This paper investigates transport providers’ preferences for alternative loading bays and pricing policies. It estimates the importance of loading bays, the probability of finding them free and offers strategically relevant information to policy makers. The results underline the relevance of both preference heterogeneity and non-linear attribute effects. Three classes of agents are detected with substantially different preferences also characterized by non-linear sensitivity to attribute level variations. The specific freight sector, frequency of accesses and number of employees are all relevant covariates explaining different preferences for alternative transport providers’ categories. The implications of the results obtained are illustrated by simulating alternative policy scenarios. In conclusion, the paper underlines the need for rigorous policy analysis if the correct policy outcomes are to be estimated with an adequate level of accuracy.
