STATE OF RESEARCH AND DATA ON URBAN GOODS MOVEMENTS AND SOME COMMENTS ON THE PROBLEM

UNTIL RECENTLY THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE INCENTIVE TO DEVOTE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF URBAN GOODS MOVEMENT. SUCH ROADS AND STREETS AS WERE PLANNED AND BUILT WERE DIRECTED CHIEFLY AT PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION, AND PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVED THE SAME END. COMPARED WITH THE RELATIVE PREDICTABLE AND RATIONAL CHOICES IN PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION, COMMODITY FLOW AND OTHER NON-PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION--- GARBAGE DISPOSAL, POLICE, MEDICAL AID, UTILITY SERVICES, LAUNDRY DELIVERIES, ETC.--- WERE BY COMPARISON OF LESSER SCALE AND MORE HAPHAZARD. HOWEVER, THE EXPANSION OF THE SUBURBS OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS AND THE INCREASE IN SERVICES DEMANDED MAKE IT IMPERATIVE TO DEVELOP FOR FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION IN AND AROUND CITIES THE SAME KNOWLEDGE NOW AVAILABLE FOR PERSONAL MOVEMENT. THE PRESENT PAPER SUGGESTS THAT THE CURRENT TREND IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT WILL EXACERBATE THE PRESENT DIFFICULTIES FACED BY URBAN GOODS MOVEMENT, IDENTIFIES KNOWLEDGE GAPS, AND SURVEYS EXISTING AND NEEDED SOURCES OF DATA AND INFORMATION. AMONG THE MAJOR GAPS ARE THE FOLLOWING: CAN IMPROVEMENTS AND CHANGES BE MADE IN THE SYSTEM WHEREBY THOUSANDS OF FIRMS IN A CITY MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS ABOUT FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION? CAN THE COMPLEX ORIGIN AND DESTINATION CHARACTERISTICS OF URBAN TRUCK MOVEMENTS BE DETERMINED? CAN COMMERCIAL DELIEVERY COSTS UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM BE DETERMINED AND COMPARED WITH THOSE PREDICTED FOR ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS? WHAT IS THE TIME AND VOLUME DISTRIBUTION OF GOODS MOVEMENT IN URBAN AREAS EACH DAY? WHAT RELATION DOES GOODS MOVEMENT BEAR TO TRAFFIC LAW, UNION REGULATIONS, AND GOVERNMENT CONTROL? THE PAPER CONCLUDES WITH A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING SOURCES OF INFORMATION IN REGARD TO THESE AND OTHER QUESTIONS.