Supply-Chain Management: Freight Planning.

Since I am a Logistics major, and since I study it incessantly, I thought maybe it's time to share with you a little about Freight Planning.

But first off, I'll let let the US Department of Transportation give you a great understanding of specifically what Supply-Chain Management is, and the importance of reliable, efficient modes of transportation.



They did a pretty good job, huh? Hopefully that gives you a visual understanding of how the supply-chain works. However, the supply-chain is more than just different vehicles utilized to carry products--it is the entire process that begins with raw materials and ends with the product in the consumer's hand. For a more formal definition:

Supply chain management (SCM) is the control of materials, information, and finances as they move in a process from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. Supply chain management involves coordinating and integrating these flows both within and among companies. The ultimate goal of any effective supply chain management system is to reduce inventory (with the assumption that products are available when needed).

So you see, the supply-chain is just not "boats-to-trucks-to-home", it is the entire system in place that brings goods to people. It includes the inventory that sits on a shelf, the raw materials necessary to produce a single unit, the people required to coordinate the creation and transportation of a product, the financial data necessary to continue to produce a product, so on and so forth.

Focusing specifically on Freight Planning, there are many, MANY questions to consider:

• Is the current system working?
  
• Is the current system under/over utilized?
  
• Does the current system provide enough capacity to hold future freight loads in 2035?
• What are the environmental impacts of rail freight versus truck freight?
• What are the costs associated with rail, truck and ocean freight?

That is simply the beginning. Currently in North America more than 6,500,000 trucks travel on our highways. Due to linking rail and ocean freight, most trucks travel only within 50 miles of their base (although there are many outliers to this generalization). By 2035, however, this number is expected to dramatically increase, causing usage to balloon to over 600 million miles per day. Looking at the maps below, you can see where the increase in highway congestion will appear:

2002 of Highway Congestion

2035 Projected Map of Highway Congestion


Can you even see the states of Ohio, Ilinois, Indiana or Kentucky? This unfortunate truth gives us three options: we can expand the highways, expand the runways or expand the railways. I, along with the rest of sensible people, recommend expanding the railways.

CSX is one of the largest private rail companies in North America. Historically rail has been unreliable, hence the shift to relying on trucks instead. However, companies are recognizing that rail is CHEAP--like, real cheap. For example, a CSX Train can take one ton of goods 427 miles on a single gallon of gas. Is that not insane? As a private company, they are constantly seeking ways to improve, and since 1980 they have improved efficiency 80%. In addition, rail is not only the cheaper way to go--it is the more environmentally friendly way, too! Look at this graph on the difference in carbon emissions between a trailer traveling 1000 miles on a truck and a 1000 miles on a train:



Clearly, rail provides better financial outcomes and environmental stewardship. However, rail moves slower--and it isn't as direct. It is impossible to route trains to be able to deliver all kinds of material right to your doorstep. That is without question. However, planning practices that support rail and provide for a larger system across our country would significantly reduce transportation costs for a company and cut out carbon emissions by a huge margin. In addition, AMTRAK could utilize the rails to provide better commuter service. And, if there is one thing about transportation, it is this--it goes hand-in-hand with economic development. Just as a coastal city cannot trade if there is no port to receive goods at, a city cannot grow without modes of transportation for people to utilize. It will become stagnant. It will lose it's attractiveness and luster. It will, essentially, be Columbus.

Reduced Costs, High Environmental Stewardship, Better Transportation Options and less congestion on highways? And people argue against this?

Now you know why I'm going into the private sector and not into planning.

Ohio Fails Again.

Ugh. My endless lamentations about how awful transportation in Ohio is never seem to come close to resolution. My complaints are founded on the lack of intercity rail, the seemingly nonexistent state commuter rail and the incredible reliance that the 7th largest state in the US has on the single-use automobile. I recognize, however, when efforts towards smoother transportation-system use are made and try to be optimistic towards these efforts.

Recently the Ohio Department of Transportation had a slight opportunity to improve highway efficiency with its E-Z Pass program for the Ohio Toll Road. Many states--including Maryland, Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, etc.--have implemented these fast-pass lanes with grand reception and simple implementation.

But, unfortunately, Ohio fails again.

