Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This book is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Marvin Manheim.

In a book we edited in 2008, Prof. Werner Rothengatter (2008), former chairman of the World Conference on Transport Research Society (WCTRS), characterized Prof. Manheim as ‘a most pro-active thinker, always trying to be some steps ahead of the present reality and to anticipate the most important drivers of future development’. Prof. Rothengatter (2008) rightly stated that Marvin Manheim may be regarded as the spiritus rector of modern activity-based freight modelling and logistics.

Prof. Manheim understood that human beings as individuals or in organizations may accelerate processes, but that they can also act as barriers to development. Bringing people together to form global and worldwide networks is therefore a productive way of reducing barriers, of fostering social cohesion and of enhancing economic progress. Marvin Manheim applied this idea to various fields. Hence it is no coincidence that he was also a founding father of the World Conference on Transport Research (WCTR) and its Society (WCTRS). The development of WCTRS illustrates Marvin Manheim’s notion that sustainable networks have to be most flexible and adaptive to new developments. No rigid centrally steered hierarchies, but autonomous working groups of highly motivated and committed individuals, collaborating in a truly international spirit.

In 2008, Marvins’s wife, Mary Beth Watson-Manheim (2008), wrote: ‘Twenty-five years ago, the first sentence in Marvin’s textbook stated: “We live in a world of rapid change.” Throughout his career, he never stopped probing and searching for new models of the changes he envisioned across multiple disciplines and problem settings, with a relentless focus not only on theory but also on translating the theory into practical applications. Those who knew Marvin were also influenced by personal qualities, which were interwoven through his research and teaching. Marvin was an inveterate teacher, he was creative, an integrator and a visionary, often seeing connections not immediate obvious to most people. The ability to integrate can also be seen in the communities of colleagues he developed, and the sheer enjoyment he found in debating and discussing ideas, while also savouring food and wine with friends and colleagues’.

We sincerely hope that this book will contribute in a profound way to the scientific knowledge of and research into freight transport modelling, in the spirit of Marvin Manheim.

To conclude this introduction, the editors would like to extend their sincere thanks to all those who contributed to the publication of this book. First and foremost, we are grateful to the various authors. They did a great job. We also thank all the referees for their indispensable and much appreciated assistance. Finally, our gratitude goes to all those who contributed logistically to ensuring the success of this publication.