INTERMODAL FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION AND HIGHWAY SAFETY

The shift away from the use of a single mode of transportation for a s hipment in favor of an intermodal approach is an important trend in co ntemporary freight transportation. One interesting aspect of the shift of truck traffic to railroad intermodal service is the corresponding impact on highway safety. Every highway trailer shifted to intermodal service represents a change in. combination truck traffic patterns on the highway system, as do intermodal services which capture new busine ss before it ever reaches the highway system. The goal of this study w as to identify potential. implications of intermodal transportation on highway safety. The research specifically attempts to quantify the ef fect of rail-highway intermodalism on truck vehicle-miles of travel an d to assess the resulting effects on highway accidents. Impacts are ca lculated for the years 1992-1993 and, to aid policy decisions, for the year 2010.