SYSTEMIC CONDITIONS OF EFFICIENCY AND DURABILITY OF ROAD TRANSPORT ENTERPRISES

The basic condition for the proper configuration of inputs and outputs in a transport company is the ability to optimise, build, and implement a strategy based on carefully selected components of the information and decision-making system, capable of taking into account the different optimisation criteria for each level and of gathering and generating information useful in the process of developing a strategy. Within this system, IT tools that increase the efficiency of the technical dimension of decision-making processes are useful. For Polish road transport companies, economically speaking, the basic input and output record-keeping systems are accounting systems, used by nearly 89% of the surveyed entities. In the operational context, 58% of the entities declare using resource management systems. Nearly 18% of the companies possess a formal strategy.

FUNCTIONAL EFFICIENCY AND STABILITY OF ROAD TRANSPORT ENTERPRISES

The variability of the environment requires road transport enterprises to adapt to new conditions in short and long strategic management perspectives. Both approaches require them to set measurable objectives whose fulfilment improves their efficiency and durability. The measures to achieve the partial objectives are the measures of effectiveness, efficiency, productivity, profitability, and earning capacity. Consequently, the ability to identify, measure, and achieve goals in a changing environment builds vitality, creating conditions for the sustainability of an economic entity.

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CONDITIONS OF EFFICIENCY AND DURABILITY OF ROAD TRANSPORT ENTERPRISES

Market activities of road transport companies are described by the financial value of their transport services, which form the basis for economic and financial assessment. Crucial in this assessment are the factors affecting the efficiency and durability of enterprises. Based on prime cost, sales revenue, and basic economic quantities, a set of indicators of effective management of financial resources, property resources, and work can be created.

REGULATORY CONDITIONS OF FUNCTIONAL EFFICIENCY AND STABILITY OF ROAD TRANSPORT ENTERPRISES

The functioning of road transport enterprises is determined by external (legal processes and the market mechanism) and internal (a projection of regulatory principles set out in functional systems) factors. The aim of this study is therefore to identify legal and market conditions and internal operating rules of road transport enterprises in the context of their impact on their efficiency and durability. The paper is based on a theoretical literature review and a primary empirical research.

OPERATIONAL CONDITIONS OF FUNCTIONAL DURABILITY AND PERFORMANCE OF ROAD TRANSPORT ENTERPRISES

Durability and efficiency are important conditions for long-term operation ofroad transport companies. In the operating aspect, the first parameter determines the quality of the manufacturing capacity and the ability to provide repetitive transport processes. The second parameter affects the long-term ability to use resources and the subsequent results of operations. The conducted study on stability and efficiency of the operating systems of road companies indicates the existence of, on the one hand, a large variation of approaches, and on the other, a clear dominance of intense and efficient behaviour in combination with ensuring the repetitiveness of processes.

MARKET CONDITIONS OF EFFICIENCY AND DURABILITY OF ROAD TRANSPORT ENTERPRISES

Market efficiency of road transport enterprises is achieved through the implementation of measures such as building a competitive advantage and adapting to the changing environment. Functional durability of road transport enterprises is a reflection of their long-term effectiveness, and thus remains competitive in the long term. The aim of the paper is to present the market conditions of the functional efficiency and durability ofroad transport companies. These conditions reflect values such as the age of the company, the determinants of the customer choice of a company and the promotion tools they use. The theoretical part of the article is based on the review of literature and reports of the Central Statistical Office, and the empirical part – on extensive primary research.

SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF FUNCTIONAL EFFICIENCY AND DURABILITY OF ROAD TRANSPORT ENTERPRISES

The functional efficiency and durability of road transport companies is affected by a number of conditions, e.g. the particularly important social conditions. Their impact shape the effective and efficient implementation of transport processes that require a relatively constant availability of human resources providing high-quality work in the time preferred by the company. The study attempts to identify and verify the impact of these conditions on the efficiency and durability of the surveyed companies.

ALTERNATIVE FUELS IN TRANSPORT AS ENERGY SECURITY FACTOR IN EUROPEAN UNION

The Energy Union is aimed at providing secure, sustainable, competitive energy to the EU population at affordable prices. A thorough transformation of the European energy system is required to accomplish this goal. The Energy Union is an important project which is supposed to set a new direction and a clear long-term vision for the European energy and climate policy. Transport is one of the key sectors in terms of energy consumption. In 2015, 94% of the energy used transport originated from crude oil and the sector’s share in the total energy consumption was 34% (Eurostat, 2016). The aim of the article is to show the activities in respect of the implementation of the “Clean Energy for Transport” package and its importance for the implementation of the Energy Union objectives. The development of an alternative fuel market should reduce the dependence on oil and contribute to increased security of the energy supply for Europe, promote economic growth and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in transport. Tools aimed at supporting the transition to low-carbon economy will be analyzed in the article. The scope of popularization of alternative fuels is determined to a large extent by market conditions and the extent to which an adequate infrastructure is developed. Hence, particular emphasis will be placed on the priorities for the development of technology and research, technical integration of solutions and financial support for alternative fuels.

PREDICTABILITY OF TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT

This article is a generalization of the author’s experience gathered when preparing transport development forecasts in Poland over the past quarter of a century. These forecasts have proved to be less accurate when prepared using only quantitative and strictly mathematical methods, and more accurate when the change indicators have been estimated using the expert (intuitive) method. The problem of inaccuracy of economic and transport forecasts can be explained by the notion of predictability, which makes it possible to divide phenomena into those that are more difficult or easier to predict and to identify phenomena that are not predictable at all. The existence of unpredictable phenomena has its source in influencing the reality of systemic determinants and random factors that have no bearing on the timeline. Predicting the need for transport requires the use of different methods for freight transport and different methods for the transport and mobility of people. The source of changes in the volume of the transport demand are predominantly fluctuations in the intensity of production and consumption, and changes in the need to cover space and, to a lesser extent, this source is the generation of new demand through the additional supply of services and transport capacity. Owing to the increasingly comprehensive statistics from past periods it is possible to establish that the correlation between the GDP and freight traffic is much weaker than previously thought. The demand for transport and mobility of people is less dependent on economic activity, and more dependent on demographic changes, the lifestyle of the population and the preferences in choosing the means of transport.

TRANSPORT INVESTMENTS IN POLISH MUNICIPALITIES. INNOVATIVE APPROACH OR IMITATION

Creating competitive municipalities, as well as other entities, requires the ability of modern and innovative management, leading to the formation and transformation ofknowledge into new products, technologies or services. These skills decide today about the success of the market. Innovative transport solutions constitute a source of socio-economic development of not only municipalities but also the region and the country. This is particularly important during the intensive extension of an existing transport system and mounting congestion and increasingly growing environmental pollution. The author’s own research on Polish municipalities has shown how local authorities perceive the innovation and perform transport investments in this context.