Transport logistics: how to implement it in your deliveries

Planning load transportation logistics is essential to move as many goods as possible, with agility and safety, guaranteeing the integrity of the load. The goal is to deliver the right product, in the right quantity, at the right time and in the right place, at the lowest possible cost.

Transportation is one of the main logistics functions. From a cost perspective, it represents, on average, around 60% of logistics expenses. Therefore, having efficient transport logistics turns out to be an important competitive differential for companies.

Know how transportation logistics works

The main functions of transport logistics are basically linked to the time and place of the goods delivery. Freight transport allows products to be available where there is potential demand, within the time frame appropriate to the buyer’s needs.

Logistical efficiency contributes significantly to the level of service that a company provides to its customers. Therefore, companies must be able to offer a door-to-door delivery service with punctuality, flexibility, security and without risk of damage or theft. Therefore, transport logistics serves to define the best modal available to transport a certain load in the most favorable possible situations.

Another important issue is associated with the transport mode choice, be it rail, road, sea, pipeline and air. The choice of the most suitable modal depends on factors such as fixed and variable costs, speed of delivery, availability of goods, reliability, capacity and frequency.

See which logistics modal is right for you

Maritime transport is the most used modality to move cargo around the world. Very economical, it is widely used to export products. However, the freight’s delivery time is slower than in the other modes.

Rail transport, in turn, is mainly used to transport cargo such as iron ore, grains, mineral coal, fertilizers, and petroleum products.

The rail transport main advantage concerns to the loading capacity of this mode. High tonnage loads are preferably transported by rail, especially when long distances have to be traveled.

For products with higher added value, it may be interesting to use more expensive and faster transport modes. In these cases, air transport can be interesting, but it has higher costs, which often makes competitiveness unfeasible.

On the other hand, road transport also stands out for its agility, with the advantage of having lower costs. For example, a transport between São Paulo and Recife by road usually takes about 5 days, while the train can take about 18 days. Therefore, the choice will depend on the delivery time desired by the customer and the costs associated with each option.

However, although it is the most used transport mode in Brazil, road transport faces barriers such as the enormous deficiencies found in the transport infrastructure.

To overcome these obstacles, many companies choose to use distribution centers in strategic regions, close to customers. In addition, they use routing tools and tracking applications to optimize operations.

Know how to optimize transport logistics

Whichever transport mode is chosen, it is important for the company to carry out efficient logistics planning and control.

By defining the best way to deliver a given load, the transportation manager can dramatically reduce delivery time and lower costs. The total cost of the operation should include all costs related to end-to-end transportation plus inventory costs, including stock in transit.

Another important issue is investing in the qualification of those responsible for each stage of the logistics process. When employees concentrate on doing transportation logistics, the number of failures decreases considerably.

In addition, permanent care must be taken with the safety of the fleet, the goods transported and the operators.

To increase logistics efficiency, it is necessary to take into account that each type of load requires specific care so that it can reach its destination in its entirety. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that everyone involved in the transport is well trained and has the proper equipment to ensure efficiency and safety.

Information technology enables companies to better plan and control operations, as well as monitor the trajectory of products from start to finish.

Through an integrated vision of logistics, it is possible to create strategies to reduce inventories and thus reduce costs. However, this strategy requires very fast and consistent transportation to meet batch sizes and delivery times.

Have more efficiency and security in your operations

To guarantee good results in transport logistics, it is very important to have equipment that provides security, practicality and firmness to your load.

Robustec lashing slings offer high resistance, mobility, firmness and safety. Made of high-strength 100% polyester material, they guarantee products’ integrity during transport and also contribute to the driver’s safety.

With more than 30 different items, the Robustec lashing slings line has various assembly options and capacities, depending on the client’s load securing needs. They combine perfectly with equipment such as road winches, nautical and agricultural winches, supports, winch cables and fasteners for attaching ropes to steel cables.

Available in different lengths, sizes and capacities, the slings are provided with anti-UV protection, resistant to sunlight and adequate to safety regulations.

In addition, Robustec has a complete line of accessories to secure the load with everything you need to securely tie your load, such as clamps, turnbuckles and fastening terminals.

As we have seen, transport logistics is essential for the optimization of delivery processes, helping to guarantee customer satisfaction, reduce costs and increase the companies’ competitiveness.

Did you like this article? Do you want to know more about how to optimize your transport logistics? Read our article:

How to apply transport logistics in your deliveries