We study a nonlinear initial-value problem arising from a Boltzmann-like model of vehicular traffic on highways. First, we show that such a problem has a unique strict solution u = u(t) that belongs to a suitable Banach space x0, provided that t ∊ [0, t] with t suitably chosen. Then, we prove that u(t) belongs to the closed positive cone X+0, if u0 = u(0) belongs to a suitable subset of X0+. Finally, we evaluate a continuous nonnegative real function y(t), such that ||u(t)|| ≤y(t) at any t ∊[0, t]. © 1978 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.