An approach for choosing the optimal route and type of transport for freight carriage using Compromise programming

Abstract

This study elaborates a methodology for choosing a transport strategy based on the selection of the optimal route and type of transport. The research examines carriage by containers and includes two ways of transportation: by container block trains and by trucks. The methodology consists of three steps. The first step defines the determination of alternatives routes and criteria for assessment. Eight criteria have been studied: environmental protection; economic criteria; additional transportation fare; the duration of transportation; transhipment operations; security; reliability; stability. In the second step three approaches have been used and compared to determine the weights of the criteria: the Shannon entropy method, which is based on information from data, expert assessments by means of the Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method and the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. The third step determines the optimal solution based on the Compromise programming method. The methodology is approbated for routes from the railway and road network of Bulgaria. The results show that the criteria with the greatest impact are: the economic criteria; the duration of transportation and environmental protection. It was found out that the technologies that include rail transport are the best variant of transportation. The presented methodology could be used for choosing transportation for other destinations in the transport network.