Transportation systems are complex yet vital infrastructures. Different stakeholders have to work together to guarantee the most efficient traffic of humans and goods. Challenges that stakeholders face in such infrastructure systems, like divergent interests and attitudes, make it hard to predict behaviour. To understand the complex systems including the behaviour of the stakeholders, it is relevant to model decision-making processes. For this reason, simulation games were developed. The present article focuses on two different case studies. Both are studies in which board games were used. After explaining each case study, a comparative section follows to give an overview about advantages and disadvantages of the use of board games in the transportation sector.

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A large part of freight transport movements are part of a multimodal transport chain, in particular for port-related containerized transport flows. Because data of multimodal transports are unavailable it is challenging to develop a multimodal transport chain models. This paper describes the development of a new module for multimodal transport chains for modelling container transport within the Dutch strategic freight transport model “BasGoed”. The choice model distinguishes unimodal, bi-modal or tri-modal transport chains, depending on whether the transport chain is port-related. A direct road chain is available between each production and consumption combination; direct barge or rail transport is only available between seaports. A route enumeration module generates a choice set for each observed uni- or multimodal container transport. Since no directly observed PC data are available, a synthetic dataset was constructed with container flows between locations of production and consumption, using uni-modal observed transport data. Main assumption is that each container transported by rail or barge requires a road leg at the side of destination and/or origin, to complete the multimodal transport chain. Discrete choice models were estimated with different model structures. The best choice model that was found was a multinomial logit model, segmented by port dependency. The results show that a choice model can be estimated with significant parameters, and with plausible model sensitivities.@en

Synchromodal transport has the potential to offer flexible, reliable, cost-effective and sustainable freight transportation by enabling real-time switching between transport modes. Given the numerous stakeholders and network interdependencies within freight transport corridors, achieving efficient coordination and management is complex. Multiple stakeholders need to make consistent decisions under dynamic and time-pressed operational situations. Such situations request efficient information sharing, role awareness, optimization of services and assets in freight transport corridors. Situation Awareness (SA) has been proven as essential prerequisite for decision-making under dynamic operational situations. In this research, we aim to explore the decision choices and behavior of stakeholders related to synchromodal corridor management at various levels of SA. For this purpose, we developed a simulation game called 'Modal Manager' comprising logistic service providers and infrastructure managers. The participants of the game take over the role of infrastructure managers. They have to cooperate to solve several disruptions and incidents in a flexible way ensuring the time-efficient and reliable transportation of containers while maintaining the optimal utilization of the network. Our research study around the game includes a session consisting of briefing, game play and debriefing with transport professionals in the private and public sector in the Netherlands. The game results are expected to shed light on decision-making, information sharing strategies and interventions made by infrastructure managers for efficient synchromodal corridor management.

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