The paper considers the concept and importance of supplylogistics as element in improving storage, supply and transportof goods in big cities. There is always room for improvements inthis segmenl of economic activities, and therefore continuousoptimisation of the cargo flows from the manufacturer to theend user is impor1a11t. Due to complex requirements in thecargo supply a11d the 'spoiled' end users, modem cities represe/ll great difficulties and a big challenge for the supply organisers.The consumers' needs in big cities have developed over therecent years i11 such a way that they require supply of goods severaltimes a day at precisely determined times (orders are receivedby e-mail, and the information transfer is therefore instantaneous).In order to successfully meet the consumers'needs in advanced economic systems, advanced methods ofgoods supply have been developed and improved, such as 'justin time'; ''door-to-door', and 'desk-to-desk'. Regular operationof these systems requires supply logistics 1vhiclz includes thetotalthroughpw of materials, from receiving the raw materialsor reproduction material to the delive1y of final products to theend users.

Manufacturers and traders have always had to handle themanagement of supply chains. H01vever, this concept in itspresent meaning has only gained major importance in therecentyears. This is the result of linking supply chains with newtechnologies. The supply chain starts and ends with the endbuyer. The essence of supply elwin management is awarenessof the buyer's wishes and rapid delive1y of the required productsor se1vices. Supply chains play an exceptionally important roleroday. A common strategy for joint projects has ro be workedout wirh partners. In orderro achieve this, a lziglz degree of trustmust exist between them. Partners from various disciplines arenot competitors, but complement, and co-operate with eachother. In cold chains that ensure that perishable goods cover theproducer-consumer route in rlze shortest possible time, co-operationand trust are of key importance since only companies ableto provide the buyer with the right product at the right place andat the right price are successful in the market.

The compound distribution is of interest for the study of inventoryproblem, since it provides a more flexible description ofthe stochastic properties of the system compared to many otherapproaches such as renewal processes. However, due to the difficultiesof obtaining analytical results for the compound distribution,such a type of study is usually limited to searching for agood approximation for replacing the complex model. This paperinvestigates the possibility to extend a previous stochastic inventorymodel to cover a compound demand process. Transformmethods again play an imp01tant role in the analysis forcapturing the stochastic prope1ties of the compound distribution.

This paper follows up a previous study for optimising a production-inventory system when external demand is stochastic.A modified stock-out function is presented to cover more generalsituation when cumulative production may be a continuousvariable. Optimisation equations are further investigated,including the sufficient conditions for optimisation.

The external supply of logistics se1vices is part of a trend towardoutsourcing non-core logistics activities. The scope ofthird-party logistics may range from a relatively limited combinationof activities (e.g. transportation and warehousing) to acomprehensive set of logistics se1vices.The authors first discuss the characteristics of business logisticsin manufacturing indusfly, to be taken into account inlogistics outsourcing. They particularly point out the motimtionsfor logistics outsourcing, the possibilities of outsourcing,as well as supplier selection. Finally they analyze the outsourcingin the reverse logistics.

Using generalised systems methodology, the paper considersthe approach to effective fu net ion a I integra I ion of Ira nsportand telecommunications technology in solving mobility problems.Basic functions and structure of third generation of wirelesssystems (3G) are evaluated from the aspects of traffic technology.The paper elaborates how increased accessibility andreliable broadband capabilities of 3G systems combined withInternet application can improve the existing teletraffic technologies.EvolutionG/y network migration to 3G networks hasbeen suggested as an effective strategic choice for mobile operators

The paper presents the significance of visual perception forthe safety of traffic participants. The essential guideline of visualperception is visibility, which is severely reduced innight-time driving conditions and/or conditions of reduced opticalvisibility. In order to increase the visibility in such conditionsa thermovision system has been developed, i.e. IR (infrared)system. The operating principle as well as the significanceof the new opto-electronic systems which in crease the visibilityat night and/or conditions of reduced optical visibility havebeen summarised in this paper. Based on the knowledge of theoperating principles it is possible to evaluate CO!Tectly the feasibilityof such IR systems.

