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Transportation Profiles for MVFC Commodities
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June 2009
September 2009
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March 2010
June 2010		 Case: Automotive Supply Chain  

 

Project ID MVFC-10
Title Transportation Profiles for MVFC Commodities
PI Ernie Wittwer and Teresa Adams
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1415 Engineering Drive, 2205 EH
Madison, WI    53706
(608) 263-3175
wittwer@engr.wisc.edu

Teresa Adams
adams@engr.wisc.edu
Project Objectives This project will use alternative methods to develop information on the flow of commodities through the region. Part one will develop two commodities in depth with narratives and illustrations to demonstrate the importance of efficient transportation to the industry along with some of the issues that influence the decisions made by shippers and carriers as they move product. Part two will use the approach of disaggregating Freight Analysis Framework information and assigning the commodities to routes. Part three will develop a micro-simulations of commodities based on freight volume, economic activity and probabilities. Since this application will take it to new levels, only four commodities will be analyzed under this project. With successful demonstration, the technique might be expanded in future work.
Project Abstract The freight network within the MVFC region carries in needed materials and products from outside the region, ships out the regional products to their markets, and carries through traffic across this MVFC region. Recent discussions have explored possibilities of altering size and weight restrictions for the trucking community. For freight planning, it is critical to know the shipping processes of major commodities into and out of our MVFC region in terms of their origin/destination, mode choices, cost characteristics, and their requirements on transportation in terms of time, reliability and cost. By knowing all these characteristics, we will have a sound starting point for the multiple state freight planners to collaborate as freight does not respect state boundaries. This project will focus on outbound traffic of products grown or manufactured in the MVFC region. A select number of agricultural and industrial products will be used to demonstrate the routes in this region. This project will develop common profiles for the region with respect to commodities.
Task Description
  1. Review literature
  2. Identify commodities
  3. Identify data sources
  4. Identify micro-simulation
  5. Develop probabilistic models
  6. Develop micro-simulation
  7. Assemble Data
  8. Test Concept
  9. Report findings
Duration, Dates 18 Months; January 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010
Budget $173,521
Student Involvement 4 graduate students
Modal Orientation Highway/Rail/Maritime
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