The adage Keep It Simple, One Thing at a Time wasn't heard in Ohio.

Instead Thursday October 1 they had a cash toll hike plus the startup of electronic tolling simultaneously.

And they grossly overestimated first day uptake of electronic transponders.

Initial lane allocations were based on an estimate that first day penetration of E-ZPass transponders would be 30% of traffic.

The actual percentage Thursday, Day One, turned out to be about 10%, officials said.

E-ZPass Only lanes went unused while traffic backed up at cash lanes.

Plaza superintendents scrambled to change lane modes.

At first they changed dedicated E-ZPass transponder lanes to mixed mode.

[And] then there was sign confusion.

Mixed mode lanes signed everywhere else in Inter Agency Group country CASH/E-ZPass in Ohio were signed TICKETS/E-ZPass which apparently led many cash-paying motorists not to understand they could use the lanes.

So the mixed mode lanes went underused while traffic queues grew at the cash lanes. The Turnpike Commission apparently felt they couldn't call the non-E-ZPass lanes CASH because they have payment machines that not only accept cash, but also credit/cards.

[Continued in the article...]

From a planning perspective, Ohio is rarely the forefront state leading the way in unique initiatives. A few consummate examples of states really introducing unique planning practices include Maryland's Smart Growth program, Oregon's Urban Growth Boundaries, and California's Coastal Protection Program. Ohio has nothing like these. So am I surprised when a state that never introduces new ideas fails at ones that have already been properly executed?

Unfortunately, when the state is Ohio, the answer is no.

Cars, Density and Public Transportation.

Ugh. This article right here is the reason why I'm so pressed on leaving this country.

It's hard to appreciate how truly pitiful our public transportation system is until you spend some time with a system that works.

Oh, there's more to that article--but just go read it. It'll certainly begin to get your blood boiled.

The first half of the article circles around the devastating truth about this nation--the reality that public transportation will almost never be universally accessible. We love our cars, and we're too damn fat to consider taking a hike to work instead of driving our gas-guzzling vehicles to our fat office chairs.

I have preached it for years, and no one likes it. But it's the truth. If we ever want to get Americans out of their cars, we need to raise the entire cost of owning a car. And that begins with raising gas taxes, toll prices, parking fees...raise them all! Few reasonable people drive in a place like Manhattan, and that's because it's frankly faster to use the subway than to try to bother with driving. If we want that same Manhattan-connectedness throughout this country, it'll have to start with making it supremely inconvenient to drive.

Why am I so obsessed with public transportation? For one, it's far more economical. And I don't mean financially--I mean the supply-and-demand of land! Ever consider how much space highways, roads, parking garages and cars take up? My lord it's a huge waste of space. Having people commute to work, social functions, etc., via a collective effort is simply better for the development of cities. It's long-term sustainability.

It is also, clearly, the healthier route to pursue. New Yorkers walk around 5-miles a day, while the average American doesn't even make it to a single mile. And you know what? Americans are freaking huge, they could surely use a 5-mile walk.

Efficiency about public transporation may be in question, because there are many systems in this country that do not run efficiently (COTA bus would be one great example). But as more people ride the transportation systems, the easier they are to become more convenient. The difficulty lies in getting people to push the system to a point where they must expand.

The first bit of the article focuses on the dim future for public transportation in The United States (::angry face::) and the second part reviews American's hatred for high-density neighborhoods (::really angry face::).

David Boyce, an adjunct professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University, said another key piece of the puzzle is land use. Americans prefer low-density communities and large lots for their homes.

This may be swell from a quality-of-life perspective, but it's an enormous challenge for public transportation, which requires relatively large numbers of people moving from point A to point B on a daily basis to be profitable.

...

I hate to be cynical, but I simply can't imagine political leaders at the local, state or federal level telling voters that they support a big increase in gas taxes, sky-high parking fees and high-density neighborhoods.

So don't hold your breath for a public transportation system that rivals what our friends abroad enjoy. It's not going to happen -- at least not until a majority of us agree that we're prepared to accept the trade-offs necessary to bring about such a wholesale change in how we live and travel.

Baby Jesus on a cross, do you see why I am love with this article? It's like I wrote it myself! Words right from my own lips!

