Simulating urban freight flows with combined shopping and restocking demand models

This paper presents the development of a modelling system to simulate urban freight flows and preliminary results of a survey carried out to investigate end-consumer behaviour. The set of models involves the simulation of end-consumer choices in relation to type of retail outlet (e.g. small, medium or large) since such choices undoubtedly impact on freight distribution flows. Indeed, the characteristics of the restocking process are strictly related to the type of retail activities to be restocked in terms of delivery size, delivery frequency, freight vehicle type and so on. The paper details each model for shopping mobility origin-destination matrix estimation and investigates the main variables affecting behaviour in relation to trip generation and type of retail outlet.