Bridging the Gap - A Model of Co-modal Terminal Clusters

With the emergence of the concept of co-modality solely focusing on single facilities e.g. ports, airports, intermodal terminals, etc. in the study of the node is no longer sufficient. There is need for considering all modes of transportation in a co-modal node at the same time in order to enable explaining the emerging flow patterns. For this reason the concept of co-modal terminal cluster (CTC) is introduced. The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically validate a model of a CTC. The CTC model has been conceptually developed, and, empirically validated through a single case study. The findings indicate that CTC can be meaningfully modelled using the terminal metaphor. The CTC modelled as a terminal is the main outcome of this study. The CTC model provides a basis for evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of a co-modal node in the network while at the same time being able to account for more of the complexity of the real world system. The model needs to be further refined for it to be applicable in quantitative analysis. The CTC-model provides both a descriptive and explanatory tool for practitioners and researchers alike.