Abstract In an age of climatic shifts and environmental degradation, globalization and expanding supply chains are rapidly changing operational and market dynamics. Yet, how are green supply chains dimensioned as a combination of activities and practices? What phases of the supply chain can be most easily improved by adopting a green philosophy? If a company has not yet adopted a green philosophy, what stages of its supply chain can be most likely improved? This article proposes an industry framework to index and benchmark green “environmentally sustainable” supply chains. We use 21 managers and senior executives across 12 firms to derive and validate the index variables and parameters. Data from our observations and interviews allow us to derive the Green Supply Chain Index (GSCI). The comprehensive GSCI creates a baseline on which companies can measure their green supply chain performance. This article serves as a starting point for benchmarking organizational GSC initiatives and their downstream effects on organizational performance addressing requisite incentives and penalties. The index can serve as rudimentary templates for research and practices as we seek to decipher various operational and performance aspects that distinguish between green-washing and greening while offering greater scrutiny into a rapidly changing and environmentally-conscious world.

Abstract Following the passage of the Airline Deregulation Act in 1978, the degree of competition among air carriers, increased significantly. Airlines resorted to many ways—including code‐sharing—in response to competitive pressures. This article is a retrospective study on the load factor effects of the largest domestic codeshare partnership established in 2003—between Delta, Northwest, and Continental airlines. After controlling for aircraft configuration, carrier, and market characteristics, we find evidence that code‐sharing improves the partners’ load factors relative to other carriers in all markets combined. However, we find statistically significant negative (positive) codeshare effects on load factor in markets where the codeshare partners competed (did not compete) prior to code‐sharing.

Abstract This article focuses on determining the best routes between affected areas and relief depots in sudden-onset disasters and selecting the best depot that can serve at the shortest response time. These decisions are crucial in emergency humanitarian logistics management since the response time to affected areas dramatically influences the survival rate and timely availability of relief items. This article considers many real-life aspects to deal with the problem realistically. A framework based on Geographic Information System (GIS) is presented that takes into account widths and structures of different types of infrastructure (roads, tunnels, and bridges), the survivability of infrastructure according to its spatial proximity to a potential disaster, and legal speed limits in the pre- and post-disaster decision processes. A case study was carried out for an earthquake disaster scenario in Erzincan province of Turkey and various scenarios were generated to analyze the solutions under different conditions.

Abstract City express delivery demand is characterized by large quantities, small parcel sizes, dense batch frequency, and timeliness. To meet demand and control costs and CO2 emissions from parcel delivery, a collaborative delivery mode using bus vehicles and a truck fleet is proposed. A model is built to optimize delivery schemes based on a bus–road mixed network and thus minimize the fixed cost, the delivery cost, the compensation cost for the emitted CO2, and the unpunctuality penalty cost. An ant‐colony algorithm is designed to solve the model. Delivery schemes for the 97 demand sites in a Chinese city are calculated under collaborative mode and truck‐only mode. The advantages of a collaborative mode are verified by comparing the two types of delivery schemes.

Global shipping has experienced huge changes over the past decade. It began with the shipping boom prior to 2007, radically slowing during the recession period, but picking up again in late 2013. But over the past 18 months, shipping has slowed again, while the industry is continuing to increase capacity. This cycle has changed the way in which seaports compete and the investments they attract for expansion. Prices for multi-model, intermodal, and port services have cycled accordingly while the demand for high service levels increased. However, since early 2015 global shipping has slowed, creating excess capacity and driving down container shipping prices, some routes as much as 75 percent. This has created a shift in how global seaports compete and their effect on intermodal and multi-modal services. The purpose of this special themed issue on global shipping and ports is to examine how the shift in global trade has affected global shipping and port competitiveness and performance including shipping and port services, multi-modal shipping, hinterland services, intermodal carriers, and linkages to short-sea shipping, as well as how shipping and ports respond to sustain their competitiveness. This themed issue is designed to examine the effects of the change in shipping and port competitiveness, their long- term economic sustainability by creating and advancing new theory, testing existing theory, and examining application through empirical studies.Submitted papers for the themed issue should emphasize a primary research question that addresses the change in shipping and port competitiveness, their supporting infrastructure, as well as changes in the ports to attract new customers, how they view future investments, and how they address economic sustainability. Manuscripts should utilize a robust methodology that contributes to theory advancement, theory testing, empirical application, and analytics. All methodological approaches are welcome, but those using a multi-method approach are especially encouraged. The special issue is not limited to commercial applications, but also includes charitable and humanitarian logistics.Examples of topics include, but are not limited to: Shipping Services and CompetitivenessNew Theory Development or Theory Testing in Port CompetitionBalanced Theory of Port Competitiveness ApplicationsSeaport Sustainability – Future ViabilityResource Dependency Theory ApplicationsHumanitarian Supply ChainsPort Risk ManagementContainerization or Bulk CargoMilitary ApplicationsCarrier or Shipper IssuesIntermodal and Multi-modal LogisticsDistribution & Warehousing Networks Linked to PortsPort Services and Port InnovationWorld Bank Investment in Ports & Public-PrivatePartnershipsWe are pleased to announce that the themed issued will be the Summer 2018 issue. Manuscripts should be submitted no later than August 31, 2017, for consideration. Please refer to www.editorialmanager.com/TransJour for author and submission guidelines. The Transportation Journal has been the leading journal of logistics and supply chain-related transportation research for over 50 years.