No one is going to find me holding my breathe for these kinds of developments, and I'm frankly just not committed to this country enough to be part of the movement towards this ideal. This country won't let me serve in our armed forces, won't let me marry the love of my life, won't even give me legal recognition in the majority of the states...so where's the incentive to stay? It's certainly not the crazy gun laws or the lack of access to health care! It's not our impressive education system or the upcoming generation of idiots that this nation is brewing up right now! Hell, I can't even give blood in this friggin' country...so as a clearly unequal citizen of The US, I honestly, from my viewpoint, find almost no reason at all to stay here.

There is plenty wrong with this country and I'll be the first to point it out. But at the same time, I will be here for at least 1-2 more years at the minimum; 5-7 years at the most. So although it's fun and easy to write up a quick rant about the atrocities of this country...perhaps I should make the best of my time? Instead of whining and complaining as the next few years go by, why don't I do my own small part to make things better? That's a far better approach than to relentlessly bitch about how awful it is here.

Sigh...the only problem is it's easier said than done.

An Unexpected Gem.

So I'm writing from the fine city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and I'm having an absolutely fantastic time.

But I gotta admit something.

Something that I thought I'd never say.

It really has nothing to do with Charlotte.

But I have to say it.

I went to Detroit, Michigian for the first time a few days ago. And you know what?

..Here it goes...

I actually liked it.

It was a fantastic trip. Yes, there were homeless people laying out half-naked in the streets. Yes, some vandal was walking around breaking glasses and screaming obscenities. Yes, I was accosted by no less than five people begging me to buy them lunch. It fits all the stereotypes, and the depression of the city is nearly palpable...but it wasn't nearly as awful as I thought it would be. In fact, I rather enjoyed it. I think its geographic location is striking, and its mirror city across the river is so candid and unique as well. I loved the physical layout of the city, and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the suburbs outside of the downtown area. (Birmingham was awesome!)

I spent some time in GM's Renaissance Center. I'm utterly perplexed by its conception and execution. It's strange that all the right elements exist to create a full, thriving city center...yet, it just does not succeed. In fact, its blatant failure stands as a beacon of pessimism for the city to continually behold.

The architecture is innovative and awe-inspiring, the location along the river is stunning, there is a central area full of room for cute shops, there is an enormous car show room...and yet it just does not come together. Truthfully it is heart-breaking. Here is one of the iconic structures of a great American city...and it lays on the brink of ruin.

Regardless, I certainly have a new opinion of both Michigan and Detroit. Yes, things are bad there. If they can pull themselves out of their insane dedication to the automobile industry than perhaps there is still hope for the city. The elements are there for a booming city--it just needs some kind of spark for it to boom once more.

*Screams at the World*

The Columbus DMV is out of control. Is there a citizen group against them? Seriously. My car was towed yesterday. What did I do? I parked on my street on Monday. There were NO signs saying the street needed to be clear. The entire block was filled. I go to my car on Tuesday--and it's gone. Water pipe repair. How much did it cost me...?

$273!!!!!!!!!!!

I want to scream. Well, I actually did. I got out of the office and pulled a HULK SMASH kind of scream. I did nothing wrong. I parked on my street where I have lived for two years. I would have seen the signs if they were there because I even checked to make sure my tires were close to the curb. I am a Logistics and Transportation major minoring in City & Regional Planning--I am obsessed with transportation, and I am frickin' paranoid as hell about getting my car towed so I ALWAYS look for these kind of signs.

What's most frustrating is that I biked to my friends house that night. Yes it was cold and I could have driven, but I am one of those crazy liberals who likes to work out and not harm my environment every time I want to move location. Had I driven my car I would not have had this happen because I would have come back and the signs would have been there. (Or the street would have been full and I would have gone somewhere else, or I would have noticed an empty block and thought maybe I shouldn't park here). I feel like I was penalized for 'going green'. I decided to bike and I had to pay $273 for it.

So, what am I supposed to do? Run to my car every 6 hours and make sure there aren't signs posted 4 hours prior til they tow the street? I am so angry. I didn't have this money. I am a student, I pay my own tuition and buy my own textbooks. $273 for NOTHING.

Angry. Angry. ANGRY.

