Title: Traffic congestion: modelling its economic impact on petroleum products distribution in a metropolis

Authors: G.K. Nwalozie, S.I. Oni, E.E. Ege, D.I. Onuoha, S.A. Oke, Charles Asenime

Addresses: Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Room G04, Ground Floor, Beside Senate Building, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. ' Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Room G04, Ground Floor, Beside Senate Building, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. ' Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Room G04, Ground Floor, Beside Senate Building, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. ' Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Federal University of Technology, c/o Head of Department's Office, Ihiagwa, Owerri PMB 1526, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Lagos, Room 10, Mezzanine Complex, Lagos, Nigeria. ' Department of Transport Policy and Planning, School of Transport, Lagos State University, School of Transport Temporary Building, Ojo Campus, Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract: This paper considers the financial implications of the traffic congestion problem in the distribution of petroleum products in a Nigerian metropolis. Data relating to truck movements, their servicing costs and other parameters that are connected with traffic congestion are collected and analysed using SPSS. The regression models that describe the differences in expenditure and variation in incomes from the use of the trucks are established. In terms of monetary losses, about $99.7 per truck per year were lost owing to traffic congestion as part of the fleet maintenance cost, which was not budgeted for and about $1,559.1 in deficit of the budgeted income per truck per year (deficit in income). Thus, the transportation haulage industry loses substantial money due to traffic congestion on an annual basis. Information in this work could be utilised for performance improvement purpose when performance targets/reward schemes are set and monitored for cost saving activities due to traffic congestion.

Keywords: traffic congestion; tanker drivers; trucks; Lagos; delays; turn around time; TAT; modelling; economic impact; petroleum products; distribution; Nigeria; truck movements; truck servicing costs; fleet maintenance cost; haulage industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAMS.2011.040233

International Journal of Applied Management Science, 2011 Vol.3 No.2, pp.186 - 209

Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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