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The transportation industry is a rapidly changing business. As a result of the increased demand for transportation and the tougher demands on transportation companies’ performance, it is important that they have good and reliable processes that are able to live up to those demands in a highly competitive market. Increased performance is important for transportation companies in order to create value for its customers and steps that can help them to achieve this can be seen as valuable. In Sweden, vehicle manufacturers offer extended services in order to respond to the changes on the transportation market. However, there is a knowledge gap about the experiences of using a product together with extended services that has a more service dominant logic compared to buying and using only the product. This research is conducted as a multiple-case study with five companies within the freight transportation industry to investigate their experiences of using extended services regarding risk and value concepts. To be able to conduct this research, literature and empirical study has been conducted through the collection of secondary- and primary data such as face-to- face interviews. The result of this study shows that there are several determining factors, which the case companies consider when determining how to resolve the issues of extended services such as financial aspects, location of workshop, flexibility, size of transporter, and control. Fur- thermore was advantages of using extended services offered by vehicle manufacturers found that related to financial advantages, increased customer service levels, assurance that best service will be provided, and increased up-time. In addition to that it was found that these services could help transportation companies to reduce some risks related to the financial- and goods/physical risk categories. In contrast were advantages of not using extended services offered by vehicle manufacturers found such as financial benefits, possibilities to cooperate, flexibility, increased up-time as a result of location, and control. The loss of control was a risk found that could be decreased if not using vehicle manufacturers extended services.

This study deals with the road freight sector's capital structure and how leases, loans and equity affect the ratios. The study is based on a ten-year period between 2000-2010 in Sweden. Investments in finance is a complex and interesting subject to study, there are many factors that can affect how the company best choose their investments when they have many great business investment the decisions plays a greater role. The aim is to find an optimal capital structure from a financial investment point of view. The purpose will be answered by the following research question: Are there significant differences between leases, loans and equity financed fleet of factors, profitability, tax, turnover, age, and cyclicality. The study will also examine how debt is related to profit margin, DuPont and the tax, all through a regression analysis. Then were plausible economic theories for the study. These theories are the financial growth cycle, the pecking order theory, Trade off theory, and DuPont. In order to answer the purpose and problem definition, data was collected from the database retriever business where we got a sample of 121 companies. The study is based on bigger haulers that have a turnover of more than 10 million SEK and mainly engaged in road transport. The study has concluded that equity is the alternative that is best in general. To minimize the risks of the company is leasing better but generates less profit. Debt financing is better if you want a fast growth.

This thesis explores the use of lightweight composite materials in road freight trailer design as a means of reducing the emissions of the road freight industry. A comprehensive review of previous lightweight composite trailers and related projects was conducted; it concluded that the application of composites in trailers to-date has largely been limited by relatively high material and production costs. The review highlighted that the trailer industry could learn from the success of composites in the bridge construction industry. A statistical weight analysis of two road freight fleets and an energy consumption estimation, via a drive cycle analysis, were used to identify trailers that are particularly suited to lightweighting. Hardwood trailer decking was identified as a prime subcomponent for composite replacement. However, there is little literature on how conventional hardwood trailer decks react to in-service loadings. This problem was addressed through a comprehensive deck damage study, which was used to benchmark novel lightweight deck systems. Several lightweight replacement composite sandwich panels were designed, built and tested. Two different pultruded GFRP decks were also examined. While pultrusions do not offer the same level of weight savings as sandwich panels, the highly cost-driven nature of the trailer industry could dictate that their integration is the most reasonable first step to introducing composites into structural subcomponents. The final part of the thesis explores options for lightweighting the trailer chassis holistically. Trailer load cases were investigated through finite element modelling in Abaqus. A parametric model of a typical longitudinal trailer I-beam was developed using Python scripting and Abaqus. The model was expanded to analyse composite trailer structures. It showed that approximately 1,300 kg of weight could be saved by shape and material optimisation in a composite trailer. In summary, this research has shown that short-term trailer weight reductions can be effectively achieved through subcomponent replacement, while more significant reductions can be achieved in the long-term by a ‘clean slate’ composite redesign of the trailer chassis. The lightweighting strategies presented here are poised to have an increasingly important role in reducing the emissions of the road freight industry.

