Exploring balanced modal split for freight transportation system: A case of the central region of South Africa

Das, Dillip Kumar; Mokobori, Boiki J; Gopinath, Rakesh

Abstract

Ensuring sustainability in transportation systems demands a harmonious distribution of freight. In the regional context of South Africa, road and rail transportation play pivotal roles, yet a significant imbalance exists, posing sustainability challenges. This study aims to identify key factors influencing freight transport, develop empirical cost models, and simulate scenarios to achieve equilibrium in regional freight distribution. Employing survey research, data was collected from freight companies and analysed using inferential statistics and empirical modelling. It employed a utility choice function model for simulating scenarios conducive to achieving a balanced freight transport system. Findings suggest that currently, compared to rail freight, road freight transport dominates, leading to an imbalanced system. Critical factors that influence include load cost, loading/offloading times, fuel expenses, and travel duration. However, sensitivity analyses revealed that targeted reductions in travel time, loading/offloading times, load cost, and fuel expenses could lead to a substantial shift towards rail transport, promoting a more balanced system. This study provides actionable insights for stakeholders. By addressing influential variables, such as load cost, loading/offloading times, fuel expenses, and travel duration, the freight industry can work towards equitable coexistence of road and rail transport. This study highlights the prevalence of road-based freight transport in the region and demonstrates the potential for equilibrium through interventions in key variables.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 29, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Jun 4, 2025
• Publication Date: May 31, 2025
• Deposit Date: Aug 15, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 15, 2025
• Journal: Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives
• Print ISSN: 2590-1982
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 31
• Article Number: 101479
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2025.101479
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/14683399
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Exploring balanced modal split for freight transportation system: A case of the central region of South Africa; Journal Title: Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2025.101479; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.