FREIGHT TRANSPORT OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Paper in proceeding, 2007

A growing number of participants in outsourced logistics operations have led to increasingly complex transport chains facing problems such as low filling rates and excess capacity. Despite the incentives for managing transport operations , these operations today relies on fixed routes and estimated demands. This research is based on a multiple-case study on decision-making in transportation setups from a logistics service provider perspective. The case study was carried out by physically following the freight, interviews, participation in the management and accessing the information systems. The available options in decision making have been analyzed using a framework from the transport system literature. This work has resulted in an identification of the decision making stages and information needs in the transportation chain from a logistics service provider perspective. It outlines how information can be used to manage freight transported between two destinations, the actual decision and control points in the chain and the possible transport decisions that can be taken, from a logistics service provider perspective.