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Pricing Problems in Intermodal Freight Transport: Research Overview and Prospects

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  • Christine Tawfik

    (QuantOM, HEC Management School, University of Liege, B-4000 Liege, Belgium)

  • Sabine Limbourg

    (QuantOM, HEC Management School, University of Liege, B-4000 Liege, Belgium)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to consider the topic of pricing decisions in the context of intermodal transport as a subject of significant influence on intermodality’s success and the move towards environment friendly modes to bring about a European sustainable transport system. We review the state of research in intermodal pricing from an Operational Research (OR) perspective as a subject with a vital link to energy consumption and sustainability assessment. In particular, we study freight transport within a revenue-maximizing perspective. Driven by the political incentives to enhance its challenged market position, we direct our discussion to the particular gap in optimization approaches that tackle service prices as explicit tactical decisions from the carriers’ point of view. A suggestion to utilize the bilevel programming framework in the present context is put forward, as well as an account of its widely successful application to similar hierarchical decision schemes. Different approaches to express the shippers’ behaviour—the potential intermodal transport customers—within the lower level problem are proposed, along with the modelling implications of different possible objectives as well as the multimodal network structures.

Suggested Citation

  • Christine Tawfik & Sabine Limbourg, 2018. "Pricing Problems in Intermodal Freight Transport: Research Overview and Prospects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-22, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:9:p:3341-:d:170664
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    2. Hu, Qiaolin & Gu, Weihua & Wang, Shuaian, 2022. "Optimal subsidy scheme design for promoting intermodal freight transport," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    3. Bart Van Riessen & Judith Mulder & Rudy R. Negenborn & Rommert Dekker, 2021. "Revenue management with two fare classes in synchromodal container transportation," Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 623-662, September.
    4. Stephen Okyere & Jiaqi Yang & Charles Anum Adams, 2022. "Optimizing the Sustainable Multimodal Freight Transport and Logistics System Based on the Genetic Algorithm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-21, September.
    5. Bilegan, Ioana C. & Crainic, Teodor Gabriel & Wang, Yunfei, 2022. "Scheduled service network design with revenue management considerations and an intermodal barge transportation illustration," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 300(1), pages 164-177.
    6. Martin, Florian & Hemmelmayr, Vera C. & Wakolbinger, Tina, 2021. "Integrated express shipment service network design with customer choice and endogenous delivery time restrictions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 294(2), pages 590-603.
    7. Jili Kong & Ziyu Chen & Xiaoping Liu, 2022. "A Review of Logistics Pricing Research Based on Game Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-20, August.
    8. Anastasia Christodoulou & Zeeshan Raza & Johan Woxenius, 2019. "The Integration of RoRo Shipping in Sustainable Intermodal Transport Chains: The Case of a North European RoRo Service," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-17, April.
    9. Tamannaei, Mohammad & Zarei, Hamid & Rasti-Barzoki, Morteza, 2021. "A game theoretic approach to sustainable freight transportation: Competition between road and intermodal road–rail systems with government intervention," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 272-295.
    10. Lukas Hardi & Ulrich Wagner, 2019. "Grocery Delivery or Customer Pickup—Influences on Energy Consumption and CO 2 Emissions in Munich," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-20, January.
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    12. Lijuan Yang & Eldon Y. Li & Yu Zhang, 2020. "Pricing and Subsidy Models for Transshipment Sustainability in the Three Gorges Dam Region of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-20, August.
    13. Wang, Zhenjie & Zhang, Dezhi & Tavasszy, Lóránt & Fazi, Stefano, 2023. "Integrated multimodal freight service network design and pricing with a competing service integrator and heterogeneous shipper classes," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
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