Untitled - Ministerstwo Rozwoju Regionalnego

of freight on a given route, shaping the modal split (transport means, domestic
and international carriers), supporting alternative connections. It must be
stressed, however, that excessive taxes may have a negative impact from the
point of view of transport policy, e.g. low utilisation of new infrastructure facilities
and congestion on alternative routes (free of charge). Therefore, it is necessary
to adopt a comprehensive approach to the problem of differentiation of
charges and tolls for transport users.
Another positive effect of transport innovation processes should be a better
quality of transport services. This issue is analysed by Michel Savy in Chapter
XVI. This chapter tries to prove that at present the quality of services is a key
factor determining the growth of cargo transport. What must be taken into consideration
here is the nature of transport from the point of view of technology,
production and services, and also interrelations within transport processes. The
quality measurement may be based on the assessment of the process according
to its technical course, i.e. considering condition of vehicles, transport frequency,
timely delivery, etc. Final effects may be assessed too, i.e. integrity of delivered
goods, reliability in completeness and punctuality of deliveries, accuracy of
documents and flexibility.
It must be noted that quality is specific for each transport operation, and its
definition should be based on specified criteria depending on the carrier and the
nature of shipment. Some of the criteria are measurable, others – very subjective.
That is why quality assessment is difficult, and such a term as “overall quality”
does not exist at all. Optimum quality does not mean maximum quality, because,
on the one hand, logistics requirements and usability must be considered,
and on the other – costs as well.
Quality of services should always be taken into account and treated as
a never-ending process. That is why the role of agents and consultants is important,
because they should contribute to a reduction of direct and hidden costs
resulting from poor quality of services. The usual practice in this respect are
various certificates, irrespective of bureaucratic threats they may cause. Another
issue discussed in the chapter is new quality preferences of carriers and transport
organisers. This results in higher reliability and flexibility of shipments, and
in consequence the transport system's response is adjusted to new models of
production, with supply segmentation responding to highly-diversified market
demand.
Technological and innovative transformations in transport also influence the
structure of transport markets and their business relations. Janusz ¯urek in
Chapter XVII tries to identify their influence on the shipping market. For years,
crude oil and petroleum products have been a prevailing cargo on this market;
however, their share in trade exchange total (in millions of tons) has been decreasing
systematically: between 1990-2008 it dropped from 38.8% to 32.9%. In
the same period, the volume of tankers in the global tonnage dropped at
a slower pace: from 38.8% to 35.3%. Successful innovations concerning alterna-
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