In my diploma thesis I focus on use of carnet TIR within international road freight transport to Russian Federation. The objective of the thesis is to introduce crisis connected with partial non-acceptance of carnet TIR in Russia and analyze the impact of this crisis to economy and forwarders. The second objective is to introduce Ukraine crisis, which also had an impact to forwarders. Finally, I will introduce a forwarder, who transports goods to Russia regularly and describe the impact of crisis on him.

L’objectif de cette thèse est d’identifier les politiques qui permettraient de réduire les émissions de GES du transport de fret routier au moindre coût pour la collectivité. Pour cela, nous estimons, sur la période 2030-2050, les quantités évitées ainsi que le coût économique dans 6 scénarios correspondant à différentes politiques de réductions des émissions. Le coût économique comprend la somme des coûts pour les utilisateurs de transport et pour les pouvoirs publics ainsi que les coûts des externalités. Nous utilisons, quand ils sont disponibles, des jeux d’hypothèses définis par le ministère des transports, en particulier pour l’évolution des trafics et les valeurs unitaires des externalités. Pour chaque scénario, le coût économique par tonne de GES évitée est très sensible aux hypothèses, en particulier aux valeurs unitaires retenues pour les externalités (valorisation des co-bénéfices). Dans les hypothèses centrales, plusieurs scénarios présentent un coût négatif, c'est-à-dire un bénéfice pour la collectivité en plus de la réduction des émissions. C’est le cas de notamment de la taxe carbone, aussi longtemps qu’elle reste inférieure aux coûts externes engendrés par les poids lourds. Pourtant, quand cette taxe augmente, la hausse correspondante du prix de transport conduit les chargeurs à renoncer à une partie de leur activité, ce qui limite l’augmentation souhaitable. L’augmentation de 40 à 60 tonnes du poids maximum autorisé des poids lourds est une mesure très favorable aux utilisateurs de transport car elle permet de réduire significativement le coût du transport. Prenant en compte les gains d’externalités, la perte fiscale des pouvoirs publics, ainsi que les coûts d’infrastructure (investissement pour renforcer les ponts et les routes et entretien), ce scénario présente également un bénéfice pour la collectivité. Le scénario d’installation de caténaires sur le réseau autoroutier pour permettre la circulation de poids lourds hybrides est efficace en matière de quantité de GES évitée et le coût d’évitement par CO2e reste limité. En revanche, dans le scénario d’électrification du fret urbain (remplacement des camions diesels par des camions électriques dans les villes) le coût de la tonne évitée est élevé si les camions électriques n’ont que deux tonnes de charge utile alors qu’il devient un bénéfice économique si, grâce au progrès technologique, les camions électriques ont 6 tonnes de charge utile en 2030 (pour une autonomie de 100 km).Le remplacement des poids lourds diesels par des poids lourds au Gaz Naturels Véhicules réduit le coût du transport et bénéficie donc aux transporteurs et chargeurs tandis que les pouvoirs publics supportent une perte de recette fiscale. En tenant en compte les gains d‘externalités, cette mesure permettrait un coût économique limité. Enfin, le chargeur a la possibilité de réduire ses émissions de GES, avec un coût raisonnable pour l’entreprise et un bénéfice pour la collectivité, en diminuant la fréquence de ses envois. Pourtant, aucune de ces mesures n’est susceptible d’offrir seule une réduction suffisante des émissions. Pour atteindre l’objectif de facteur 4 à un coût raisonnable pour la collectivité, différentes mesures doivent être envisagées en complément / The purpose of this thesis is to identify policies that would allow to mitigate road freight GHG emissions at the lowest cost for the community. With this in mind, for six scenarios corresponding to different mitigation policies we estimate the mitigated emissions along with the economic cost, over the 2030-2050 period. The overall economic cost includes the cost for transport users, for public authorities, and an economic valuation of transport externalities. When available, we used sets of assumptions retained by the French Ministry of Transports for official traffic projections and for the unitary valuation of external costs. For every scenario, the economic cost by avoided ton of CO2 is highly sensitive to these assumptions, especially to the unitary value of external costs (valuation of co-benefits). In the central set of assumptions, several scenarios result in a negative economic cost of GHG mitigation, id est a benefit to the community in addition to GHG cuts.This is notably the case for the carbon tax, as long as it remains lower than the external costs of freight road transportation. However, when the tax rate is rising, the resulting increase in transport prices leads shippers to reduce their activity, which limits the desirable tax rate increase. Increasing the maximum authorized weight of heavy trucks from 40 to 60 tons would be a very beneficial measure towards transport users by allowing a substantial transport costs reduction. This scenario is also beneficial for the community, when accounting for the avoided external costs, the financial loss for public authorities and infrastructure costs (the required reinforcement of roads and bridges and increased maintenance costs). The installation of catenaries on motorways to supply hybrid heavy trucks is efficient to reduce CO2 emissions, and the economic cost per avoided ton of CO2 remains moderate. Quite the opposite, the economic cost is high in the scenario of electrification of urban freight (where diesel trucks are replaced by electric trucks for urban goods delivery), if electric trucks only have a maximum payload of 2 tons. On the contrary, it turns into an economic benefit if, thanks to technological progress, electric trucks have a payload of 6 tons in 2030, for a range of 100 km.The replacement of diesel trucks by natural gas vehicles reduces transport costs and is therefore beneficial towards carriers and loaders, but public authorities support a loss of taxation revenues. However, when accounting for the avoided external costs, the overall economic cost happens to be limited.Finally, shippers can reduce GHG emissions for a reasonable economic cost by reducing the frequency of shipments, this measure also being beneficial for the community.However, none of these measures is capable to achieve by itself the official goal of dividing by 4 the level of GHG emissions at a reasonable cost for the community, implying that additional measures have to be considered jointly

