The production and export of wheat is important for Australia and its storage and transport represents a significant load on domestic resources. This report presents the results of a study of the costs of transporting the wheat harvest from the production areas to the ports in order to meet both domestic and international demand.

• Transportation of the Australian Wheat Harvest
  
  report_038.pdf
  (8.8 MB)

The study is based on analysis of all wagon movements in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and on the ComRail system (as it was then) for the month of May 1974. Data editing and analysis has resulted in a detailed assessment of wagon utilisation dissected by wagon type and commodity or traffic carried.

• Railway Freight Operations: Survey of Wagon Utilisation
  
  op_023a.pdf
  (7.12 MB)

The uncompleted Sandy Hollow-Maryvale railway in New South Wales has a somewhat chequered history. It was finally begun in 1936 after inquiries stretching back to 1911. Construction was slowed to almost a standstill by World War II, accelerated in the early post war years and then abandoned in 1951 due to a shortage of capital.

Subsequent moves to complete the railway foundered in the face of unfavourable economic assessment.

This report presents the results of an economic benefit-cost analysis of a recent proposal for the completion of the railway against the background of the discovery of massive proven coal reserves along the line.

• Sandy Hollow–Maryvale Railway: Economic Evaluation of Proposed Completion
  
  report_043.pdf
  (4.51 MB)

This Report investigates the structure, market conduct and performance of the domestic long distance freight industry with particular emphasis on the long distance road transport sector and the intermodal competition it faces.

All sectors of the industry appear to be highly competitive. Not only is there competition within the industry, but rail has the potential to capture a significant amount of the long distance freight market from road. The terms of reference as given by the Minister are contained in Appendix 1 of this Report.

• The Long Distance Road Haulage Industry
  
  report_041.pdf
  (6.36 MB)

This Report sets out recommended new rates of assistance to be paid under the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme on eligible southbound cargoes and on northbound shipments of livestock and timber.

The southbound rates were recalculated to meet a direction issued by the Commonwealth Government when the Freight Equalisation Scheme was first introduced, while the direction to recalculate timber rates arose from recommendations made in the 1978 BTE report giving new northbound TFES rates.

The investigation of northbound livestock rates was initially directed towards determining whether higher rates of assistance should be paid on consignments of stud animals, but during the course of the study the terms of reference were widened to cover all livestock shipments.

This paper presents estimates of the concentration of ownership and the geographic distribution of the Australian trucking fleet.

• Some Characteristics of Truck Ownership in Australia
  
  op_040.pdf
  (4.62 MB)

The present work builds on that published previously (BTE Occasional Paper 6, Photochemical Pollution in Australian Airsheds) to develop a discussion of the basic principles and specific measures appropriate to the improvement of urban air quality.

• A Guide to the Control of Photochemical Pollution
  
  op_041.pdf
  (7.24 MB)

The desirability of de-regulating road freight has long been a subject of discussion and action by governments in Australia. A recent visit to the United Kingdom by Dr K.W. Ogden provided an opportunity for a brief study of the impact of de-regulation of road freight in Britain. The paper examines the effect of the regulations currently in force in Britain and also examines several aspects of road freight regulation in Britain which may be relevant to freight policy in Australia.

• Review of Road Freight Regulation in Britain
  
  op_043.pdf
  (4.59 MB)

The work reported in this paper has been undertaken because of a concern for a general tendency in the transport community to make sweeping statements about the desirability of diverting traffic from one mode to another in order to save fuel. Such pronouncements can be misleading when applied to any particular case, so a need exists to establish the proper basis for examining and comparing the energy performance of alternative modes of transport.

• Freight Transport Energy Consumption: A Comparison Between the Efficiency of the Modes in the Non-Bulk Task
  
  op_045.pdf
  (4.33 MB)

The study identifies and measures the transport task undertaken for the principal rural products in terms of three variables: tonnes consigned, tonne kilometres performed and freight charges paid by the users. It is considered the study provides valuable insights into the nature and size of the rural product transport task in Australia.

• Estimates of the Task of Transporting Principal Rural Products in Australia in 1975–76
  
  ip_005.pdf
  (5.48 MB)