The effectiveness of shipment transportation depends on the kind of vehicle. The ways of performing logistics tasks are often estimated by the following criteria:
- Minimization of the costs of transportation;
- Minimum delivery time;
- Minimization of the risk of untimely delivery;
- The possibility of the vehicle transferring the needed amount of 3pl freight;
- Ready to start delivery at any time and an opportunity to arrange the transportation under any conditions;
- Minimization of the cargo losses (protection of the freight from damages, losses, and cheating).
The choice of the suitable way
In some cases, the sender takes into account only one criterion which is the most important to him. The most popular example of using the only one criterion is the choice of air transportation. Most people think that this provides the quickest transportation. But the reality shows that sometimes truck delivery can be quicker than air transportation. It is because the goods which are delivered to the airport need to be transferred to the warehouses. Additional operations are performed, and more time is wasted.
What affects the cost of delivery?
Speaking about the factors which affect the delivery cost, we consider the reliability of the transportation, the safety of the cargo, availability of transportation services, and others. Among the factors which affect the choice of the vehicle, the senders usually consider:
- Financial stability of the transportation company;
- Extra services including logistics, expediting, and others;
- The possibility of redirecting the cargo during the run;
- Regularity of the runs;
- Qualification of the staff;
- Control the cargo moving;
- Quality of the services;
- The ecological aspect of vehicles.
The choice of the vehicle
Most often senders choose between two variants – railway or automobile shipment transportation. Sometimes the choices change and the dilemma is between air and automobile transferring especially if we speak about perishable goods or when you are short of time.
Automobiles are widely-used when you need to send shipments to long destinations, but at the same time railways are often used because of the ecology.
Marine transport has been one of the most ancient in human history. People use it to transfer container shipments. Usually, it is used for international cargo transportation these days.
As for the river vehicles, they are in priority to deliver not so valuable goods. River vehicles are good when the sender doesn’t need to minimize time delivery and doesn’t care about the safety of the shipments. This way is relevant for transferring various construction materials. Delivered materials such as sand, rubble, and so on, can be unloaded almost everywhere on the river banks.
Automobile transport can deliver goods to other vehicles which move far. The trucks are uncompetitive for the not so big parts of cargo. Especially, when you need to deliver them as quickly as possible.