FREIGHT MODE CHOICE ANALYSIS: THE CASE OF ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORTATION IN MYANMAR

Abstract

Freight transport is considered as essential for being a major industry in itself as well as an integral part of every sector of the economy. Considering its critical role in economy, it is essential to understand the nature of freight transport systems and how the goods are distributed and processed depending on industrial conditions. Understanding mode choice is at the heart of freight transportation planning.

Irrespective of this, freight mode choice and freight transport systems has been untouched and ignored in Myanmar. With the projected growing economic activities and reforms, it is highly essential to study mode choice behaviour. Literature review also highlights that mode choice are different from one context to another.

Noting this, transport geography of Myanmar is first reviewed. After that, the general characteristics of freight users are examined focusing on their attitudes and satisfaction towards the current road and rail system. Then mode choice behaviour of road and rail transport are analysed estimating the parameters for the attributes utilizing binary logit models for certain commodities based on the Stated Preference Survey. Elasticities are also derived from the successful estimated disaggregate models to understand the sensitivity of the changes in those attributes. Then the policy analysis in Myanmar context is conducted. Finally, contributions and future directions of this thesis are presented