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 levels of service (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.


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    Title :

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



    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2017



    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English



    Classification :

    Local classification TIB:    135/7005/1710
    BKL:    55.84 Straßenverkehr





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