Transformation of Transportation

As part of the road network utilized by all road users, intersections are places of high complexity and conflict risks. Statistics show that 40–60% of all road accidents occur at intersections, while around 20% of them result in fatalities. The consequences of collisions at intersections are particularly severe on rural roads during night-time due to higher speeds than in urban areas and poor visibility. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate how enhanced-visibility stop signs (fluorescent signs) affect driving speed when approaching a rural intersection at night-time. The study was conducted using a driving simulator comprising a 6.61 km rural road with six intersections. The results show that additional stop signs influence driving behavior and encourage drivers to reduce speed when approaching a rural intersection at night. This particularly relates to signs with enhanced visibility (fluorescent signs). The results of the study could be useful for road engineers and authorities, especially in developing countries, to increase road safety at dangerous unsignalized rural intersections by implementing low-cost traffic control measures.

Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) and Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) are being widely tested and rapidly developed over the past few years. With the development and increasing number of AVs and CAVs in mixed traffic flow, it is necessary to analyze their impact on traffic safety, flow, speed, fuel consumption, and emissions. Also, appropriate traffic control algorithms need to be developed before they can be fully implemented and integrated into the traffic environment. To do so, such mixed traffic flows must be simulated in various traffic scenarios. Traffic flow simulators paired with communication network simulators are commonly used to perform multiple simulations of such traffic flows. In this paper, three often used traffic simulators VISSIM, AIMSUN, and SUMO paired with network simulators NS-3 and OMNET++ with their features to model AVs and CAVs in a simulation environment are analyzed. According to currently available and tested simulators in the research community, the most used ones were compared. Results of the synthesized technical aspects of each suggest that AIMSUN Next is more suitable for a less complex traffic model. At the same time, VISSIM is more suitable for a more complex traffic model.

Traffic delay is one of the essential aspects taken into consideration in the evaluation of operational performance of intersections. Delays at stop-controlled intersections are estimated using mathematical models that estimate the delays experienced by the minor road vehicles. However, the applicability of the existing mathematical models is subjected to the traffic local conditions. This paper discusses a current research carried out to develop a new model for the estimation of traffic delays experienced by the minor approach vehicles at stop-controlled T-intersections. Data pertaining to the analysis of traffic delays was collected at two stop-controlled intersections using a video camera recording technique. A dimensionless method was applied in the analysis of the data and two mathematical models for the estimation of delay to the right- and also left-turning manoeuvre on the minor approach were proposed. In this case, the comparisons between actual delays and the values predicted using the dimensionless method showed that there was no significant difference between the values. As such, it was suggested that the mathematical dimensionless-based models developed in this study are directly applicable, with a reasonable accuracy, for the analysis of traffic delays at stop-controlled T–intersection.

Adaptive Traffic Signal Control (ATSC) is today widely applied for managing traffic on signalized intersections due to its capability to reduce congestion. ATSC changes the signal programs in real-time according to the measured current incoming traffic flows when ATSC is applied. This results in an improvement in the throughput of urban networks. However, prior to the implementation of such systems they be evaluated. Evaluation of the effectiveness of complex ATSC is still a challenge and presents an open problem. For the evaluation, different measures of effectiveness to gather in-depth insight into the traffic situations of the controlled signalized intersection are needed. In this paper, an augmented version of the previously developed MATLAB based tool TSCLab (Traffic Signal Control Laboratory) is applied to evaluate a newly proposed ATSC based on self-organizing maps and reinforcement learning. The performance of the mentioned ATSC is evaluated using appropriately chosen measures of effectiveness obtained in real-time using a microscopic simulation environment based on VISSIM and a realistic traffic scenario. Obtained simulation results reveal that ATSC uses shorter phase and cycle duration, achieving a lower green time utilization but also shorter queue lengths, thus improving the throughput of the analyzed intersection compared to the existing fixed-time signal control.

The recent emergence of bad events (fires, terrorist attacks, etc.) resulted in a large number of deceased and injured people, brought to the attention of specialist’s problems and caused by the lack of adequate dimensioning of access and transit path. In the case of urban transport terminals linking rail lines, metro lines, and surface public transport lines there are a number of specific aspects such as the transport means arrival after a fixed schedule, group acces within the terminal, long waiting time in the terminal etc. In this case the use of a discrete simulation model allows the evaluation of the use of access gates, transit times, etc. In this paper, a simulation model is developed for a hypotetical passenger terminal using the topology of the main Romanian train station. The obtained data can be used for the optimal dimensioning of the number of access gates, of the stairs, of the waiting area etc.

The aim of the article was to present the results of the research, which concerned the analysis of the stream of passenger reports to the queuing system of passport control in the departure hall. These studies are very useful and may be used in the future by those stakeholders who want to develop a simulation model for such a system. This work fills a gap in the scientific literature. There are many different works that are related to security control or check-in. Passport control has so far been neglected. Particular interest should be shown by those who manage a system where passport control is directly in front of the departure gates. This structure of the system may then be a bottleneck in the process of departing passengers handling. This article provides details of the various air operations within many destinations.

