DOI: 10.26650/jtl.2026.1802574 ISSN: 2459-1718

A Structural Equation Model of Critical Factors Influencing the Integration of Rail Freight with Crowd Logistics: Evidence from the Ethio-Djibouti Railway Share Company

Elias Kassa, Eshetie Berhan, Kassu Jilcha
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The growth of e-commerce, urban congestion, and sustainability concerns has increased interest in multimodal freight solutions that combine operational efficiency with last-mile delivery. This study examines critical factors influencing the integration of rail freight with crowd logistics (CL) operations in the Ethio-Djibouti Railway (EDR) corridor. Despite growing interest in multimodal freight systems, empirical evidence on Rail-CL integration in developing economies remains limited. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Resource Orchestration Theory (ROT), and Stakeholder Theory, the study develops and tests a conceptual framework using survey data from 155 stakeholders representing railway operators, logistics providers, government institutions, and academic institutions. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to examine the proposed relationships.Results indicate that technology use and stakeholder collaboration significantly enhance intention to adopt CL, while multimodal transport usage improves operational efficiency. Intention to use CL mediates the effects of technology use and stakeholder collaboration on operational efficiency. Operational efficiency strongly influences integration success, which subsequently generates sustainability benefits. In contrast, integration barriers do not significantly affect adoption intention. The study contributes to multimodal freight literature by providing empirical evidence on Rail-CL integration in a developing-economy context. The findings provide practical implications for policymakers and logistics practitioners.

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