Multilevel modelling of commercial vehicle inter-arrival duration using GPS data

This study uses truck GPS data to study inter‐arrival duration, defined as the time between arrivals at a destination of two successive vehicles operated by the same carrier. Destinations were separated into market segments: (1) frequently‐visited destinations, (2) regularly‐scheduled destinations, and (3) unscheduled destinations, based on visit frequency and regularity. Inter‐arrival duration was modelled using multilevel ordered probit and multilevel multinomial logit models. Market segmentation improved modelling results, and multilevel models performed better than single level models. Results showed a wide variation in shipping behavior of commercial establishments and that many firms do not follow consistent shipping schedules.