EFFECT OF PIGGYBACK OPERATION ON VOLUME OF HIGHWAY TRUCK TRAFFIC

DETERMINATION IS ATTEMPTED OF WHAT EFFECT, IF ANY, THE GROWTH OF TRAILER-ON-FLAT-CAR /TOFC/ OR PIGGYBACK SERVICE WILL HAVE ON THE VOLUME OF TRUCK TRAFFIC ON OUR HIGHWAYS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT PIGGYBACK SERVICE WILL AFFECT THE VOLUME OF INTERCITY TRUCK TRAFFIC ON OUR HIGHWAYS. ITS PRINCIPAL EFFECT WILL BE TO INHIBIT THE GROWTH OF TRAFFIC BETWEEN MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS, PARTICULARLY WHERE SUCH CENTERS ARE FAIRLY FAR APART. THE DAMPENING EFFECT ON TRAFFIC, HOWEVER, WILL NOT BE GREAT ENOUGH TO REDUCE HIGHWAYS NEEDS IN ANY AREA FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. IF A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF RAIL BOX AND REFRIGERATOR CAR TRAFFIC IS TO BE DIVERTED TO HIGHWAYS IN THE FUTURE, THIS COULD HAVE SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE HIGHWAYS. SINCE THE PRINCIPAL REASON FOR THE SHIFT WOULD BE TO PERMIT FASTER DOOR-TO-DOOR SERVICE BETWEEN METROPOLITAN AREAS THERE WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF TRACTOR-SEMITRAILER MOVEMENTS IN THESE AREAS. THIS IS WHERE THE GREATEST TRAFFIC PROBLEMS EXIST.