As environmentally clean industry and as the most significantworld industry regarding the number of employees and theimpact on the social and economic development of a countTy,tourism represents an extremely important social and economicbranch for Croatia.As a functional unit of the mutually interweaving socialand economic relations, tourism is a complex phenomenonwhose development depends on a number of compatible factorsout of which the transport infrastructure is considered to bethe most obvious and almost the most significant one, i.e. thefirst among the equal. This is primarily true for road traffic infrastructure,since road trai!Sportation of tourists by passengercars, buses and motorcycles accounts for more than 90 percentof the overall tourist journeys in Croatia.The topic of this paper is precisely, among other things, thetourist assessment of the Croatian road network by means ofthe so-called econometric model regarding the contribution ofa certain road route to the overall tourist traffic.Practical implementation of the elaborated problematicshould result in the improvement of road infrastructure eitherby constructing new motonvays and/or roads, or by reconstructionand/or modernisation of the existing traffic routes.

way disturbed from its static balance will start to vibrate asa whole, or only some of its parts, i.e. it will startto move periodicallyaround the position of its static balance thus obviouslydisturbing the stability of the vehicle movements and the drivingcomfort and reducing the strength of materials of single vehicleelements. Basic cause for this dynamic excitation is the microand macro profile of the swface along which the vehicle moves.Vibrating vehicle has a reduced stability in movement.Due to traffic safety reasons transversal road humps needto be installed at a section at which the mot01ist who misreadthe traffic signals need to be forced to reduce their speed, that is,care must be taken of a number of various factors endangeringtraffic safety. This paper will try to analyse eve1ything that is includedin the 'Programmed macro-profile of road'.

What we can witness nowadays are the important changesand transformations of and in societies. Development strategiesof the countries demand taking into account the diversity ofindividual countries, i.e. the geographical, cultural, political,social and economic diversities. Each count1y should be consideredfrom this point of view.The effects of logistics as an overwhelming and pervadingactivity are felt in all areas of the socio-economic life. Space, inhabitedareas and logistics form a system, a whole that has to beconsidered as an integrated unit.The concept of the logistic development strategy in Sloveniashould take into account the interests of the government, of sectorsand companies, research and development policy, logisticalpolicy, the choice of the logistical activity, the choice of instrumentsfor the (macro )logistical policy, financing as well asinstitutional organising factors.

In the twentieth centwy motor and railway transport has increasedthe accessibility to goods and people through mobility,flexibility and comfort they provide. The result is generally theimprovement of living standards and beller opportunity forcommercial development of towns and regions as a whole. Theincreased number of vehicles in everyday traffic have increasedthe demand for new traffic infrastructures. A lot has alreadybeen built in open spaces as welt as in urban environment withbad impact on urban shape.Planning and construction of traffic infrastructurethroughout the urban structure is neither merely a11 engineeringnor just an aesthetic issue when integrating a new highway, freewayor railway into an urban environment. It is especially, if notprimarily, an issue of urban design. This means joint efforts ofengineering design and both urban and landscape architecturewith focusing sufficient alfention on possible multiple uses ofcommon urban space in good environmental conditions. TheSlovene Long Term Regional Plan, planning and constructionof highways in Slovenia initiated consideration and search foramethodology appropriate for the assessment of suitable layouts,especially in the complex cases of traffic infrastructure passingby or through urban areas. New findings described in this papersupplement the methodological approaches used so far.

The paper deals with two topics. The one is strictly railways,that is theoretical theses for calculation of locomotive load atrespective gradient. The second is an overview of computer programMS Access with the basic terms and definitions includedin the program itself It is intended to bring closer the languageof information technology to the railways. The developed programfor calculating the allowed mass of trains that can behauled by certain locomotives enables fast calculation of any ofthe traction variants. A limitation related to mass has been includedin the program.

This paper considers the possibilities of using liquefied petroleumgas (LPG) as alternative fuel for propelling Olio enginesin passenger cars. The advantages of using LPG comparedto petrol are reflected in the reduced emission of harmfulgases, lower price. The disadvantages include the costs of installingthe gas equipment, occupying part of the boot, as well asfew gas filling stations. In spite of the disadvantages, liquefiedpetroleum gas is claimed to be the fuel of the future.

This paper considers the actual problematic of cycling intraffic. It emphasises possible bigger role of the bicycle in urbancentres as transport device that could be one of the ways of reducingtraffic jams. The author also considers bicycle influenceon health and environment. Special emphasis is on the dangerof bicycle riding in unsettled traffic conditions and failure to useprotective measures especially regarding the role of helmets oneve1y ride.

