This study investigates the relationship between three types of retail, Big Box, traditional and online retail, and their transportation related emissions. The study takes a comprehensive approach by examining both the consumer and freight emissions associated with each retail type. The retail environment has been evolving dramatically over the past 60 years, and this has many effects on an urban environment that are important for urban planners to understand. Although retail can influence the city in many different ways, this study isolates transportation. Using case studies in the Greater Toronto Area and the Transportation Tomorrow Survey, a scenario model is applied to compare the retail types. The key influences examined in the scenarios that alter consumer related emissions are return rate, the number of items bought, trips where no items are bought, trip chaining and browsing before buying online. The key influences on freight transportation are the not at home delivery scenario and the number of items delivered. The results show that as a base case, Big Box retail has the largest emissions, traditional retail the second largest and online retail the smallest emissions. Consumer transportation has a larger impact on the total emissions than freight transportation, which is the main reason Big Box retail has the largest emissions. However, the various scenarios examined demonstrate that the key influence can have a very large impact on the results, making it difficult to conclusively say Big Box retail has the largest emissions associated with it. Conclusions that can be drawn from this study for urban planners are that for physical retail, traditional style retail tends to have smaller emissions. As well, the key influences, in particular those associated with consumer behavior, have the potential to greatly reduce emissions. Therefore, strategies to influence consumer behavior should be explored.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-137).

This report assesses the current and future freight conditions in Texas, and how more freight will need to be transported by rail to keep up with the population and economic trends. Public-private partnerships are necessary to accommodate this surge in growth in order to make it financially feasible for both the public and private sectors. The intent of this report is to introduce the concept of freight rail public-private partnerships in order to relate it to the State of Texas to help accommodate growth. Two case studies will be discussed as examples of successful public-private partnerships where freight rail expansion was feasible. At the end of each case study, there is a section for implications in Texas’ rail system. A series of interviews with public and private stakeholders will portray the sides of both sectors as to why freight rail publicprivate partnerships are difficult to achieve in Texas. Finally, some recommendations will be made for Texas based on the case studies and interviews. / text

published_or_final_version / Law / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

published_or_final_version / Chinese / Master / Master of Philosophy

In September 2008, a consignment of pirated batteries, which were marked with Panasonic’s trademark, were retained by Swedish Customs. Panasonic sent a warning letter to the freight forwarding company, Tavatur, demanding it to destroy the batteries through the simplified procedure in (EC) No 1383/2003. However, since Sweden has not implemented the simplified procedure, Tavatur was unable to destroy the batteries without a court order from Sweden. Panasonic therefore sued Tavatur, the legal dispute being what liability freight forwarders have for pirated goods. Due to technical developments within different modes of transport, freight forwarders’ role has changed over the last few decades, from simple duties where the freight forwarder held an intermediary position, to a more independent role in which they now have to be legally classified as either a carrier or an agent. Unfortunately, legal development within multimodal transport has failed to keep pace with the speed of technical development. Bills of Lading, for example, have historically been working as receipts, but due to modern packing techniques, they have lost the normal evidence function they once had. Although there are some international regulations concerning freight forwarding services, they do not extend beyond the countries in which such conditions are used. When a dispute occurs between transport operators, which follow different regulations, the liability of the freight forwarders is unclear. Therefore, freight forwarders are in the need of harmonised legislation, especially concerning their liability for trademark infringements. Nonetheless, there are ways in which freight forwarder can avoid these disputes with right-holders, namely; by protecting themselves with legal cost insurance and via establish their liability through the use of contracts. However, Sweden and other Member States, which have not implemented the simplified procedure, should reconsider an implementation of it.

In the last ten years, the railways generally throughout the world have suffered a decline in their share of the transportation market relatively to other modes of transportation. This has meant a serious loss of business which has led to many financial difficulties. This loss of a share of the market has come about despite the lasting importance of the railways generally in the economy, despite their necessity in economic development and despite their continued progress in technology. Should the railway situation continue to deteriorate, transportation systems could be endangered seriously. In this thesis, a reform of railway pricing policies is proposed as an important contribution to the solution of the present railway problem. [...]

This study investigates the relationship between three types of retail, Big Box, traditional and online retail, and their transportation related emissions. The study takes a comprehensive approach by examining both the consumer and freight emissions associated with each retail type. The retail environment has been evolving dramatically over the past 60 years, and this has many effects on an urban environment that are important for urban planners to understand. Although retail can influence the city in many different ways, this study isolates transportation. Using case studies in the Greater Toronto Area and the Transportation Tomorrow Survey, a scenario model is applied to compare the retail types. The key influences examined in the scenarios that alter consumer related emissions are return rate, the number of items bought, trips where no items are bought, trip chaining and browsing before buying online. The key influences on freight transportation are the not at home delivery scenario and the number of items delivered. The results show that as a base case, Big Box retail has the largest emissions, traditional retail the second largest and online retail the smallest emissions. Consumer transportation has a larger impact on the total emissions than freight transportation, which is the main reason Big Box retail has the largest emissions. However, the various scenarios examined demonstrate that the key influence can have a very large impact on the results, making it difficult to conclusively say Big Box retail has the largest emissions associated with it. Conclusions that can be drawn from this study for urban planners are that for physical retail, traditional style retail tends to have smaller emissions. As well, the key influences, in particular those associated with consumer behavior, have the potential to greatly reduce emissions. Therefore, strategies to influence consumer behavior should be explored.

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