Abstract In the dial-a-ride services, customers specify pickup and drop-off locations and their times for transport. The operator aims at constructing cheap itineraries while minimizing customer inconvenience. This problem has been studied as the Dial-a-Ride Problem (DARP), which consists of both spatial and temporal factors. This article studies the impact of spatial and temporal variation on multivehicle DARP using route construction heuristics. Our work highlights the impact of these variations on the customer disutility and transportation cost. The study will help the service operators in selecting an appropriate construction heuristic while expanding the DARP service in terms of service area, service duration, or planning for a sudden growth in the number of customers. The results show that if the operator is planning to expand the area of service, the Saving Heuristic is more appropriate for larger operators while Insertion Heuristic with spatial sorting scheme is better for smaller operators with limited number of vehicles. If the operator is expanding the service in terms of service duration, from 8 to 24 hours daily, for instance, or preparing for a growth in the number of customers, the Saving Heuristic is better for both smaller and larger service operators.

First, as complete disclosure, this reviewer must inform the reader that he knows Henry Posner III and admires his work. Obviously, Professor Grant admires the work of Railroad Development Corporation (RDC) as well. This book is an additional volume to the Indiana University Press series of Railroads Past and Present edited by Grant along with Professor George Smerk. Although a historical record of RDC, this book is organized into several vignettes, telling of several abortive attempts to purchase spinoffs from the US class I network—interesting because they follow the history of each railroad to set the stage for RDC's investment efforts. Moreover, they explain the history of RDC involvement with each property, detailing both the rewards and the risks in international railway investments.While the title of the book may seem to be a play on words, RDC clearly is in the business of going into risky situations (both physically and financially) to rescue worthwhile railroads from ignominious demise. I thought I knew about many of RDC's ventures but nevertheless got an education on RDC's history. Besides the well-known rescue of the Rock Island by Iowa Interstate, RDC has been involved in railroad rescue operations in Argentina, Guatemala, Peru, Mozambique, Malawi, Estonia, Columbia, Germany, and, while not a railroad, an innovative Pennsylvania bus service. Not all of RDC's ventures have survived or been financially lucrative. However, it is clear that while RDC has a remarkable ability to determine viability of ailing distant railroads, it is not in business to simply maximize profit. Rather, it is in the business of saving railroads where it can be done at a profit.The book documents a sound financial reason that RDC moved to investments outside the United States. According to Posner, the situation in the United States has devolved into too few sellers and too many buyers, resulting in an auction environment where prices usually exceed the economic value of the investment. RDC's quest for investment opportunities has led RDC to many countries that have produced a storied (if not lucrative) history in South America, Central America, Africa, and Europe. Although each situation has been different, RDC has several principles for doing business: (1) they wanted to keep the local flavor of a property to help it blend in with the culture; (2) safety is paramount; (3) paying a living wage to employees is required; and (4) RDC differs from many short-line holding companies because for RDC working with partners is desired if not required to insure success. To say it another way, RDC only invests when the project makes economic sense, but clearly the company puts business methods ahead of profit. Unfortunately for RDC, success often sows the seeds for dissolution of their involvement in projects. Not all governments respect property rights to the extent that the United States does, and several times RDC has been forced out after the investments have proven to be profitable. The strength of the book is that it follows the rail properties both before and after RDC investment. In doing so, the reader gets a clear picture of both international rail management and the efforts of RDC.The book is well researched and very readable; it has historical value for this reason alone. However, the book's greatest value comes from documenting both how railroads get into trouble and how they can be saved (or not, as the case may be). Posner has great expertise in assembling partnerships that are both capable of revitalizing railroads and integrating them with the locales where they operate. Further the political and competitive situations where RDC has operated provide an interesting economic view of the industry begging such questions as: How should freight railroad ownership be structured? What are the advantages and disadvantages of private versus public ownership? Is the European model for open access viable for freight and/or passenger? Professor Grant answers (or hints at answers) to some of these questions.While this book was not entirely what I expected, it was nevertheless interesting, informative, and illuminating. It is a must have addition to any historical collection because of the way it touches on many railroad histories around the globe and tells the complete stories of railroad collapses and subsequent rebirths. The book touches on important economic issues for governments wrestling with railroad governance. Finally, the book tells the tale of a corporation that exists to find and invest in viable rail service in places where others fear to tread. Perhaps Professor Grant should have considered titling this book Railroad Doctors Without Borders?