The basic aim of control in postal traffic is to insure high-quality se1vices for customers. The paper presents the analysisof quality control in collecting postal items, based on the dataobtained during the control performed by the internal ControlService in the postal centre for international traffic Zagreb. Thepaper also offers some measures for the improvement of thequality of services.

The term inventory implies various material means whichare for a certain period of time excluded from the productionprocess or transport with the aim of being used at a later pointin time, as the need might arise.The work analyses an example of the operation method ofone system according to the model of rejecting unsatisfied demands,with the task of determining the op1imal invento1y volumeand !he ordering levels in order 10 minimise the annualcosts.

Traffic demand and supply are in mutual interaction andmutually coordinated.Transport needs (of goods and passengers) cause an increasein consumption, and on the other hand influence theconstruction and improvement of available traffic capacities,which in tum provides conditions for new increase in transportdemand. As a result, traffic acts in return on the development ofinduslly and also for the needs of people. It precedes the developmentof demand, i. e. its interaction provides the possibilityof increase in the tramport se1vice demand.

This paper deals wilh the criteria and requirements in developinggeneral autonomous software related to handling aircraftat the ailp011. ft gives an ove1view of almost all the influencingfactors which are relevant to 'processing' an aircraftboth upon aiTival as well as on departure. It gives a brief descriptionof the conventional balancing method which is beingused, of 1/ze latest advancement in the field, and it offers a concretesuggestion for improving the reliability of criteria andresultsin aircraft handling.The main idea of this initial work is to unify all the necessaryactivities and to register them. by one computer, from landinguntil take-off, including computer communica1ion withother ai1ports and companies. Cun·ently, the programs of certainair companies are being used and they have produced individualsoftware in co-operation wilh the manufacturers only forcertain types of aircraft that are cwTently employed by !hem.Since the range of aircraft types landing at ahports is growing,!here is the need to find a universal program which can calculatethe balance chart for each aircraft based, of course, onthe manufacturer-supplied design data.

Although a recognised phenomenon affecting a vessel, particularlyin shallow and confined wate1ways, squat is difficult tocalculate, quantify and apply.Many different factors affect its impact. It is always a predictedfigure, depending on factors that may at any given timebe unknown or difficult to asce11ain with any degree of accuracy.It involves, but is not limited to the input of informationfrom the vessel's particulars, as well as those of the limitationsof the wale/Way to be transited, traffic interaction, factor oftides and tidal streams, currents and prevailing weather etc.The knowledge of squat, its calculation and application ofsafe margins, and timely preventive action (reduction of speed)may save a vessel from grounding and its aftermath. Lack ofappreciation of squat can prove to be ve1y costly.

Besides standard joining procedures in automotive industrya n wnber of a ltema ti ve solutions are used, based on specific industrialneeds.This article briefly presents the basic conditions that mustbe met by the automobiles of new generation and states the reasonsfor an in-depth change in the concepts of construction andmaterials used as well as in the joining technology. The newconcepts in automotive indust1y are presented thatlzave provenacceptable and have been fully implemented.

Jnterdisciplinwy traffic expertise is being increasingly appliedin road traffic. It is not possible to determine whether anaccident had been intentionally set up without such expertise.The interdisciplinary expertise is the result of mutual work ofseveral different interdisciplinary experts. The paper analysesthe basic characteristics of interdisciplinary investigation ofset-up traffic accidents. Special attention has been paid to interdisciplinwyexpertise of set-up traffic accidents involving injuredpersons or fatalities.

The described sub-model is just one small segment of theTraffic Study of the City of Zagreb, in the development of whichnumerous foreign and national experts and institutions tookpart. After comprehensive collection and processing of inputdata, the traffic experts, using the software package 'MVATRIPS' for the analysis and search for optimal solutions to theproblem of traffic system, provided the models of public urbantransit for the future.This paper describes the analysis and assessment of sub-models in road traffic assignment for the morning peak, afternoonpeak and average off-peak hours. The principles of assignmentprocedure have been described as well as the convergencetests. The following has been specified: the users categories,the public transit pre-load, and the passenger car unit(PC U). The key guideline in selecting the route is a generalisedformulation of costs presented in the paper. The procedures ofcalibration and the assessment of the finite model have alsobeen defined according to the screenline flows, link flows, andtravelling times. In the end, the summary is given of the basiccharacteristics of the finite travelling matrices.