Seriously, anyone know of a citizen group against the DMV? They are completely out of control! A few months ago my sticker fell off my car. I was registered, but my birthday is in December. It's cold in December. The new sticker didn't stay on my plate. I requested a new one, and while waiting for it I could a ticket for $40. I repealed it, and they never got back to me. I got a letter, eventually, saying I now owed $80. I fought and fought and fought, but they said there was nothing they could do. So I paid $80 even though my car was registered, even though I had already informed them of my sticker falling off. WHAT ELSE WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?!?!? Park my car in a ditch? Hide it in a cave?

About 6 months ago they gave me a ticket for not showing my permit--but it was there. It was hanging in my mirror as it ALWAYS has. I e-mailed them, gave them my permit #, showed them when I bought the permit and when it expired...and they still upheld the ticket! In fact, the $30 doubled while I was waiting to hear back from them! That turned into $60!!!

In ALL three cases I did nothing wrong. I showed my permit yet they missed it (no lie, it was really there, I even took a picture), I was a legal registered driver yet they ticketed me because their stickers are defective and I parked my car in a normal parking zone yet I got towed. It all adds up to over $400--WHEN I DID NOTHING WRONG.

I am so angry. I am not exaggerating--if there isn't a group about it already, I'm starting it. Right now. Citizens Against DMV Abuse! They are making criminals out of legal, law-abiding citizens. They do it to all of us and it simply isn't fair, it isn't right and goddamnit as an American citizen I will not stand for it!

Traffic Lights.

All your life you've seen the same damned traffic lights. Pretty much since they were invented they've remained the same design here in the US. They're yellow and boring. In this future-driven society, isn't it about time for an update? Isn't it time for a change you can believe in?

Presenting...the square traffic light!


Additional section also needs to be modified. Now drivers see green light when they are allowed to make the turn, but no light at all if they have to wait. There should be some symbol to display, to show the turn is not allowed (using two color diodes)

How cool is that? I say bring them on. (Except for the fact that our country is so broke they can't even afford to fix bridges. Or, really anything.)




(Via Luxofor)

A Touch of Honesty.

Canadian City Planner Linda Allen has a dirty secret. Everyday she works to advocate more transit use, cycling instead of driving and every other effort to support sustainability. Her secret? She loves to drive.

Almost daily, I promote smart growth - alternative transportation choices, reduced greenhouse gases, increased housing densities.

It's my business to help Canadians understand and adapt to a future that is different from the past. I am a 21st-century city planner.

Along with fellow futurists, I advocate less vehicle travel, more cycling and transit use, smaller cars and sensible energy consumption. The terms "eco-density," "high-occupancy vehicles" and "environmental footprint" are common currency.

By day I'm committed to radical societal change. But my lifestyle is suspect because I really like to drive. Mostly by myself. Pedal to the metal. Wide-open spaces. No boundaries. Zoom, zoom, zoom.

It doesn't matter whether the vehicle is turbocharged, comes with a GPS or has leather seats. It just needs to be peppy and have a tight turning radius. It's about the essential pleasure of driving, regardless of make, model or colour.

I understand the disconnect between the extravagant past and our frugal future. My lifestyle is unsustainable and I need to change my patterns. But I subtly resist the shift. Perhaps it's the curse of the baby boomers. For our generation, driving has been a lifelong love affair, one that isn't easily surrendered.

My formative years were spent cruising small-town Ontario on sweltering summer nights in my mother's flashy turquoise convertible. A few years later, I was circumnavigating North America in a Volkswagen "shagging wagon."

As a responsible adult, driving became shuttling giggling, gossiping children to preschool, dance lessons and soccer tournaments in an all-purpose passenger van. But whenever possible it also meant navigating 16-lane California highways. Zipping through European roundabouts. Pushing through Albertan blizzards. Always plotting the next trip, whether 200 or 2,000 kilometres.

In my planning classes I've always found this hilarious. I cram into a room of 60 students, learn about the importance of reducing our carbon footprint and living green, then watch as 59 other students walk out of the class, across the street...to a parking lot. Although funny, it's concerning that even those who are well-educated in the perils of the oil crisis, the coming effects of global warming, the horrors of car-living and suburban sprawl still cannot give up their cars.