Short distance freight transport is fully dependent on road transport. For environmental and economic reasons it is important tot find alternatives. A possible alternative is short distance intermodal freight transport. This paper describes the short distance intermodal transport concept, and focuses on Pipe Line Transport (PLT) as a new modality for the distributionof goods in urban areas. Trends like standardization, short haul rail transport, and logistic parks are essential for breaking the link between local/regional distribution and long distance/interregional transport. PLT isnot yet being used for city distribution. PLT can offer better performancesin costs and transport quality than traditional city distribution. A key element is transport automatization. By automating transport it is possible to deliver goods directly and instantly from the distribution center to the customer. The time lost due to transhipment can be compensated by a quicker delivery. There are at this moment no running PLT systems which can be used for city distribution. The technology is already available. By means of demonstration projects the technology can be tested in real life situations. (A)
Abstract