The work considers different information systems, includingthe infonnation ~ystems with autonomous units, whichcany all their intelligence around with them, and those withcommunicating units, which infonn the motorist about the currentsituation of the road system by radio or other means. Thesymbols of various messages have three main objectives: to provideinstruction, to warn of oncoming dange1~ or to give adviceregarding parking or looking for altemative routes. When notused for these pwposes, they are used to provide general informationabout the weathe1~ temperature or possible attractions.The in-vehicle information systems fly to assist the motorist indriving, and they are promoted as part of the comprehensive intelligenttransport system.

The remarkable rise of Europe following the NapoleonicWars during the early JIY' centwy favouring the spread of therailway systems and- subsequent to this new mode of transport-leading to almost complete industrialisation and urbanisationin the political frame of nation states has suffered severe setbacksduring the 2rJ' century deplorably highlighted by WorldWar I and World War Jl, by various civil wars and the ColdWar, by lwge scale expellations, and substantial alternations ofpolitical borders. At the same time much has changed, toothroughout the extensive continental regions around Europe.Consequently, prospects for future development in the 21' centwydiffer widely. Extraordinary effort is demanded to satisfysocial expectations not known so far avoiding, howeve1~ bothnew warlike conflicts and additional exploitations of the naturalenvironment. To solve this task traffic plays a key role by optimalevaluation of all its modes and by applt:cation of the besttechnical achievements along with stepwise adaptation of theurban settlements which represent the most important locationsof living and working.

A brief hommage is rendered to Hermann Kemper (1892--1977), the inventor oft he magnetic levitation tecnique for highspeed transport

Road and rail networks in the post-Soviet space are analysedin view of the demands in transportation to be expected inthe 2 I st centwy. The road system is found te1ribly underdel'elopedin terms of density and canying capacity. It widely fails tofulfil the necessary feeder function for the rail system. Both railand road ~ystems need substantial improvements to allow forthe wgent economic recove1y of that lQige area between thosevital and dynamic regions in east (China), south (Middle East)und west (Europe).

After the collapse of the Soviet Union the Central Asianproducers have been actively and partly successfully looking forcompensating markets. Howeve1; the transport infrastructurewas built to se1ve interests of the Soviet state. New transportCOJTidors to the west, east and south are being constructed orplanned reducing in the long run the transport costs of CentralAsian products, which still today pw1ly use traditional and longerSoviet time outlets (pipelines, railways, ports). For both economicand geopolitical reasons Central Asian states wish tofind alternative transport routes. The EU and geopolitical rivalsof Russia, the USA and China, are helping in this, also Iran hasvested interests in the issue. Still long haulage remain a constantproblem for landlocked Central Asia and the high cost ofmany projects planned (Transcaspian or Chinese pipelines) islikely to postpone them to a distant future.

Considering the fierce debate on whether 'maglev' or'on-the-trail' system should be applied to China's first high-speed railroad, this paper makes prospects about China's high--speed railroads. As at the initial stage, careful considerationsshould be given to the framework of China's high-speed railroads.Combining China's specific national conditions, the paperdemonstrates that maglev train can be well applied in theeast and the regions of the middle and lower reaches of theYangtze River where there is developed economy, lwge anddense population, limited land use, concentrated big cities andrail transport shortage. The maglev system is the world's mostadvanced technology, China should take the best to catch upwith the world in this transportation field.

Although an 'avalanche of people' may be expected in thenear future lillie confidence seems to be justified with respect toa peaceful and prosperous development in the Near East. Politicalantagonism, often fuelled by religious intolerance threatei!Sor even pre1·ents the evaluation of promising opportunities atthis huge area between the Old World continents which couldotlwwise benefit so much from the by-passing great world trafficroutes.

A brief review is given of the current ideas about /raffle restrictionsand cost of traffic distribution systems including thecontroversy of individual and public transport under both privateand public regime.

A plea to adopt the most modem transportation techniquefor reasonable coping with the dramatically increasing trafficneeds in modern Europe and careful prese1vation of the environmentalvalues.

Traffic today is an indispensable part of our lives and oneof the basic preconditions of what is called social progress. Likeblood in our body it circulates across the whole globe and allowsfor the necessary flow of people and materials. This workconsiders the impact of traffic on the lives of people and on theenvironment, analyses the available energy sources and vehiclepropulsion systems and illustrates global climatic issues. Thepaper presents the methodology created by EU for monitoringof harmful emissions at the national/eve! and gives data on differencesin emissions of individualtransp01t modes. The trafficcondition in the Republic of Croatia is analysed and a thesis isgiven regarding possible solution of the stated problems.

