ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the importance of the factors controlling the use of inland container transport by firms and how this will affect the demand for containers in inland transport. The report, Transport for Industry, provides the most valuable insight into how various factors influence the choice of a particular mode of transport by manufacturing industry. Containers do not necessarily remove the potential for the features categorised in Transport for Industry as 'extra service'. The role of transport charges was examined in greater detail in a supplementary survey. The most important finding of the survey was that concerning the relative importance of the direct and indirect costs as determining factors in the allocation of demand among transport modes. Damage incidence might be improved over that of road by the rail container system, but the advantage is really relative to conventional rail and marginal in relation to haulage.
