The role of driver behaviour in greener road freight transportation

Zhang, Zhuowu 2025. The role of driver behaviour in greener road freight transportation. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

	PDF (Thesis) - Accepted Post-Print Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 23 October 2026 due to copyright restrictions. Download (6MB)
	PDF (Publication form) Restricted to Repository staff only Download (121kB)

Abstract

This thesis examines the complex relationships between driving behaviour, fuel consumption, and external influencing factors in the road freight sector. It highlights a gap in understanding how the behaviour of individual freight drivers affects broader environmental outcomes, particularly in the context of climate change and the transition to greener transportation. Using a multidimensional approach, the thesis analyses a range of factors that impact driving behaviour and consequent fuel consumption patterns. The analysis extends to the journey‑level classification of driving styles based on observed driving behaviours. The thesis is based on a comprehensive review of the literature that identifies existing knowledge and gaps, particularly in behaviour‑focused studies. Methodologically, it adopts a rigorous approach to data collection and analysis, relying on an extensive telematics dataset from a UK grocery fleet. The dataset is examined to quantify the effects of various driver behaviours on fuel consumption, revealing key influences such as speed variations, harsh cornering, and over‑speeding. The thesis not only corroborates previous scholarly insights into fuel‑efficient driving behaviours but also refines the understanding of how these behaviours interact with external conditions, such as vehicle type and operational context. Furthermore, the thesis presents a data‑driven, journey‑level driving‑style classification based on observed behavioural patterns. Using a two‑stage clustering approach, the analysis identifies seven journey‑level driving‑style clusters, ranging from fuel‑efficient to fuel‑intensive styles. This classification highlights the natural variation in driving behaviours and their impact on fuel consumption. These findings offer practical implications for logistics service providers, particularly in designing driver feedback and incentive‑based systems to encourage fuel‑efficient practices. iii The thesis concludes with strategic recommendations to improve fuel efficiency in logistics and outlines future research directions for advancing sustainable practices in the road freight sector.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Business (Including Economics)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	23 October 2025
Last Modified:	24 Oct 2025 14:49
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/181770

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item