Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator: Difference between revisions

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OnTrackNorthAmerica, in partnership with the University of Tennessee’s [https://isse.utk.edu/ Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment], has gathered data on seventeen lifecycle costs and impacts of building, using, and maintaining highways for truck freight transportation versus railroads and trains. The dataset powers an online tool, the <b>Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator</b>, which allows stakeholders to apply the information to individual projects, systems, and regions. This is the world’s first side-by-side comparison of each land freight mode's lifecycle return on investment. After a year-long peer review, our work was published on October 9<sup>th</sup>, 2024, in the “[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15568318.2024.2411588?src=exp-la#abstract International Journal of Sustainable Transportation].”     
OnTrackNorthAmerica, in partnership with the University of Tennessee’s [https://isse.utk.edu/ Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment], has gathered data on seventeen lifecycle costs and impacts of building, using, and maintaining highways for truck freight transportation versus railroads and trains. The dataset powers an online tool, the <b>Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator</b>, which allows stakeholders to apply the information to individual projects, systems, and regions. This is the world’s first side-by-side comparison of each land freight mode's lifecycle return on investment. After a year-long peer review, our work was published on October 9<sup>th</sup>, 2024, in the “[https://ontracknorthamerica.org/images/1/1c/2_Comparative_evaluation_of_highways_and_railroads_using_life-cycle_benefit-cost_analysis.pdf International Journal of Sustainable Transportation].”     


{{ReadMore|Text Here=The transportation sector significantly influences our environment and quality of life. Yet legislators, planners, project developers, and citizens have lacked a comprehensive assessment tool for investment decisions in rail versus highway projects, even while transport infrastructure receives significant public and private-sector capital. Investment in highways to accommodate an overreliance on trucks for moving freight continues unabated, with little grasp of that investment's actual return and costs.
{{ReadMore|Text Here=The transportation sector significantly influences our environment and quality of life. Yet legislators, planners, project developers, and citizens have lacked a comprehensive assessment tool for investment decisions in rail versus highway projects, even while transport infrastructure receives significant public and private-sector capital. Investment in highways to accommodate an overreliance on trucks for moving freight continues unabated, with little grasp of that investment's actual return and costs.
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The Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator includes data from prior research conducted in the United States. When impact factors were not researched in the U.S., overseas research was used. We are working to initiate further primary research to address these geographic gaps and to study other impact factors. All data will be regularly updated and disseminated.  
The Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator includes data from prior research conducted in the United States. When impact factors were not researched in the U.S., overseas research was used. We are working to initiate further primary research to address these geographic gaps and to study other impact factors. All data will be regularly updated and disseminated.  


This data powers up wiser investment decisions that optimize the use of highways and railroads. Letting go of competition and instituting smart collaboration will benefit all service providers and communities. Adopting a complete lifecycle analysis will significantly enhance progress toward critical environmental, economic, and quality-of-life goals.}}
This data powers up wiser investment decisions that optimize the use of highways and railroads. Letting go of competition and instituting smart collaboration will benefit all service providers and communities. Adopting a complete lifecycle analysis will significantly enhance progress toward critical environmental, economic, and quality-of-life goals.}}
Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator
It takes 2 steps to view the impact of a freight shipment:
Input
1) Enter total distance traveled between the origin and destination.

2) Enter the total amount of freight in:

Output
Results Statement:
The total cost of shipping 2000 tons of freight 1500 miles by highway is $878,580 higher than shipping by rail.
Data Details
$745.4k$119.2k$216.6k$1.1M$127.7k$50.2k$24.7k$202.6k00.2M0.4M0.6M0.8M1MConstructing & Operating Environmental Social Total
RailHighwayHighway-Railroad Comparison Lifecycle Costs by Category
View all metrics or uncheck two boxes to view a single category
$-1k$90$330$2.9k$4k$5.7k$14.2k$26.1k$32.5k$63.8k$68.1k$86.1k$89.4k$96.6k$126.5k$166.8k$299.1k$-3.6k$60$1.3k$1.9k$4.9k$14.2k$3.4k$39.9k$35.8k$2.5k$28.6k$3.2k$22.2k$10.8k$37.4k−20k020k40k60k80k100k120k140k160k180k200k220k240k260k280k300k−40kEnd of Life Asset ValueToxic ReleasesLand CostWildlife VitalityPeaceful EnjoymentWater & Soil PollutionNoise PollutionInfrastructure MaintenanceGreenhouse GasesCriteria PollutantsInitial ConstructionCongestionEnergyVehicle MaintenanceSafetyTransport EquipmentLabor & Administration
RailHighwayHighway-Railroad Comparison Lifecycle Costs by Category
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<div class="header-title">Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator</div>
<div class="bold-title">It takes 2 steps to view the impact of a freight shipment:</div>
 