<p>Companies need capital in order to run their business, do necessary investments and grow larger. These actions are combined with high costs where both internal and external financing might be appropriate. Capital structure is the relation between debt and equity.</p><p>In this thesis we have focused on the decision behind the capital structure. We have focused on the road freight industry and we have tried to find out how management reason about their decision. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to describe and analyze SMEs’ decision of capital structure within the road freight sector in the Jönköping region. Emphasise is put on the different aspects that influence the capital structure decision and to what extent this is a strategic issue coloured by personal beliefs.</p><p>To fulfill the purpose mainly a qualitative approach with primary data from structured interviews has been used. The interviews were conducted face-to-face with six owner and/or managers. Further on, secondary data from the firms’ annual reports were used and analyzed.</p><p>The pecking order theory explains that firms, especially SMEs, prefer to finance their businesses with internally generated funds. Focus of the theoretical part are on theories of what factors that affects the capital structure decision, how this can be argued to be a strategic question for SMEs, how risk affects the capital structure decision and how this decision is made in a family business. These theories are presented to shed light on the capital structure decision making process of SMEs.</p><p>From this study it is found that the majority of the companies’ prefer internal financing i.e. reinvested earnings, and as a second alternative to use debt in form of bank loans. The study also shows that the reasons behind this preferred order are the will of being independent, previous experience and managements’ risk-taking propensity. We believe that these factors combined with beliefs about debt and realized need for debt works as a base for how a capital structure strategy is discussed, formed and developed. From this study it can also be concluded that risk indirect affects the capital structure decision and that a restrictive view on debt leads to a restrictive desire to grow since a fast growth in most cases needs to be financed by debt. Last, the study concludes that even though the studied firms prefer to finance with retained earnings they all use debt more or less.</p>

