ITS Monday: Edition 32, 2021

Transurban says shift to per-kilometre charging on Australian roads should start now

The first of two stories in this edition of ITS Monday about road use charging. This call is based on concern about the effect of non-petrol-tax-paying electric vehicles, and an upcoming report from Infrastructure Australia, and its recommendation for ‘… national distance-based “road user charge” for all vehicles within 15 years.’

Auckland congestion charge: Cross-party support to make drivers pay at peak times

Next, the road use charge debate moves across the ditch to New Zealand. A parliamentary select committee has recommended Auckland drivers taking their cars into the city centre in peak hours pay a congestion charge, and that ‘… funds generated by the congestion charge could be used for public and active transport, and to offset any inequities.’

The New National Location Registry

An interview with GS1’s Director of Freight, Logistics and Industrial Sectors, Bonnie Ryan, about this initiative to fix Australia’s data picture of important physical locations. ‘The NLR will contain up-to-date information that will streamline transit of goods between major supply chain and logistics operations – whether it’s information about new road accessibility, where receivers want goods put, the opening hours of particular locations, or health restrictions in force at a location.’

How could all the world’s ships not be able to deliver our Christmas gifts on time?

For a number of reasons right now, supply chains are under pressure. Again. Still. Here’s a story about what’s happening on the seven seas, and what’s about to happen. And it’s a good companion piece with our Where’s my box? The case for improved supply chain visibility. Now!.

Flight from the city set to strain train services in fast-growing fringes

‘Train lines and roads throughout Melbourne’s fringe suburbs will become more congested in coming decades than was previously thought, as a shift in work patterns wrought by COVID-19 prompts more people to move to the city’s outer edges.

Study finds blue hydrogen worse for climate than burning coal or gas

‘Cornell’s Robert Howarth and Stanford’s Mark Jacobson asked the question, “how green is blue hydrogen?” in their peer-reviewed paper, the first to examine the total or ‘lifecycle’ greenhouse gas emissions from blue hydrogen.’