Fulltext search in archive

The problem of using big data for optimal planning of work and rest of truck drivers in intercity freight transportation is considered. The problem is solved for a team of drivers in compliance with the EU regulation 561/2006. The proposed data preparation can reduce the practical computational complexity and find the optimal driver work schedule. The clustering of the initial data was substantiated for optimizing schedules based on the criterion of compatibility of transport orders. The compatibility of orders follows from the analysis of similarity of two consecutive transportation processes performed by one driver during his/her work shift. Simulation modelling was performed. The influence of the scale of the territory on the quality of the prepared initial data was also investigated. A rational range of the compatibility coefficient for the high-quality preparation of a large data set was substantiated.

A study of the vulnerability of emergency service systems leads to the problem of detecting elements (vertices and edges) of transportation networks that are critical to the functionality of these systems. In this paper, methods for identifying the most critical edges and vertices in networks with respect to emergency service systems are presented, and these methods were tested on real data. The primary results of this work are the development and testing of two algorithms that compute a measure referred to as change in transportation performance for edges and vertices in the network. A method for identifying the edges and vertices that are the most critical to the designed emergency service system is presented. Experiments on the transportation network of the Zilina region highlight the importance of probabilistic models of travel time elongation, based on appropriate probability density functions.

In a developing country like India where jaywalking is prevalent than using designated crosswalks, pedestrian safety is a major concern. Development of pedestrian level of service (PLOS) is essential for monitoring pedestrian safety for these manoeuvres. The present research incorporates a new methodology to evaluate pedestrian LOS for jaywalkers. The study is conducted in a smart city of Bhubaneswar in India. The pedestrian crossing speeds ranged from 0.6 to 1.4 m/s. Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are used to determine the pedestrian crossing speeds from vehicular and pedestrian counts whose outputs are close to the field data. A 2-step K-means clustering technique is employed to determine the Pedestrian LOS ranges based on pedestrian crossing speeds. Urban planners, transportation engineers, and legislators can use the methodology to determine PLOS levels to create the pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.

In this paper is presented an Enhanced Harris Hawk Multi-Objective Optimization (EH-HHO) algorithm for joint spectrum allocation, interference mitigation, and energy efficiency optimization in Cognitive Radio–Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (CR-VANETs). EH-HHO integrates adaptive exploration, dynamic switching, and crowding-distance preservation to avoid premature convergence and obtain well-distributed Pareto-optimal solutions. Extensive simulations, using the SUMO–OMNeT++, VEINS/ns-3, and hardware-in-the-loop experiments, show superior spectrum utilization, energy savings, and convergence speed compared to NSGA-II and MOPSO. Statistical validation confirms performance significance, highlighting the EH-HHO as an efficient non–deep learning framework for CR-VANET optimization.

In this article are highlighted the results of the research on braking malfunctions of passenger rolling stock identified during the car maintenance. Based on the collected statistical material, the key factors that cause braking malfunctions in operation are highlighted. The main brake equipment units that account for the largest number of malfunctions in operation are determined. The data on the malfunctions of air distributors used in passenger rolling stock was systematized using the STATISTIKA software package. To ensure continuous monitoring and timely detection of defects in the brake system of passenger trains, it is critical to use modern diagnostic tools to predict the technical malfunctions of pneumatic and electropneumatic brake system units of passenger cars. Moreover, this would ensure compliance with the requirements for overhaul periods for passenger cars in accordance with the current standards and technical documents and would guarantee the traffic safety on Ukrainian railways.

The authors examine the negative impact of objective and subjective factors on the quality of work of periodical technical inspection stations (PTI) technicians. In this context, the authors conducted a survey among the PTI technicians and vehicle operators. From the results formulated in the article, it emerged that the quality of PTI technicians' work, and thus the entire PTI, is negatively affected mainly by the high degree of subjectivity entrusted to PTI technicians, when evaluating the technical condition of vehicles (94.12 %) and the resulting scope for incorrect judgments and influencing the result of PTI (corruption, acquaintances), and the approach of PTI owners (influencing technical inspections results due to fear of losing customers, pressure on quantity over quality, method of rewarding the PTI technicians, etc.). The authors also propose some measures to improve the quality of PTI activities.

