The impacts produced by freight activities are profound and complex;
because while the freight system is a crucial contributor to a vibrant
economy and a key determinant to quality of life, it is also a major source of environmental pollution,
unwanted noise and potential safety hazards. Simply put, freight activity produces both positive and negative impacts on modern urban living.
On the positive side, an efficient freight system is a necessary condition for economic competitiveness and for realizing the
full potential of economic globalization. On the negative side, freight activities produce significant amounts of negative externalities which,
in turn, generate community opposition.
The speakers are world renowned experts in the above areas. The workshop would address practical applications,
government policies, decision making, methodologies and technology for freight modelling and optimization,
innovative solutions and experiential results.
Who Should Attend
The workshop will be ideal for decision makers in both government and private sectors,
transportation and logistics researchers, truckers, freight operators at ports and airport,
urban freight companies, and businesses that have significant urban goods movement/delivery.
Jointly organized by Center of Excellence in Urban Transport, IIT Madras
VREF's Center of Excellence for Sustainable Urban Freight Systems, RPI, Troy, NY
The Center of Excellence in Urban Transport (CoE-UT) located at IIT Madras undertakes
cutting-edge research and development activities for solving Urban Transport's most pressing problems and challenges.
The CoE-UT, comprises eight institutions of technical learning, is sponsored by Ministry of Urban Development,
Government of India. The CoE-UT undertakes R&D, education, and technology transfer in the following focus areas.
- Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in Urban areas
- Advanced Urban Transportation Systems Planning
- Congestion Management and Road Safety
- Urban Transportation Infrastructure Management
The Center of Excellence on Sustainable Urban Freight Systems (CoE-SUFS) is a collaboration of the
world's leading urban freight research groups that decided to work together to collectively transform urban freight systems.
The goal of the CoE-SUFS is to jumpstart an integrative and participatory process involving cities, private sector,
and researchers that leads to the implementation of urban freight system paradigms that are sustainable,
increase quality of life and economic efficiency, and address environmental justice.
Such a holistic goal ensures that all key impacts are considered, as focusing on only one aspect could make things worse in the others.
The objectives are to: have a direct impact on real life; foster cutting edge research; become the focal point for discussion of
urban freight systems issues; foster integrated planning of freight and passenger transport, and land use systems;
design and implement actionable strategies to transform urban freight systems; educate a new generation of scholars
and practitioners with a global view of urban freight systems; and gain a world reputation as an agent of change.
IIT Madras is a founding Associated Research Center of CoE-SUFS.