Have you ever wondered about the difference in freight, for example, a barge versus railroad comparison? What about adding trucking to the equation? A study was released in 2008 and the results were quite interesting.
National Waterways Foundation Releases New Study Comparing U.S. Freight Transportation Modes
Washington, DC – The National Waterways Foundation (NWF) has released a new study comparing selected societal, environmental, and the safety impacts of utilizing inland river barge transportation to highway and rail transportation. Titled “A Modal Comparison of Freight Transportation Effects on the General Public,” the study was conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute’s Center for Port and Waterways at Texas A&M University and was cost-shared with the U.S. Maritime Administration.
Peer reviewed and conducted over more than one year, the study:
a barge accident, 125.2 are injured in rail accidents and 2171.5 are injured in truck accidents. For fatalities, the rates are 155 trucking fatalities and 22.7 rail fatalities for every barge related fatality.
Source: National Waterways Foundation
A more recent study: Increased Investment in U.S. Inland Waterways
It’s interesting that the study concluded that using barges for transport generates fewer emissions than railways or trucks. I’m surprised that barge transportation isn’t a more common method used, and after reading your article I’d love to see its popularity increase. I learned some interesting facts about transportation methods, so thanks for sharing!