The railway transport sector in Slovakia has recorded significant changes in recent decades, which were related to the change in the orientation of the national economy as well as the creation of a single European railway market. The transformation of the national economy and the railway market has also had an impact on the operation of railway sidings. The number of active railway sidings gradually decreased and basically copied the development trends in the area of the share of railway transport in the transport market. However, the position of railway sidings in the railway transport system still has a significant share today and it is therefore necessary to know the effects of various factors in railway transport on their operation. Many railway sidings have a valid operating licence however, their transport performance is very poor or none. On the other side there are railway sidings with expired operating licence which abolition is protracted, financially and legally demanding. Nevertheless, the railway siding is very important part of rail freight transport operation. The paper focuses on the examining of the railway siding performance share in overall rail transport performance and it contains dependence analysis of railway siding performance to selected criteria: total transport volume in international transport, transport price and number of railway siding service. Partial goal of paper is the analysis of active and no-active railway sidings.

Optimal allocation of available distribution channels has major importance in distributing products to the market. Allocation is made against the relevant set of criteria that have different importance and according to the requirements of the products. For these reasons, a proper evaluation of the available distribution channels is crucial for effectiveness and efficiency of distribution of products. This paper outlines the possibilities of applying AHP Method of multi criteria analysis in evaluation of optional distribution channels, in distribution of confectionery products.

The process of widespread globalization brings international relations to a fundamentally new stage of development. The most significant is transportation in the Eurasian space, where China occupies one of the leading positions in the import and export of products of various nomenclatures. Container transport is particularly important. The object of this study is container transportation of goods through the countries of the Eurasian economic Union (EAEU), the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the European Union (EU). The relevance of this topic is due to the existence of certain barriers and the need to overcome them for the development of cargo turnover in this direction. The theoretical significance of the work consists in a comprehensive study of Euro-Asian cargo routes, identifying the vulnerabilities of existing transport services, and identifying technological and organizational barriers to the development of container transport.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the application of a dynamic approach for scheduling of airline rotable components preventive maintenance in order to minimize earliness costs and maximize on wing time of the components. First, analysis of required service level is performed to determine minimum stock quantity for unscheduled replacements, or removals for repair. Then, a schedule for staggered replacement of propeller blades and hubs for overhaul on a regional turbo-prop aircraft fleet is given, with limited availability of spare blades and other constraints. Results show that a minimal cost solution without part shortages can be obtained.

Air Quality monitoring is traditionally performed by ground stations, and more recently by satellites. However, rapid, comprehensive data collection near pollution sources is not always feasible due to site complexity, relocation of pollution sources, or physical barriers. For these reasons unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with various air quality sensors are being introduced, offering new approaches and capabilities for monitoring air pollution, as well as studying atmospheric trends, such as climate change, while ensuring safety in urban and industrial areas. Due to small amount of data in the available literature, it is assumed that the research area is still at an early stage of development. Future research should include increase in flight endurance, payload, accuracy and sensitivity of sensors, and above all sensor calibration and flight planning in order to obtain the highest quality data.

The complex and continuously increasing air transport sector is very dynamic, being directly influenced by societal changes such as demographic aspects, globalization, urbanisation, digitalisation, climate change and even the current Covid-19 global crisis. Moreover, the new digital technologies applied in aviation require the evolution of current jobs competences and consequently the skills of graduates in order to practice the new occupations. Some transversal skills and soft skills allowing to evolve in this new digital world become crucial. After studying ICAO and EC documents on qualifications and focus groups with stakeholders, the first conclusion is that we are confronted with a strong growth in recruitment needs, in many cases for new occupations and a lack of competent profiles, especially for interdisciplinary ones. For supporting the employment in air transport, the carrier development and professional orientation, we propose some instruments: 2 methodologies development within a European project and on-line platforms offering information on jobs and qualifications in aviation. We will highlight the role of the developed methodologies, that of regulation, to generate minimum criteria, standards and recognition procedures and, thus, to be used as support by all stakeholders. For people to know what skills will be necessary for future occupations, they need to know where to get it from and how to use it. Here comes the communication as a key element; one of the solutions to find the jobs best suited to professional expectations and at the same time to reduce the gap between employers’ expectations regarding the skills and knowledge or skills of graduates is to use professional orientation platforms as faithful to the professional challenges of twenty-first century. Long-term communication, guidance and connection between education, training providers and employers will be sustained through a European network for aviation education and training (ENATE).

In the context of aviation education management, the necessary conditions for developing emerging jobs and improving training must take into consideration drivers of change that will transform the air transport system and require the development of new skills and knowledge. The paper focuses on the challenges and changes in future occupations and identifies new qualifications needed to meet the trends in air transport. The changing nature of work in following years considers both the occupations that are going to disappear and those that will be created. These will imply important modifications in labour market, education and training. After analyzing the perspective of the labour market requirements and the aspects that have the potential to transform businesses or even destabilize the industry, future occupations are reviewed in terms of economic benefit, new modes of consumption and influences on the market. Since the opinions of specialists regarding the forecasts for the opportunities and threats in aviation vary, the authors suggest a shift to a knowledge-based economy supporting the changing nature of work in the need for high qualified employees. Thus, the goal to provide the labour market with competent workforce through cooperation between governments, education institutions, industry employers and regulators is supported.

Many of the major societal changes currently affecting the transportation system are expected to have a significant impact on jobs. Innovation and new technologies are redefining the human–machine partnership transforming the working environment. These macro changes are going to require new sets of skills, knowledge, and competences. Over the next years, it will be important to understand how these new technologies, innovations and procedures will change the job requirements. This article presents an analysis of occupations and competences required for current and emerging roles in the aviation sector. A mixed method approach was employed, which combined desk studies and the involvement of external aviation stakeholders.