Today, in the constructions of multi-link road trains, two main layout schemes are used, as a rule - trailer (car + n trailers) and semi-trailer (tractor car + n semi-trailers). Previously conducted studies established that the maneuverability indicators of the road trains can be determined on wheels rigid in the lateral direction, that is, according to kinematic models, which are based on the angles of assembly of the road train links. These angles are defined for both a three-link trailer and a semi-trailer vehicle train, for different locations of the extended link. For the semi-trailer road trains, the requirements for maneuverability are not met, and therefore the trailer links must be equipped with more or less complex control systems. With a direct control drive on the front axles of the second and third semi-trailers, when turning at 90º and 180º, only the first layout scheme satisfies the requirements for maneuverability.

The effect of fog levels on drivers' free-flow speeds for various vehicles in mixed traffic conditions is examined in this research. Visibility and free-flow speeds from eight highways are simultaneously collected and analyzed. The findings show distinct driver behavior patterns under different fog conditions. In dense fog, small visibility improvements lead to linear speed increases, while in light fog, speeds are mostly unchanged, though drivers maintain higher speeds than in clear conditions. Regardless of a vehicle type, driving patterns in fog are similar, though specific speeds differ. Cars tend to drive dangerously fast, while trucks remain slower due to limited manoeuvrability. This study offers insights for operational strategies in dense fog, supporting the use of dynamic warning systems and variable speed limits to reduce unsafe speed variations and potential crashes in low visibility.

Lithium-ion batteries power light electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, but end users typically lack reliable information about true battery health and instead rely on misleading indicators of remaining charge. In this paper is introduced a novel external plug-and-play diagnostic module that connects between the standard charger and a battery of a light electric vehicle. The system uses a precise discrete-time energy integration method during standard charging. It captures dynamic current fluctuations and estimates battery health from the partial charging data. Experimental validation on multiple battery packs demonstrates that the proposed algorithm reliably distinguishes between healthy and degraded batteries. This non-invasive system adds diagnostics to conventional charging, enabling users to assess actual capacity without full discharge cycles.

The aim of the article is to find out differences in the perception of selected factors that determine the business environment among selected groups of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), divided according to the sector of the national economy they belong to. The first group included SMEs from the sector of transport and services. The second group included SMEs from the construction, manufacturing and agriculture sectors. The questionnaire was completed by 459 SMEs in the Czech and the Slovak Republics. To evaluate the formulated hypotheses, the Chi-square test and the Z-score were used. The case study showed interesting findings. The SMEs in transport and services perceive the competitive environment as more acceptable than the SMEs in construction, manufacturing and agriculture. In addition, the SMEs in transport and services are of the opinion that customers accept prices of their products and services to a greater extent than the SMEs in construction, manufacturing and agriculture. There are also significant differences between selected groups of SMEs in assessing the quality of the judicial system in commercial law and the view that the current level of macroeconomic indicators supports entrepreneurship and creates interesting business opportunities. The national economy sector is not an important criterion in assessing financing, the family environment, R&D infrastructure, the quality of the business environment or the quality of education. The paper brings interesting findings and new incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises; for organizations supporting the business environment; for further research and discussion on the cross-sectoral assessment of the business environment quality and its important factors.

Countries seek to use the knowledge and capital of the private sector to minimise the gap between the transport infrastructure needs and the capacity of their budgets. A form of private investor involvement is usually a public-private partnership PPP. However, success in implementing the PPP projects requires appropriate economic, legal and institutional conditions. The article presents results of research aimed at identifying the PPP success factors in Poland and assessing the strength of impact of individual factors on the implementation of projects. An analysis of the subject literature was carried out, based on which the success factors were determined. Next, econometric modelling methods were applied (correlation and regression), which were used to measure the degree of correlation between the variables and showed the relationships of variables to each other.

