FACTORS THAT DETERMINE MODE CHOICE IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF GENERAL FREIGHT

Abstract

This study examines the factors that influence the mode choice decisions of shippers of general freight commodities in the Atlantic provinces of Canada. The study employed a mail-response questionnaire directed to randomly selected manufacturers to determine the basis of each firm's decision to ship by its regular mode. Respondents were required to identify the product shipped most frequently by the firm and the most regular origin-destination link. They were then required to provide pertinent details, such as transit time, shipping costs, and frequency of shipments, relating to the shipment of that product on the identified origin-destination link. Linear logit models were used to determine the variables that influence the selection of various modes for goods shipments and the relationship between the utility of each mode and the explanatory variables. The models obtained were as intuitively expected. It is concluded that logit analysis using survey data represents a valid and potentially more useful methodology than the use of waybill data. It is recommended that further research using the suggested model forms and data obtained from personal interviews of shippers would improve the quality of the results and provide a greater understanding of the shipper mode choice decision process.