An agent based freight activities and logistic chains optimized network simulator (FALCONS)

Abstract

Freight movements are a result of complex and diverse logistics decisions. One main objective of recent freight and logistics models is the ability to catch and represent some of the decisions made by the different actors throughout the freight generation and distribution process. Several efforts stopped shy at the stage of providing a conceptual framework of a freight or logistics model. This is mainly due to the lack of micro level data needed to make such models operational. Few operational agent based (AB) freight models were reported where such data could be obtained. In this paper we present a conceptual framework of an agent based freight model for Flanders. The model is in early implementation stage and is planned to be operational in the foreseeable future. Micro level data at hand will make the model a capacity and policy sensitive tool to serve a range of commercial and public planning bodies. It will be shown that using AB simulation paradigm combined with data availability enabled us to capture a wide range of decisions affecting goods generation and distribution