The paper focuses on the problem of importance/significance elements evaluation in the railway transport infrastructure sub-systems. It contains main features of the proposed theoretical approach to the significance assessment of the key typological elements of railways infrastructure. The research also attempted to design an effective methodology, which allows assessing the significance of infrastructure objects. The purpose of the multi-criteria assessment of selected sections and typological objects is to select the most significant/important ones from the point of view of maintaining the railway operability. The selection is conducted using the assessment of a section or an object, following the pre-defined criteria. The developed methodology should help to set a group of potential elements of critical infrastructure in the railway sub-sector.

Since the entry into force of the Paris Agreement in 2015, and with the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on the consequences of 1.5 degrees of global warming, the issue of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a cost-effective manner and within the timeframe outlined has become a matter of urgency. The transport sector, which accounts for a quarter of total GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions in the 28 EU Member States, is no exception. Due to the serious environmental impacts of transport, new mobility concepts are being implemented at both national and international levels. One of these is the large-scale deployment of electric vehicles, including those powered exclusively by Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) batteries. They are quiet and virtually emission-free and, in terms of safety, have the feature that, in the event of an accident, they reduce the risk of detonating the vehicle and of burning or burning out the passengers. This article presents the current state of electromobility in Poland and Slovakia with an indication of light electric cars BEV and the most important factors stimulating its development.

This article deals with the issue of safety within the road freight transport sector with regards to the securing of cargo on a vehicle. The first part of the article focuses on the legal framework that regulates this issue in the Czech Republic. The second part is based on a case study and survey conducted among drivers of the road freight transport vehicles into their awareness of what they understand is meant by securing and secure cargo. The case study was carried out in a specific transport company and includes an analysis of the current situation and concrete measures for improving safety while securing timber for transport.

The recent pandemic has changed the modal choices of users in the urban context, highlighting in the last two years an increase in the diffusion of electric scooters, which is not homogeneous in the Italian context. At the beginning of 2020, the first e-scooter services were launched in Sicily, with the city of Palermo leading the way. A survey was therefore conducted in Sicily involving approximately 550 regular users of e-scooter services. The descriptive statistical analysis undertaken compared three different periods pre, during and post pandemic, with particular attention to the gender and age gap and different trends in the diffusion of multimodality. The results provide not only some suggestions for the improvement of services by managers but some suggestions to local administrators for implementation of democratic and sustainable planning steps, as well.

The research presented in this article was concerned with the efficiency of ultrasonic cleaning of vehicle radiators based on the cavitation phenomenon. A technique has been developed that takes into account the effect of the ultrasonic vibration amplitude and the time of exposure on the process of removing contaminants. The results of experimental studies are presented that confirm that increasing the exposure time contributes to increasing the washed scale mass and decreasing the time of liquid outflow. The developed regression model describes well the changes in the mass of washed scale, which is confirmed by a high coefficient of determination and correlation. The obtained results allow for optimizing the parameters of the ultrasonic cleaning process, increasing its efficiency and reducing the risk of damage to the structural elements of the radiator.

This paper deals with the use of automation in rail transport to provide transfer links in public passenger transport. The methods of railway transport management in the Czech Republic are presented and their suitability for the use of automation in regional passenger transport is assessed. The authors consider the impact of automation only from a technological point of view. In this paper, the authors propose a modification of the train departure using a layout criterion and time stops to provide transfer links using the Automatic Route Setting System. The authors consider the use of the Real Time Rescheduling considering the traffic on the railway line, as well as the traffic connections of the public line transport. The paper proposes the use of automation software to improve the quality of public passenger transport.

Environmental protection is a major task for countries around the world in the 21st century. One of the sources of pollution is the road transport. Therefore, an analysis of the impact of the mobility of Polish residents on the environment was carried out. To this end, a survey was conducted, asking questions such as: the frequency of switching from cars to public transportation, the way of moving in and out of built-up areas, the impact of transportation on the environment, the EURO standard, the purchase of an alternative-powered car and eco-driving. This research was carried out on a group of residents, taking into account: age, gender, place of residence and occupational status. Based on the research, it can be concluded that under the influence of Covid-19. the population is trying to protect itself from contagion, so it chooses individual means of transportation.

