Title: Transit traffic route selection – a comparison of the transit routes to Russia from a company viewpoint

Authors: Maija Markala, Jari Jumpponen

Addresses: Northern Dimension Research Centre NORDI, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FIN-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland. ' Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FIN-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland

Abstract: There is a multitude of literature related to transit traffic. In many studies, the reasons for transit traffic have been identified and the criteria for selecting a certain route have been explored. However, the dynamics of the criteria has remained relatively untapped. Moreover, only a few studies concentrate on transit traffic route selection from the company perspective. In this paper, we investigate the criteria contributing to the selection of a transit route to Russia through Finland, Russia|s own ports, the Baltic states and Poland. In this context, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is utilised in measuring the decision-making criteria affecting the route selection. The survey respondents include the supply chain managers working in international car, electronics and cosmetics manufacturing companies. The survey results show that transit route criteria are not unambiguous, but rather, company-dependent. However, the results indicate that every route has its strengths and weaknesses in transportation from Western Europe to North-West Russia.

Keywords: transit traffic; route selection; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; transportation; Russia; Finland; Baltic States; Poland; supply chain management; SCM; automobile industry; automotive manufacturing; electronics manufacturing; cosmetics manufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/WRITR.2009.026207

World Review of Intermodal Transportation Research, 2009 Vol.2 No.4, pp.264 - 278

Published online: 28 May 2009 *

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