Oil Tanker Trucks And Their Impact On The Fluidity Of Road Transport On The International Highway: A Case Study From International Highway In Iraq
Abstract
The growing dependence on oil tanker trucks for transporting petroleum products along Iraq’s International Highway has raised major concerns regarding traffic fluidity, road safety, and infrastructure resilience. This study investigates the specific impact of these heavy vehicles on traffic congestion, speed reduction, and road surface deterioration. The research aimed to: (1) analyze how oil tanker trucks affect traffic flow in terms of congestion, delays, and speed variation; (2) evaluate the capacity and condition of road infrastructure under heavy vehicle pressure; and (3) recommend effective traffic and infrastructure management strategies. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining GPS tracking, ITS-based traffic monitoring, radar speed detection, and manual vehicle counts, along with surveys and interviews conducted with truck drivers, road users, and transport authorities. The results show that oil tanker trucks reduce the average vehicle speed from 75 km/h to 40–50 km/h, increase travel delays by up to 25%, and significantly accelerate pavement damage, particularly near toll booths and refueling stations. Stakeholder feedback revealed a consensus on the need for immediate interventions. The study recommends implementing dedicated truck lanes, time-based truck movement restrictions, and investment in intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to enhance traffic efficiency and minimize infrastructure wear. These findings offer vital insights for improving transport policy, road safety, and long-term highway sustainability in Iraq.
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References
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Aydin, M., Kamal, B., & Çakır, E. (2024). Evaluation of human error in oil spill risk in tanker cargo handling operations. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 31(3), 3995–4011. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28174-7.
Al-Mekhlafi, A. A., Isha, A. S. N., Chileshe, N., Kineber, A. F., Ajmal, M., Baarimah, A. O., & Al-Aidrous, A. H. M. (2024). Risk assessment of driver performance in the oil and gas transportation industry: Analyzing the relationship between driver vigilance, attention, reaction time, and safe driving practices. Safety Scince, 79(3), 334, e13911, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2015.06.022.
Al-Saadi, T., Cherepovitsyn, A., & Semenova, T. (2022).
Iraq oil industry infrastructure development in the conditions of the global economy turbulence.
Energies, 15(17), 6239. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15176239.
Ahn, Y. J., Yu, Y. U., & Kim, J. K. (2021). Accident cause factor of fires and explosions in tankers using fault tree analysis. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 9(8), 844. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9080844.
Choi, K.-H., Park, M.-S., Lim, M. H., Hur, J.-I., Noh, S. R., Jeong, W.-C., Cheong, H.-K., & Ha, M. (2021).
Who has sustained psychological symptoms nine years after the Hebei Spirit oil spill?: The Health Effect Research on Hebei Spirit oil spill (HEROS) study. Journal of Environmental Management, 294, 112936.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112936
Chen, Q., Miller-Hooks, E., & Huang, E. (2023). Assessing transportation infrastructure impacts from supply chain restructuring for increased domestic production of critical resources. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 178, 109116.
Chen, Z., & Li, X. (2021). Economic impact of transportation infrastructure investment under the Belt and Road Initiative. Asia Europe Journal, 19(Suppl 1), 131-159.
Dong, J., Asif, Z., Shi, Y., Zhu, Y., & Chen, Z. (2022). Climate change impacts on coastal and offshore petroleum infrastructure and the associated oil spill risk: A review. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10(7), 849.
Gangadhari, R. K., Murty, S., & Khanzode, V. (2021). Analysis of accidents involving petroleum tankers and their consequences in India. Process Safety Progress, 40(1), e12154. https://doi.org/10.1002/prs.12154.
Harantová, V., Hájnik, A., Kalašová, A., & Figlus, T. (2022). The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on traffic flow characteristics, emissions production and fuel consumption at a selected intersection in Slovakia. Energies, 15(6), 2020. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15062020.
Hasanspahić, N., Vujičić, S., Kristić, M., & Mandušić, M. (2022). Improving safety management through analysis of near-miss reports—A tanker ship case study. Sustainability, 14(3), 1094. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031094.
