying logic in order to mitigate negative impacts. The work is addressed through three questions: What are the main categories of trade-offs in road freight systems? How do these trade-offs affect transport efficiency? How can the negative effects of these trade-offs be minimized?<br/><br/>A multi-step methodology was used to map trade offs, combining examples from industry with mapping and categorisation of these through expert focus groups. The process followed five steps: Collection of trade-off examples; Discussion and synthesis of trade-offs in an expert focus group; Categorisation of trade-offs; Evaluation; Discussion in which the underlying logic behind the trade-offs was discussed.<br/><br/>Five primary categories of trade-offs were identified in freight systems: Capacity, Cost, Operations, Service, Packaging. The study highlights how trade-offs in different parts of the transport system affect transport efficiency and shows that these trade-offs are complex and multifaceted. The trade-offs can be described and analysed by the goals and measures that guide.}},
  author       = {{Andersson, Dan and Wehner, Jessica and Swahn, Magnus and Fors, Tobias and Hellström, Daniel and Gonzalez-Aregall, Marta and Rogerson, Sara and Santén, Vendela and Pålsson, Henrik}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  title        = {{Trade-offs in decision making in road freight systems}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}