Environmental care has entered the sphere of logistics and transport. Correct and fast route planning—not always the shortest, but the most economical, and therefore ecological—is now possible using information technology. Pro-ecological actions in this case reduce the costs of transport operations. This is, among other things, what “Green logistics” is all about. A contribution to the idea of ecological transport and logistics—”Green logistics”—is also made by the company Planung Transport Verkehr (PTV) from Karlsruhe, Germany, which offers an exhaust emission calculator for a specific route and many other new functionalities as part of its map&guide Professional software.
Exhaust emission calculator
Among these functionalities, route planning in so-called “green zones” in large Western European cities and many other tools useful for transport companies deserve special mention. The most important novelty is the emission calculator, which allows the carrier to calculate, for example, carbon dioxide emissions for any route. The software uses official data from the German Environment Agency for its calculations.
Ecological zones – red, yellow, and green?
The latest version of the software contains information about “green zones” introduced in many German, Dutch, or British cities. This tool provides information for determining the costs of moving within “green zones”. The ranges of the zones are marked on the map in red, yellow, or green, along with the fees charged for driving in these areas, depending on the Euro ecological standard met by the engine of a specific vehicle.
The software calculates the most economical route depending on the type of vignette purchased by the carrier.
Data for the transport industry
Map&guide Professional is enriched with many other data relevant to the transport sector. It contains a full set of fuel stations and service points accepting Routex and UTA card payments throughout Europe. There is also a list of 250 medical assistance points – DocStop, located in Germany at motorway exits. The program’s database also includes parking lots, fuel stations, motels, hotels, and places suitable for rest or sleep for truck drivers.
Individual toll calculation
If road tolls have changed in the country where the dispatcher has planned the route, the user is immediately informed online and can determine the route and new travel costs.
The software allows for the calculation of all additional fees per kilometer of road through any European country for any type of vehicle. If costs are shared with a contractor, it is possible to calculate the costs for each of them. In this way, a route and its costs can be developed according to specific conditions.
The 2009 map&guide Professional also contains many other interesting tools, such as road load capacity (entry bans depending on axle loads or vehicle weights), or the division of roads into motorways, international, national, provincial, district, toll, and non-toll roads. Optionally, you can purchase a package of contact data for 7,000 of the most important transport companies in Europe.