This article is focused on the geolocation possibilities in low-power deployments. A novel Logarithmic Distance Path Loss Model with a Memory (LDPL-M) algorithm is proposed to enhance the accuracy of determining the location of end devices. The proposed solution, utilizing the RSSI-based trilateration, proved more accurate by 24.54% compared to the conventional Logarithmic Distance Path Loss Model (LDPL). Compared to the Global Positioning System (GPS), the power consumption was 48.8% lower. These findings make it suitable for energy-harvesting deployments, environments with limited power supply, or generally hard-to-reach areas, covering various logistics, transportation, or asset tracking scenarios. Overall, in this article, a valuable insight into the geolocation, focusing on the accuracy and efficiency, is provided.

Analysis of statistical data on accidents on railways shows that most often an accident occurs due to the influence of the human factor, obstacles on the track, curvature of the track, the phenomenon of skidding and slipping in dynamic modes. The novelty of the proposed work consists in development of a mathematical model and a study of the automatic speed control, depending on the curvature of the track or in the presence of obstacles, and track defects, as well as measuring the linear speed of the railway transport as one of the main elements of the slip protection system and the system for implementing the maximum traction force. The solution of these problems is possible with the help of a multipurpose sensor, which is a video camera, to form the feedback signals to the control system.

The article presents the results of research aimed at assessing the residual life and the possibility of extending the service life of cast parts of a UVZ-9M three-axle bogie used in six-axle scale test wagons. The tests have shown that the maximum stresses in the most stressed areas of the side frame, spring and pivot beams are within acceptable values, which indicates the presence of a residual life. The analysis of safety margin coefficients confirmed that the bogie elements have a significant reserve of operational characteristics. Calculations of the full service life of cast parts, performed based on the experimental data, demonstrated a sufficient residual life to prolong their use. It has been scientifically and experimentally proven that the cast parts of the UVZ-9M three-axle bogie can be safely operated for 5 years.

Unfortunately, nowadays, choosing the right child seat is a real problem, especially for new parents. When choosing a child seat, parents have to consider many factors. These include the method of mounting the seat, the mass of the seat, compatibility with a pram and information about crash tests and approvals. The main purpose of the article is to draw attention to the problem of choosing a safe child seat and the purchasing preferences of parents or legal guardians who decide to buy a child seat. For this purpose, a survey was conducted on a group of 950 people with children. The conducted research has shown that the main parameter influencing the choice of a child seat is the price for men and the social opinion and mass of the child seat for women. In addition, research has shown that most people decide to buy a child seat based on the installation system using a standard ISOFIX base.

The research presented in this article consisted of analysis of the ship structural accidents at low temperatures and the effect of carbon percentage in various classifications of carbon steel, compared to the high tensile strength steel materials. The objective of this research was to fill the knowledge gap by expanding the understanding of the influence of low temperature, material, and structure on the axial compression test of tubes. The simulations as idealization of the compression test were conducted with variations in temperature, material carbon percentage, and geometry shape, using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The results showed that at -100 °C, the material had the best ability to resist compression energy; high carbon steel had the highest strength at various carbon percentages, and the square geometry showed the best ability to absorb energy before failure.

The automobile cable systems for loading and unloading operations between the vehicle-support and vehicle-vehicle points are presented in this paper. The scheme of the automobile mobile cable system is based on a two-cable cableway. Based on this scheme, the parameters of the movement of goods by automobile cable systems are substantiated at variable parameters: mass m artificial loads together with the mass of the frame structure: 35 ≤ m ≤ 95 (kg); the angle of inclination α pairs of parallel ropes to the horizon: 10 ≤ α ≤ 15 (°); tension force ropes 2400 ≤ T_D ≤ 5000 (N). It has been established that the dominant effect on the minimum time T has angle α, then mass m and tension forces T_D ropes. At the same time, it is worth noting that the range of discrepancy of the quantities T values, when the above factors change, is insignificant and is close to 5,7 % for (m/α) and 6,6 % for (T_D/α).

