A model of managers’ preferences for location of freight facilities

The paper reviews the need for a better understanding of the factors which affect the location of freight facilities, such as depots, terminals, freight forwarding centres, distribution centres, etc. The development of an Elimination by Aspects (EBA) model to analyse such location decisions by the managers of freight firms is described. The results are shown to be comparable (perhaps even superior to) those obtained with a logit model. Conclusions are drawn with respect to both the use of the EBA model to analyse freight facility location preference, and the factors which affect such preference. Five factors were found to be significant: closeness to existing customers, closeness to arterial roads, availability of suitable sites, cost of truck fleet operation, and closeness to labor.

Key words:

• Freight
• Location
• Preference
• Modelling
• Elimination‐by‐Aspects Model
• Logit Model
• Transport Planning
• Urban Planning