<section class="header-calc">
<div class="blue-title-sec">Input</div>
<div class="header-calc-inner-sec">
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<div class="clk-mb-50">1) Enter total distance traveled between the origin and destination.</div>
<div class="frm-grd1">
<div><label>Miles:</label></div>
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<h3>2) Enter the total amount of freight in:</h3>
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<div><label>Tons</label></div>
<div><input type="text" oninput="showAll(1)" id="inputtotalfreight" value="2000"></div>
<div><label>Truckloads</label></div>
<div><input type="text" oninput="showAll(2)" id="inputtotalTruckloads" value="50"></div>
<div><label>Railcars</label></div>
<div><input type="text" oninput="showAll(3)" id="inputtotalRailcars" value="3"></div>
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<div class="blue-title-sec">Output</div>
<div class="bold-title">Results Statement:</div>
 
 
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<div id="CO2textfull"></div>
 
<div id="Congestiontextfull"></div>
 
<div id="Energytextfull"></div>
 
<div class="plug-paragraph">
Research for this tool was performed by Mingzhou Jin, Ph.D, David Clarke, Ph.D, and Sarita Rattanakunuprakarn at the University of Tennessee Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Research was adapted for this calculator by Jack Burke, OnTrackNorthAmerica. Project Lead for feedback or other inquiries: Michael Sussman, CEO - OnTrackNorthAmerica.
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<div class="plug-paragraph" style="margin-top: 30px">
$51,000 funding for this project has been thoughtfully donated by Powell Felix, OTNA Board member and longtime shortline railroad owner.
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Latest revision as of 14:54, 20 February 2025

OnTrackNorthAmerica, in partnership with the University of Tennessee’s Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment, has gathered data on seventeen lifecycle costs and impacts of building, using, and maintaining highways for truck freight transportation versus railroads and trains. The dataset powers an online tool, the Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator, which allows stakeholders to apply the information to individual projects, systems, and regions. This is the world’s first side-by-side comparison of each land freight mode's lifecycle return on investment. After a year-long peer review, our work was published on October 9th, 2024, in the “International Journal of Sustainable Transportation.”

The transportation sector significantly influences our environment and quality of life. Yet legislators, planners, project developers, and citizens have lacked a comprehensive assessment tool for investment decisions in rail versus highway projects, even while transport infrastructure receives significant public and private-sector capital. Investment in highways to accommodate an overreliance on trucks for moving freight continues unabated, with little grasp of that investment's actual return and costs.

Conventional cost-benefit analysis narrowly focuses on only a few factors, excluding most financial, environmental, and social concerns. OnTrackNorthAmerica’s Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator is vital in rethinking our infrastructure and industrial systems for the 21st century and beyond. Given our pressing need to foster economic prosperity, while minimizing the effects of industrial systems on our vulnerable environments and communities, it is essential to consider all lifecycle costs in investment decisions.

Trucks must continue their vital role; the goal isn't to promote one mode over another. It is time to integrate modes into a balanced, productive system. Unfortunately, the complete costs of transportation infrastructure are seldom estimated or paid. While the direct costs are paid via construction and shipping fees, the indirect, externalized costs are absorbed by society and the natural environment. The data shows that the total lifecycle cost of a highway project is approximately five times the lifecycle cost of a railroad project. Although some legislators and planners are attuned to rail transport’s general efficiencies and benefits, the previous lack of an analytical tool has stifled wise decision-making and sound, sustainable investments.

Highway-centric freight transportation has many more impacts than the understandable focus on CO2 emissions. For instance, it takes a 27-mile convoy of trucks on the highway to move the same goods as a one-mile train on its own right-of-way. This truck congestion increases travel time for everyone and affects the entire system's reliability. Consider the difference in light pollution, an increasing problem for wildlife and humans. The goods carried by a mile-long train require 300 tractor-trailers, each with headlights, taillights, and side lights. The train, meanwhile, has two lights on the front of the lead locomotive and a red end-of-train device on the last railcar with reflective tape on the railcar sides. Light pollution is one of the impacts of this large number of trucks, along with increased air pollution, congestion, and road wear. Tire wear is now the largest source of microplastics in our oceans.

The Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator includes data from prior research conducted in the United States. When impact factors were not researched in the U.S., overseas research was used. We are working to initiate further primary research to address these geographic gaps and to study other impact factors. All data will be regularly updated and disseminated.

This data powers up wiser investment decisions that optimize the use of highways and railroads. Letting go of competition and instituting smart collaboration will benefit all service providers and communities. Adopting a complete lifecycle analysis will significantly enhance progress toward critical environmental, economic, and quality-of-life goals.

Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator
It takes 2 steps to view the impact of a freight shipment:
Input
1) Enter total distance traveled between the origin and destination.

2) Enter the total amount of freight in:

Output
Results Statement:
Data Details
View all metrics or uncheck two boxes to view a single category

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