REVIEW OF THE BOOK: Larin, O.N., Mirotin, L.B., Goryaev, N.K., Almetova, Z. V. Scientific basis for organization of transit terminals: monograph. Chelyabinsk, publ. centre of SUSU, 2014, 147 p.

ABSTRACT OF THE BOOK. The book considers scientific principles related to creation of transit terminals within boundaries of the region’s transport system for optimal integration of freight flows going abroad. Particular attention is paid to reduction of uneven traffic volumes in areas of transit routes, reduction of empty runs and idle time of equipment. The book is addressed to specialists, scientific and technical staff engaged in development and operation of transport systems, efficiency improvement of transit transportation hubs and terminals, optimization of interaction between different modes of transport.

ABSTRACT OF THE REVIEW. Solving a problem of efficient functioning of transport system elements, provision of coordination and cooperation among various modes of transport, growth of intermodal freight transportation, and implementation of transit potential of Russia under the conditions of market globalization require fundamentally new approaches. They should be based on the priority of developing logistics infrastructure and formation of integrated transport and logistics systems at all levels – regional, interregional and international. Modern scientific and methodological solutions for improving the efficiency of transit traffic do not fully take into account the totality of relevant factors to justify a sustainable level of freight capacities of transport systems, resulting in significant losses in the form of empty runs of transit transport in the areas of interterminal sections of supply chain. This leads to the need to create transport and logistics centers, able to integrate transit flows. And the main difficulty here is the absence of adequate scientific and methodological basis for justification of such infrastructure facilities and their location. In the monograph the authors analyzed the influence of uneven inter-terminal cargo flows on empty runs of transit transport and the formation of excess freight capacities of transport systems. Designed theoretical principles on expediency of integration of inter-terminal cargo flows in transit terminals are confirmed by experimental data on the low load of transit transport in inter-terminal traffic and considerable empty runs in connection with unevenness of freight flows. The book describes a method of placing a transit terminal in the existing configuration of the transport network of transit region, which enables to take into account the costs of transit transport on empty runs at an appropriate unevenness of inter-terminal traffic. The research findings, presented by the authors have an applied character and can be used in the activities of transport and forwarding companies to improve the efficiency of transit transportation, and the heads of transport hubs and terminals can use them to optimize their work, state transport authorities of different levels – for development and modernization of transport and logistics infrastructure facilities. The proposed models and methods are universal, which suggests the possibility of their wide application in systems of various modes of transport for the purpose of improving transit traffic.