Project Description
In this project, we are considering different metrics to improve and optimize freight performances across all modes of transport; road, rail, air and sea, domestically within Australia.
While the given data sets are sufficient to maintain the current freight performances, there are some metrics that have not been considered to ensure optimized freight performances.
This proposal states the different aspects that may impact the logistics of freight management.
We are also proposing a government platform to to track freights in real-time using IoT devices. This will ensure that government have full access and understanding of what is going on, and plan ahead given current treds.
Data Story
What should we define as key metrics?
Through intensive review, collections and modelling of the data provided by the national freight data from government and industry (nfdh), we were able to find major metrics to universally measure freight performances across several modes of transportation.
The key metrics we have found includes:
- Transportation cost
- Transportation time
- Storage and parking cost
- Product damage rate
- Traffic impact
- Safety
- Corbon footprint
- Value/weight efficiency
We have also found data and other metrics that can help predict the performance of a freight. This can help governments and businesses to plan and simulate a trip.
The key metrics to plan and predict include:
- Road conditions (crashes/road blocks) It can be separated as crashes and road works because we have different datasets for each
- Weather conditions/major events We should talk about temperature changes because it affects the fuel usage, tire pressure, battery usage etc.
- Global issue/events (war/covid) We have to say each one should be taken individually because there can be no data or prediction for, lets say, Covid-19
- Traffic conditions (current or expected)
- Production growth Data can be gathered from https://www.ga.gov.au/ and we should talk about the benefits of this part that how prediction of production can affect the performance and place suggestions that can be given by nfdh for industrial sites can increase the freight performance.
Can we harmonies performance measures across modes to fully represent the amount and value of freight each mode carries?
Using these data and the type of goods transported, we can provide businesses with guidelines, on which type of transport is best for the type of goods transported.
Where are the gaps in our data?
We have found that there are some gaps in the data, where with inclusion of these data and data types will help the government and businesses have a much greater understanding of the network.
We have found that Northern Territory provides road blocks/traffics data in nfdh dataset, however, we did not find data from other states. We have found that other states/territories have separate data not linked to nfdh. By harmonizing all states and territories, to create a national database, would help interstate travelling freights.
We also have found that there are no traffic crash data within the nfdh datasets. This is another dataset that would help the planning and simulation for freights, giving government and businesses the ability to avoid them to ensure smooth delivery time.
How do we define a baseline to benchmark performance over time?
We have found that the best baseline performance measurement over time includes:
- Time
- Cost
- Damage rate
- On time delivery rate
Suggestions
We have created a website that allows businesses to plan and track freights. This will ensure that the users have sufficient knowledge and understanding of what to expect.
This website also calculates the cost, wait time, travel and carbon footprint.
We are also proposing that the government creates a platform, mandated for businesses to use. This platform will require businesses to enter freight data such as location (through IoT tracking) and destination. This allows for real time tracking of freights, where the government have the details of what is happening and what is expected in the future and plan accordingly.
Based on the real time freight data and traffic conditions, the platform can ensure business can plan and record their freights in real time.
We also have to talk/suggest about IoT and sensory data that can be used additionally.