Companies need capital in order to run their business, do necessary investments and grow larger. These actions are combined with high costs where both internal and external financing might be appropriate. Capital structure is the relation between debt and equity. In this thesis we have focused on the decision behind the capital structure. We have focused on the road freight industry and we have tried to find out how management reason about their decision. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to describe and analyze SMEs’ decision of capital structure within the road freight sector in the Jönköping region. Emphasise is put on the different aspects that influence the capital structure decision and to what extent this is a strategic issue coloured by personal beliefs. To fulfill the purpose mainly a qualitative approach with primary data from structured interviews has been used. The interviews were conducted face-to-face with six owner and/or managers. Further on, secondary data from the firms’ annual reports were used and analyzed. The pecking order theory explains that firms, especially SMEs, prefer to finance their businesses with internally generated funds. Focus of the theoretical part are on theories of what factors that affects the capital structure decision, how this can be argued to be a strategic question for SMEs, how risk affects the capital structure decision and how this decision is made in a family business. These theories are presented to shed light on the capital structure decision making process of SMEs. From this study it is found that the majority of the companies’ prefer internal financing i.e. reinvested earnings, and as a second alternative to use debt in form of bank loans. The study also shows that the reasons behind this preferred order are the will of being independent, previous experience and managements’ risk-taking propensity. We believe that these factors combined with beliefs about debt and realized need for debt works as a base for how a capital structure strategy is discussed, formed and developed. From this study it can also be concluded that risk indirect affects the capital structure decision and that a restrictive view on debt leads to a restrictive desire to grow since a fast growth in most cases needs to be financed by debt. Last, the study concludes that even though the studied firms prefer to finance with retained earnings they all use debt more or less.

L'objet de la thèse consiste à interroger un phénomène : la présence croissante de femmes dans le métier de conducteur routier simultanément aux transformations importantes qui le traversent. La description des propriétés sociologiques et des conditions de travail des conductrices a été réalisée à partir de récits de vie, d'observations du travail et de données quantitatives obtenues par voie de questionnaire. Le développement de postes journaliers en même temps que se déployaient des stratégies pour faire venir de nouveaux candidats (appels de la profession en direction des femmes pour répondre à des difficultés de recrutement de personnels roulants), ont semble-t-il trouvé une résonance auprès de certaines femmes. Les unes déjà attirées par ce métier, les autres considérant que cela pouvait présenter quelque avantage. La thèse montre que le métier de conducteur routier peut offrir des potentialités d'ajustement aux temporalités spécifiques des femmes, tout en leur permettant d'expérimenter une activité professionnelle éloignée des caractéristiques des emplois ou fonctions qu'elles occupent le plus souvent dans un contexte où leur infériorité numérique leur confère un statut d'exception. On a pu établir que sur le plan de la stricte réalisation du travail, les hommes et les femmes qui exercent ce métier sont semblables. Pris dans les mêmes contraintes, ils agissent de manière similaire pour atteindre des objectifs de production qu'ils partagent. Sur d'autres plans, les conducteurs des deux sexes se distinguent. Ces différences tiennent principalement à la position particulière des femmes dans ce métier. Minoritaires parmi les hommes dans un métier construit autour de valeurs masculines, elles doivent adopter des comportements spécifiques pour se faire accepter comme des professionnelles à part entière d'une part, pour neutraliser les rapports de séduction et évacuer toute suspicion quand à leurs motivations à évoluer dans ce milieu, d'autre part / The subject of the thesis is to question a phenomenon : women's increasing presence among the lorry drivers simultaneously with the important transformations in the profession. The description of the sociological properties and the working conditions of the female lorry drivers was realized from interviews, observations of the work and quantitative data obtained by questionnaire.The development of daily posts at the same time as strategies towards the women to answer the difficulties of recruitment, seems to have found an echo with some women. Some of them were already attracted by this job, others considered that it could present some advantage.The research shows that the profession of lorry driver can offer potentialities of adjustment to the specific temporality of the women, while allowing them to experiment a professional activity remote from characteristics of jobs or functions which they occupy mostly in a context where their numerical inferiority confers them a status of exception. We were able to establish that from the point of view of the strict realization of the work, men and women who exercise this job are similar. They have the same constraints and they act in a similar way to reach objectives of production which they share. But the drivers of both sexes distinguish themselves. These differences come from the particular position of the women in this job. Members of a minority part among the men in a job built around male values, they have, on one hand, to adopt specific behaviour to be accepted as full professionals, on the other hand, to evacuate any suspicion about their motivations to evolve in this male environment

The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the business economics, to assess the current company strategy and to find such a strategy which will result in the overall improvement and maintenance of the position in the market while rendering the given quality of the services not only in a short period of time but also in a long-term one. Another aim was to optimize costs for a longer time horizon.