"RAND European-American Center for Policy Analysis."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 193-198).

This report describes a major transportation research study that examined the benefits and costs of a broad range of policy options for mitigating negative impacts of the expected growth in Dutch road freight transport while retaining economic benefits. The study's key findings were: the most cost-effective policy options ("tactics") are those that improve road freight transport efficiency, tactics that mitigate transport problems at their source are sometimes cost-effective and complement the transport efficiency improvements, tactics based on shifting freight from road to other transport modes are not cost-effective if the other modes' service characteristics are not improved, the promising tactics' effects on the economy are usually small. The methodology employed was a structured policy-analysis approach developed to handle situations involving complex systems and competing interest groups. Impacts of the various policy options were estimated using a model (PACE-FORWARD) also useful for reevaluating policy options as projections change and/or more data become available. Existing Dutch and international research, data, and models were used extensively, as was input from policymakers and other stakeholders.

Also available on the internet via WWW in PDF format.