An examination of commodities carried and industries served by urban freight transport revealed that nearly half the tonnage moved is in the form of bulk products (sand and gravel, petroleum, cement, etc), though, in past studies, attention has been focused on the problems of general freight carriers to the exclusion of the others. The current review revealed that problems faced by carriers of bulk materials tend to be different from those faced by carriers of general goods.

• Utilisation of Urban Road Freight Vehicles
  
  op_039.pdf
  (5.2 MB)

Estimates of the operating costs of ships are central to the analysis of a range of issues in shipping and ports investment and operations. As part of BTE studies a substantial body of information on ships operations had been assembled. This paper has generalised that information into statistical relationships for three ship types serving Australia–Bulk, Roll on/Roll off and Container Vessels. The scheme for the analysis follows that of Goss (1974).

• An Estimate of Operating Costs for Bulk, Ro-ro and Container Ships
  
  ip_004.pdf
  (2.58 MB)

This Information Paper identifies for 1979–80 the freight movements which occurred on Australian railways and the sizes of particular flows. To a large extent this Information Paper represents an update of an earlier Bureau of Transport Economics (BTE) publication entitled Australian Rail Freight Movements, 1975–76.

• Australian Rail Freight Movements 1979–80
  
  ip_008.pdf
  (6.68 MB)

This report is on the economic and financial benefits and costs of providing standard gauge railway lines to the ports of Brisbane, Melbourne and Geelong. The terms of reference for the study also required the BTE to examine the possible standardisation of the Tocumwal-Mangalore railway line because of the interdependence between the proposed Tocumwal-Mangalore and Melbourne-Geelong links. As a result, the study covered standard gauge links to Fisherman Islands (Brisbane), Swanson Dock (Melbourne) and Geelong, with the latter project including a standard gauge connection between Tocumwal and Mangalore.

• Evaluation of Standard Gauge Rail Connections to Selected Ports
  
  report_054.pdf
  (10.45 MB)

In July 1984, the Federal Bureau of Transport Economics organised a seminar to enable the problems of the shore-based shipping industry to be discussed by its senior representatives. The seminar delegates agreed that there was a need for a review of shore-based shipping operations and subsequently the Federal Minister for Transport, the Hon. Peter Morris MHR, established an Industry Task Force on Shore-based Shipping Costs which reported in June 1986. The Bureau provided research support to the Task Force, and this Paper is based on the results of that research and some further analysis.

• Shore-Based Shipping Costs, Non-Bulk Cargo
  
  op_080.pdf
  (13.99 MB)

On 11 September 1985, Terms of Reference directing the Bureau of Transport Economics to undertake an assessment of the costs and benefits of closing Australian National's Tasmanian rail system were announced. This Paper provides details of freight projections derived from an examination of the future prospects for those industries using rail services within Tasmania.

• Tasmanian Industry Outlook: Implications for Tasrail
  
  ip_024.pdf
  (4.69 MB)

In December 1986, the Australian Transport Advisory Council (ATAC) sought the assistance of the Bureau of Transport Economics in undertaking a review of transport research in Australia. The aims of the resulting study carried out by the Bureau were to identify the nature and extent of current Australian transport research, to assess priority areas for future research and to address coordination issues pertinent to delivery of an effective research effort. Following consideration at the December 1987 meeting of ATAC the results of the review are to be used as a basis for discussion at a seminar on transport research to be convened early in 1988.

• Shore-Based Shipping Costs: Transport and Handling of Bulk Cargo
  
  ip_026.pdf
  (3.74 MB)

The discussion of domestic aviation issues in Australia has historically focused on the passenger market. This reflects the dominance of passenger transport in the operations of the domestic airlines and the relatively small proportion of domestic cargo that is carried by air. Despite this emphasis on passenger operations, the Commonwealth Government has implemented regulations specifically directed at air cargo and the major airlines have evolved separate strategies for cargo traffic in recent years. Cargo is now an important element of Australia's domestic aviation industry and is a significant source of income for several carriers. This Paper presents the findings of a BTE study of the domestic air cargo industry in Australia.

• Domestic Air Cargo Industry in Australia
  
  op_087.pdf
  (5.59 MB)

Changes in the markets for Australia's refrigerated exports have created pressures on cargo facilities on ships and at ports. This demand has led some exporters to express concern at the difficulties in obtaining sufficient cargo space, particularly during the peak season. This Paper aims to provide an overview of the seaborne export of refrigerated goods, identify whether problems exist and their magnitudes, and explore possible future directions for change.

• Shortages in Refrigerated Shipping
  
  op_094.pdf
  (6.03 MB)

In the past, there have been many occasions when decision makers have wanted to know the likely effects of proposed policies on the different transport industries involved in moving non-bulk freight around Australia. Their decisions have been hampered by a lack of data on the magnitude of, and trends in, nonbulk freight flows between capital cities and almost no usable estimates of the determinants of intercapital freight flows on all modes.

• Freight Flows in Australian Transport Corridors
  
  op_098.pdf
  (5.42 MB)