Waterways ResearchWaterways Research

Inland Navigation Appointment System Inland Navigation Appointment System StudyStudy

Upper Mississippi River Locks 20-25Upper Mississippi River Locks 20-25

Center for Transportation StudiesCenter for Transportation StudiesUniversity of Missouri, St. LouisUniversity of Missouri, St. Louis

UMR-IW Navigation UMR-IW Navigation SystemSystem

CTS White Paper for CTS White Paper for IATPIATP Original research sponsored by Original research sponsored by

the Institute for Agriculture and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.Trade Policy.

$10,000 partnership effort.$10,000 partnership effort. Final product was a white paper Final product was a white paper

for IATP.for IATP.

Ronen/Nauss CTS Ronen/Nauss CTS White Paper for IATPWhite Paper for IATP

Presented an overview of the following Presented an overview of the following potential solutions to congestion at the potential solutions to congestion at the locks in the UMR-IW system:locks in the UMR-IW system:

– Increase carrying capacity of the locksIncrease carrying capacity of the locks– Reduce the level of demand for the serviceReduce the level of demand for the service– Reduce the variability of demandReduce the variability of demand– Reduce the lock service timesReduce the lock service times– Reduce the variability of lock service timesReduce the variability of lock service times

Possibilities for Possibilities for Reduction of Waiting Reduction of Waiting Times Times

Increase Capacity of system: build Increase Capacity of system: build bigger locks.bigger locks.

Reduce the level or variability of Reduce the level or variability of demand: demand management demand: demand management measures.measures.

Reduce the variability or length of Reduce the variability or length of the average service time: the average service time: operational improvements.operational improvements.

Demand Management Demand Management StrategiesStrategies

Objective of demand management: Objective of demand management: Lower the peak demand levelLower the peak demand level

Financial strategies (price mechanisms) :Financial strategies (price mechanisms) :– Congestion feesCongestion fees– Price the Lockage ServicePrice the Lockage Service

Operational strategies:Operational strategies:– Regular Schedules of Service (buses, trains)Regular Schedules of Service (buses, trains)– Appointment systems (health care, air traffic)Appointment systems (health care, air traffic)

Strategy ComparisonStrategy Comparison

Pricing mechanisms are Pricing mechanisms are controversial and potentially controversial and potentially damaging to an already very weak damaging to an already very weak barge transportation industry.barge transportation industry.

Operational Strategy advantages:Operational Strategy advantages:– Short time to implementationShort time to implementation– Minimal financial burden on the barge Minimal financial burden on the barge

industry or taxpayersindustry or taxpayers– More flexible and customizableMore flexible and customizable

Ronen/Nauss Ronen/Nauss ConclusionsConclusions Revisit the “Small Scale Revisit the “Small Scale

Measures” evaluated by the Measures” evaluated by the Corps in 1999.Corps in 1999.11

Investigate the feasibility of an Investigate the feasibility of an Appointment System.Appointment System.

1 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Upper Mississippi River - Illinois Waterway System Navigation Study: Summary of Small-Scale Measures Screening (Interim Report), April 1999, Rock Island, St. Louis, and St. Paul Districts

DOT Volpe Center DOT Volpe Center ReportReport Published in September 2003Published in September 2003 Examined in greater detail for the Examined in greater detail for the

Corps the following alternatives:Corps the following alternatives:– Excess Lockage Time FeesExcess Lockage Time Fees– Tradable Time PermitsTradable Time Permits– Long Term Advance SchedulingLong Term Advance Scheduling– Appointment SystemAppointment System

Volpe ConclusionsVolpe Conclusions

Volpe Center concluded that:Volpe Center concluded that:– Lockage Time Fees are inadvisable due Lockage Time Fees are inadvisable due

to cost ineffectivenessto cost ineffectiveness– Tradable Time Permits and Long-term Tradable Time Permits and Long-term

Scheduling are infeasible because of the Scheduling are infeasible because of the UMR-IW system’s scope and variabilityUMR-IW system’s scope and variability

– A more modest Appointment System A more modest Appointment System shows promise, and should be shows promise, and should be investigated furtherinvestigated further

A Complementary A Complementary Approach . . .Approach . . . Both lock expansion and an appointment Both lock expansion and an appointment

system will reduce congestion, but these system will reduce congestion, but these are not necessarily mutually exclusive are not necessarily mutually exclusive efforts.efforts.

As the National Academy of Sciences As the National Academy of Sciences Recommended in their Recommended in their “Review of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Upper Mississippi-Illinois Waterway Restructured Feasibility Study: Interim Report”:

Managing Waterway Managing Waterway CongestionCongestion

“The current system for managing UMR-IWW traffic operates largely on a first-come, first-serve basis. It is possible that new traffic management measures would reduce congestion in a cost-effective manner. Unless an efficient system for managing waterway traffic is in place, it is not possible to evaluate the benefits of lock extensions. Nonstructural measures such as scheduling systems, systems of tradable arrival slots, or a contingent fee--as challenging as their implementation may be--could be implemented instead of extending locks or could be used in combination with lock extensions.”

UM-SL CTS Research UM-SL CTS Research Proposal to MTCProposal to MTC Competed for a research grant from the Competed for a research grant from the

Midwest Transportation Consortium (DOT Midwest Transportation Consortium (DOT funds).funds).

IATP, the Institute for Agriculture and IATP, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, is the cost sharing NGO co-Trade Policy, is the cost sharing NGO co-sponsor.sponsor.

