In response to the inefficiencies in road freight transport, this research proposes an innovative collaboration index for carriers. The framework involves a collaboration decision tree that determines four collaboration modes at the trip level, which are then aggregated into a carrier-level evaluation using heuristic local optimization. This results in a collaboration index that quantitatively assesses the potential for collaboration among carriers based on operational data, filling a gap in partner selection processes. The study reveals that participants in horizontal collaboration achieved an average cost-saving rate of 14.4%, with the top 25% reaching 22.12%. While geographical similarity moderately correlates with the index, vehicle type does not show a linear relationship.
The significance of this work lies in its unique collaboration index formulated from operational data, which not only facilitates the identification of collaboration potentials but also provides insights for collaborative partner selection strategies.