The Mediterranean Countries (MC) are grouped as EuropeanUnion Countries (EUC), Former Socialist Countries(FSC), Middle East Countries (MEC) and Maghreb Countries(MAC) and their economic and population prospects are analysedwith respect to future demands on seaborne traffic, portcapacity and hinterland relations in the 21' century.

Using the data collected by the Universal Postal Union, thepaper studies the con·elation between the delive1y time of ordinarymail items by air and the geographical distance. lt is foundthat there is poor linear co'elation. The reasons for the obtainedresults are discussed and a suggestion for improvementis offered, which would mean improvement in the quality of theconsidered postal service.

Roads are one of the main factors which influence roadtraffic safety. They influence the time of the realisation and thecosts of the transport itself by their technical and exploitationcharacteristics. The right selection of a street will highly affectthe costs of transport that can be reduced, and the speed ofrealisation that can be increased. The paper presents one of themethods of recognition of forms which is later on also tested onan example of selecting the type of the street. The aim of this paperwas to show the possibilities of using the recognition offorms in the traffic and transport system. This way of selectionand classification is needed when it is necesswy to decide fastabout the direction of movement, particularly in special circumstances.

The function of transport is to bridge the distance betweenthe producer and the consumer at the lowest possible price. Anyway in which transport costs can be reduced has to be welcomed,either through introduction of a means which correspondsclosely to the needs of transport service users (more convenient,safer, more reliable, faster transport), or a meanswhich is less expensive to provide, and its function regardingeconomic aspect can also be efficient and reliable.

Mobile telephony appeared in 1955 and its development inthe world and in Croatia can be divided into two generations:analogue mobile system and digital mobile systems. Mobile te/eplzony is a part of the telecommunication market experiencingthe fastest growth. Already in 1990, the mobile telephonesaccounted for 4% of the world market in telecommunicationservices, and their share is increasing daily. Liberalisation ofthe Croatian market of mobile telephony was a necessity for establishingcompetition as a necessG/y prerequisite for providinghigh-quality se1vices and reducing their prices, and it COJTespondsto the mobile telephony system development worldwide.At the beginning of the 90s, the Republic of Croatia was laggingbehind the telecommunication-developed world, and today shehas a modem infrastructure that supports highly sophisticatedse1vices by two digital and one analogue mobile telephone network.

The design of intermediate shaft with axially movablesplined joint must be adapted to the variable position of theshaft axis, i.e. to the change of the joint angle during operation.This design is also used for the reduction of axial forces whichare caused by inaccuracy in the production and assembling ofC(ll·dan mechanisms. The axial force which is generated by frictionof contact swfaces in the splined joint is the function of themagnitude of the transfeJTed torsion moments, splined dimensions,lubrication conditions, and materials used for contactswfaces. It will cause additional bearing loads at cross journalsand in the shaft supports, as well as unallowed vibrations andnoise during operation, thus affecting the safety and lifetime ofthe Cardan mechanism. The theoretical and empirical analysisof Cm·dan mechanisms, which have been studied with andwithout axial forces in the splinedjoint and its effect on durabilityof mechanism elements have been presented.

The port of Rijeka, as part of the future system of the NorthAdriatic ports (Koper, Trieste, Rijeka) plays a significant role infreight transportation towards the Central European region. Bycons/meting the Danube - Sava Canal from Vukovar toSamac, by canalising the river Sava from Samac to Sisak, andby good railway and road connections that will be realised inthe first two to three decades of the third millennium the port ofRijeka will receive the key role in the development of the NorthAdriatic ports. High-quality railway and road connections betweenthe port of Rijeka and /stria, Koper and Trieste, will providemajor possibilities of rationalising the transportation processfrom the port of Rijeka towards the Danube region and theCentral European countries.

The liability of air carriers in international air traffic is stillregulated by the Warsaw Convention from 1929and its amendments.In 1999the Montreal Convention was accepted, whichcompletely substitutes the rules contained in the Warsaw Conventionincluding all its later amendments, and the most importantmodifications have been made regarding the air can·iers'liabilities in case of passenger injury or death on intemationaI flights.