In this chapter the author examines mathematical models for strategic freight-network planning. Such models are not meant for use in managing the moment-to-moment or even day-to-day operations of freight companies or freight infrastructure. Rather, such models are employed primarily to forecast, months or years into the future, freight traffic over specific network links and routes and through specific network nodes and terminals. The fundamental decision variables of these models are expressed as flows (volumes per unit time) and are entirely continuous in nature. The time frame is that of months or years. The perspective is generally that of a multimodal partial equilibrium of the transport market, with alternatives being evaluated according to the comparative statics paradigm. The discussion is restricted primarily to those models that have been commercially available and are well documented in the open literature.
Abstract