Investigating the Effects and Profitability of Urban Co-operative Freight Transport Systems Considering Customers Location and Systems Type

This paper focuses on the effects and profitability of urban co-operative freight transport systems. Forecasted VRPTW based mathematical models were used for investigating the influence of the location of customers and different types of co-operative freight transport systems on the effects and financial viability of such systems. Applications of the models to an urban goods delivery revealed that co-operative freight transport systems cannot be profitable if the location of customers is widely dispersed within-urban areas and considerable benefits can be gained by implementing carriers-led co-operative freight transport systems without the leadership of public sector.