Defining Transportation and Distribution Management

• Distribution management refers to the process of overseeing the movement of goods from supplier or manufacturer to point of
sale. It is an overarching term that refers to numerous activities and processes such as packaging, inventory, warehousing,
supply chain, and logistics.

• Transportation and logistics management are two closely related business units that share a common objective. The primary
goal is to transport inventory throughout a company’s supply chain efficiently and effectively. While people use the terms
interchangeably, transportation management is a subdivision of logistics. It’s a symbiotic relationship that requires care and
attention. Actively managing supply chain offers your company tremendous cost- and time-saving advantages. In other words,
you can’t afford to miss out on opportunities due to non-prioritization of this essential service function.

• transportation is defined as the movement of people, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport
include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles and operations.
Transportation is important since it enables trade between people, which in turn establishes civilizations. I find it an
interesting point that transportation is an enabler of civilization, but this makes sense, as it enables the ability to trade and
communicate.

• , logistics is defined as 1) In an industrial context, the art and science of obtaining, producing, and distributing material and
product in the proper place and in proper quantities. 2) In a military sense (where it has greater usage), its meaning can also
include the movement of personnel.
• Transportation and Logistics Management defines as the process of planning, implementing, and controlling procedures for the
efficient and effective transportation and storage of goods including services, and related information from the point of origin to the
point of consumption for the purpose of conforming to customer requirements. This definition includes inbound freight management,
outbound, internal, and external movements.

• supply chain management is all about managing the supplier base, determining what to outsource and to whom, and managing
relationships with the various suppliers. To some others it is efficient ways of transferring goods from one place to another taking
into account the distribution and transportation costs.

• A supply chain is the set of entities that are involved in the design of new products and services, procuring raw materials,
transforming them into semifinished and finished products and delivering them to the end customers (Swaminathan 2001). Supply
chain management is efficient management of the end-to-end process starting from the design of the product or service to the time
when it has been sold, consumed, and finally disposed of by the consumer. This complete process includes product design,
procurement, planning and forecasting, production, distribution, fulfillment, and after-sales support
Logistics
• Logistics is obtaining, producing, and distributing materials and products in the right qualities and to an end user. Logistics
includes the science of planning for managing and implementing procedures for the most efficient and effective storage and
transportation of goods and services. Services and other information from the source point to the consumer is sent through
logistics channels to meet and fulfill customer needs.(Ballou & Srivastava, 2007)
• Logistics has added benefits and functions that are different from transportation services. Logistics managers need to make
decisions based on packaging, containerization, documentation, and insurance, storage, importing and exporting, regulations, and
freight damage. They also deal with work and collaborating, claims, managing vendors and partners, and risk mitigation.
• Important tips for effective logistics management include:
• Proper planning is the first step to accomplishing a task. Planning involves obtaining the products, facilities to store the good
before delivery, and transportation of products to the end users.
• Automaton plays a major role in increasing the efficiency of a transportation company. Automation has a vital role in optimization.

• Transportation management is the effective planning and management of logistics operations to maximize the use of resources
while keeping costs low,” he says. “This includes daily live planning and resource optimization as well as strategic modeling.

• The management of transportation operations of all types, including tracking and managing every aspect of vehicle maintenance,
fuel costing, routing and mapping, warehousing, communications, EDI implementations, traveler and cargo handling, carrier
selection and management, accounting.