Corps supplies data and a model to Corps supplies data and a model to simulate barge and locking operations simulate barge and locking operations over one year time periods on a portion of over one year time periods on a portion of the UMR-IW system currently subject to the UMR-IW system currently subject to significant congestion. significant congestion.

The MTC/IATP/Corps The MTC/IATP/Corps ResearchResearch Focus on measuring the economic Focus on measuring the economic

benefits and costs of an appointment benefits and costs of an appointment system.system.

Will develop a robust simulation tool to Will develop a robust simulation tool to measure the effects of a variety of measure the effects of a variety of scheduling strategies.scheduling strategies.

Will prepare the groundwork for Will prepare the groundwork for additional operational testing of an additional operational testing of an appointment system.appointment system.

Team for CTS StudyTeam for CTS Study

Research Team is composed of Research Team is composed of recognized Logistics and recognized Logistics and Operations Research experts:Operations Research experts:– Ray A. Mundy, Ph.D.Ray A. Mundy, Ph.D.– Robert Nauss, Ph.D.Robert Nauss, Ph.D.– David Ronen, Ph.D.David Ronen, Ph.D.– L. Douglas Smith, Ph.D.L. Douglas Smith, Ph.D.– Donald C. Sweeney II, Ph.D.Donald C. Sweeney II, Ph.D.

Benefits of the StudyBenefits of the Study

Develop a framework for the Develop a framework for the implementation of an implementation of an appointment system.appointment system.

Test and evaluate alternative Test and evaluate alternative scheduling rules.scheduling rules.

Provide a sound academic Provide a sound academic grounding for further work.grounding for further work.

Existing Lock Existing Lock Operations Brief Operations Brief OverviewOverview

Simple Appointment Simple Appointment SchedulingScheduling

Managed Appointment Managed Appointment SchedulingScheduling

Benefits of a Benefits of a Successful Successful Appointment System:Appointment System:

For Shippers and Carriers: For Shippers and Carriers: – More reliable infrastructure resulting from More reliable infrastructure resulting from

shorter queues at locks and dams.shorter queues at locks and dams.– More efficient fuel usage due to less idle More efficient fuel usage due to less idle

time and optimized transit speed time and optimized transit speed between locks.between locks.

Public:Public:– Cost-effective solution to congestion Cost-effective solution to congestion

problem.problem.– Less pollution and environmental damage Less pollution and environmental damage

due to more efficient tow operation.due to more efficient tow operation.

Project Work Plan Project Work Plan OutlineOutline Initial Study Conference.Initial Study Conference. Refinement of Project Scope.Refinement of Project Scope. Development of an Array of Alternative Development of an Array of Alternative

Appointment Systems and Scheduling Appointment Systems and Scheduling Rules.Rules.

Data Acquisition and simulation model Data Acquisition and simulation model construction.construction.

Verification of model.Verification of model. Simulation model runs and analyses.Simulation model runs and analyses. Conference and Final Report: February-Conference and Final Report: February-

March 2005.March 2005.

Project StatusProject Status

Initial Study Conference Completed.Initial Study Conference Completed. Final Study Scope Completed.Final Study Scope Completed. Initial Array of Alternative Appointment Initial Array of Alternative Appointment

Systems and Scheduling Rules for Systems and Scheduling Rules for Evaluation Completed.Evaluation Completed.

Data Acquisition and simulation model Data Acquisition and simulation model construction Completed.construction Completed.

Verification of Models is nearly Verification of Models is nearly complete.complete.

Project Status DetailsProject Status DetailsData Acquisition and Data Acquisition and AnalysisAnalysis

UMR-IW Corps of Engineers OMNI UMR-IW Corps of Engineers OMNI data for 2000 – 2002 provided by data for 2000 – 2002 provided by IWR.IWR.

Data converted from MS Access Data converted from MS Access database to SAS database.database to SAS database.

Data was cleaned and trip and Data was cleaned and trip and lockage information analyzed in SAS.lockage information analyzed in SAS.

Project Status DetailsProject Status DetailsSimulation ModelsSimulation Models

MicroSaint 4.1 discrete event MicroSaint 4.1 discrete event simulation software selected for simulation software selected for model construction.model construction.

Widely used commercial discrete Widely used commercial discrete event simulation software. event simulation software. (Transparent)(Transparent)

Built-in (but crude) animation tool.Built-in (but crude) animation tool. Graphical user interface.Graphical user interface.

Project Status DetailsProject Status DetailsSimulation ModelsSimulation Models

Two models have been built of Two models have been built of UMR Locks 20 through 25.UMR Locks 20 through 25.– Simple model of stylized system with Simple model of stylized system with

animation. (Sweeney)animation. (Sweeney)– Complex and detailed model of Complex and detailed model of

system without animation. (Study system without animation. (Study team)team)

Closed system models.Closed system models.

Project Status DetailsProject Status DetailsBasic ModelBasic Model

Project Status DetailsProject Status DetailsSimulation ModelsSimulation Models

Three classes of system traffic.Three classes of system traffic.– Multi-cut commercial tows Multi-cut commercial tows

(systemic).(systemic).– Single cut commercial tows Single cut commercial tows

(systemic).(systemic).– Everything else (lock specific).Everything else (lock specific).

Project Status DetailsProject Status DetailsSimulation ModelsSimulation Models

18 classes of lockages at each lock 18 classes of lockages at each lock characterized by:characterized by:– Direction of travel (upbound, Direction of travel (upbound,

downbound)downbound)– Class of traffic (multi-cut tow, single Class of traffic (multi-cut tow, single

cut tow, local traffic).cut tow, local traffic).– Lockage type (fly, turnback, Lockage type (fly, turnback,

exchange).exchange).