A novel approach for traffic congestion assessment has been presented using percentile speeds as key indicators, focusing on urban roads. By evaluating the 98th, 85th, and 15th percentile speeds, authors of the research developed a congestion severity index, offering a more precise and intuitive method for analyzing traffic flow compared to traditional travel time-based indices. Key congestion indices, such as the Planning Time Index (PTI) and Travel Time Index (TTI) were compared to percentile speeds, revealing a significant association with the 15th and 85th percentile speeds. The K-means clustering technique was applied to classify congestion severity into three levels, validated by a high silhouette value indicating the robust clustering. The study's speed-based congestion severity index provides a practical and efficient framework for real-time congestion management, particularly in heterogeneous traffic environments.

The research presented in paper has focused on design of the transportation evacuation during a special flood caused by an accident at a water structure using GIS-enabled network analysis. Freely available population and address point data were used to calculate the number of residents at risk. Three scenarios of time required for each evacuation activity were determined using the PERT method, and the time required for evacuation was determined using a Gantt chart. The approach proposed in the paper is suitable for obtaining relatively quick results that can be taken into account when preparing for crisis events. The results of the case study proved that the evacuation can be carried out in the necessary time, but revealed possible shortcomings of the proposed approach. These shortcomings are discussed along with possible alternative solutions and other factors influencing the evacuation planning process.

This study conducts an in-depth exploration into the principal factors that influence the reliability of specialized rail cars and auto-rail vehicles. It places a particular emphasis on key performance metrics including the average operational duration prior to failure, the proba¬bility of faultless operation, the rate of failure, and the gamma-percentage resource. Addition¬ally, the paper examines various methodologies for computing these metrics and quantitatively evaluating their respective values. It elucidates how specific units of electromechanical equip¬ment, which operate in conjunction with asynchronous motors and clutches, exhibit distribution patterns during failure that overlap between exponential and normal distributions. The study further presents a mathematical formula to approximate the reliability density of the distribution, a critical factor in recalibrating the metrics associated with specialized rail cars.

This research was conducted to investigate the current state of transportation, as well as the transportation costs of the residents of towns with affordable residential houses, by preparing and presenting a questionnaire to these residents. In this questionnaire, things like housing costs, the amount of travel to the city center, satisfaction with public transportation services and its variety, easy access to public transportation and required places, the amount of use of public transportation and private vehicles were examined and solutions to reduce transportation costs were presented. Although the price of housing in the towns is lower than in the city center; the costs of transporting the residents of these towns are significant. In addition, the state of public transportation and access to needed places is unfavorable, so that about 60 % of the interviewees were dissatisfied with public transportation services.

E-rickshaws, as emerging transport modes, notably affect mixed traffic flow on urban roadways. To evaluate their influence relative to other vehicle types, this study aim was to determine the Passenger Car Unit (PCU) value for e-rickshaws, as the Indian Roads Congress has yet to assign one. Three analytical methods were used: Chandra’s method, the homogeneous coefficient method, and multiple linear regression. Data were gathered via three-hour video recordings at three different locations, each in Hapur and Sonipat. Using VLC media player, vehicle speeds and counts were extracted for analysis. The data were then processed in SPSS and Excel to derive equivalency values and assess influencing factors. Results indicate that the e-rickshaw’s PCU value increases with rising traffic speed, but decreases with higher e-rickshaw concentration. Additionally, when the traffic volume increases, but composition remains unchanged, the PCU value for e-rickshaws shows a declining trend. These findings can help to refine the traffic flow modelling in heterogeneous conditions.

A genetic algorithm (GA) is an optimization technique based on natural genetics, using selection, crossover, and mutation. Crossover combines genetic material from two parents to create offspring, maintaining diversity and preventing premature convergence. While the two parents are typically used, multi-parent crossover, involving more than two parents, has shown superior results. in this paper is explored the multi-parent crossover in dual genetic algorithms, which facilitate information exchange between populations through interpolation crossbreeding. Offspring inherit traits from both parent populations, improving adaptability. The Cave-Surface GA (CSGA) with three-parent crossover is tested on 15 Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) benchmarks. Results show that the CSGA outperforms both traditional GAs and two-parent CSGA. This method demonstrates great potential for complex optimization challenges.