Jereb, B., Stopka, O., & Skrúcaný, T. (2021). Methodology for estimating the effect of traffic flow management on fuel consumption and CO2 production: A case study of Celje, Slovenia. Energies, 14(6), 1673. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14061673.
Katysheva, E. (2023). Analysis of the interconnected development potential of the oil, gas and transport industries in the Russian Arctic. Energies, 16(7), 3124. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16073124.
Luo, P., Song, Y., & Wu, P. (2021). Spatial disparities in trade-offs: economic and environmental impacts of road infrastructure on continental level. GIScience & Remote Sensing, 58(5), 756-775.
Li, Z.-C., & Peng, Y.-T. (2016).
Modeling the effects of vehicle emission taxes on residential location choices of different-income households. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 48, 248–266.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2016.08.016
Mansour, A. I., & Aljamil, H. A. (2022). Investigating the effect of traffic flow on pollution, noise for urban road network. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 961, No. 1, p. 012067). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/961/1/012067.
Madhusudhanan, A. K., Na, X., Boies, A., & Cebon, D. (2020).
Modelling and evaluation of a biomethane truck for transport performance and cost. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 87, 102530.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2020.102530
Mahmood, Y., Afrin, T., Huang, Y., & Yodo, N. (2023). Sustainable development for oil and gas infrastructure from risk, reliability, and resilience perspectives. Sustainability, 15(6), 4953. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15064953.
Nkesah, S. K. (2023). Making road freight transport more sustainable: Insights from a systematic literature review. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Transportation Research, 22, 100967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2023.100967.
Niazi, U. M., Nasif, M. S., & Muhammad, M. (2019). Effect of wind directions on human injury and fatality risk modeling due to vapor cloud explosion in offshore platforms. AIChE Journal, 39(S1), Special Issue: Loss Prevention Asia, https://doi.org/10.1002/prs.12123.
Olugbade, S., Ojo, S., Imoize, A. L., Isabona, J., & Alaba, M. O. (2022). A review of artificial intelligence and machine learning for incident detectors in road transport systems. Mathematical and Computational Applications, 27(5), 77 https://doi.org/10.3390/mca27050077.
Quattrocchi, G., Simeone, S., Pes, A., Sorgente, R., Ribotti, A., & Cucco, A. (2021). An operational numerical system for oil stranding risk assessment in a high-density vessel traffic area. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8, 585396. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.585396.
Wang, J., Zhou, Y., Zhuang, L., Shi, L., & Zhang, S. (2022). Study on the critical factors and hot spots of crude oil tanker accidents. Ocean & Coastal Management, 217, 106010.
Yildiz, S., Sönmez, V. Z., Uğurlu, Ö., Sivri, N., Loughney, S., & Wang, J. (2021). Modelling of possible tanker accident oil spills in the Istanbul Strait in order to demonstrate the dispersion and toxic effects of oil pollution. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 193, Article 401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-09339-w.
Yu, Z., Ridwan, I. L., Tanveer, M., & Khan, S. A. R. (2023). Investigating the nexuses between transportation Infrastructure, renewable energy Sources, and economic Growth: Striving towards sustainable development. Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 14(2), 101843.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2022.101843.
Yazdanparast, R., Jolai, F., Pishvaee, M. S., & Keramati, A. (2022). A resilient drop-in biofuel supply chain integrated with existing petroleum infrastructure: Toward more sustainable transport fuel solutions. Renewable Energy, 184, 799-819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.11.087.
Wang, G., Cheng, Q., Zhao, W., Liao, Q., & Zhang, H. (2022). Review on the transport capacity management of oil and gas pipeline network: Challenges and opportunities of future pipeline transport. Energy Strategy Reviews, 43, 100933. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2022.100933.
Authors
Abd Allateef Jbara, S. (2025). Oil Tanker Trucks And Their Impact On The Fluidity Of Road Transport On The International Highway: A Case Study From International Highway In Iraq. Jurnal Geografi, Edukasi Dan Lingkungan (JGEL), 9(2), 194–211. https://doi.org/10.22236/jgel.v9i2.18737
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