Takumi ENDO

The Impact of Preventive Road Closure Information Provision on Transportation Operators' Route Selection Behavior

Kazushi SANO

In recent years, short-term but intense heavy snowfall has become more frequent, increasing the risk of large-scale vehicle stagnation. To address this problem, preventive road closures have been introduced during periods when severe snowfall is expected. However, advance announcements are often issued only 1–3 hours before implementation, and reopening times are often unclear or not provided until just before the closure is lifted. As a result, freight operators face difficulty in making operational decisions that take such closures into account. This study aims to clarify the actual conditions of freight operations during heavy snowfall and to examine how advance announcements of preventive road closures and early information on reopening times affect the operational decisions of freight companies. Based on these findings, the study discusses appropriate methods of information provision for preventive road closures.
 Surveys were conducted with freight companies and trucking associations regarding winter transport policies, responses to preventive road closures, and behavioral choices under earlier information provision. The results showed that even when the possibility of a closure was announced, many companies tended to continue using the planned route unless the closure was actually implemented. At the same time, many respondents preferred earlier information even if it resulted in a false alarm. When no reopening forecast was available, many chose to wait until the road reopened, suggesting that a lack of reopening-time information narrows feasible options. The analysis also showed that transport cancellation became more likely as expected arrival delay increased. Many respondents indicated that receiving information 12 hours before closure would be easier for making decisions, highlighting the importance of earlier announcements. In addition, a stated preference model showed that companies place greater importance on reducing arrival delay than on avoiding increases in travel time, and that preferences for cancellation differ depending on cargo type and perceptions of cancellation impacts. These findings suggest that early announcements and early reopening-time information are essential for supporting flexible decisions such as departure-time advancement and detours.