Transportation

1-discuss how transportation managers could be involved with other operations of the firm?

The transportation industry has always been highly dynamic. Since the 1970s, it has undergone a number of changes not only in its magnitude but also in terms of the duties ad responsibilities that the players could take on. This is partly due to globalization as well as modifications in the regulations. In the past, transport managers were restricted to passive roles as far as pricing and service packages were concerned. However, they have taken on a proactive or active role in combining proper pricing with service packages in an organization.

In addition, they may help in marketing by making quotations of the freight rates for the salespeople. Moreover, they could assist in selecting the routes and carriers for reliable product delivery as well as making suggestions on quantity discounts on the basis of transport savings. They may also assist outbound shipping processes by offering simplified routing and shipping guides, encouraging consolidation of shipment and drawing transportation documents. They could also assist the buying by offering advice on quality and cost control methods for inbound deliveries, as well as tracing and expediting delayed or lost shipment of crucial inputs. They can also offer their advice on material handling and packaging in manufacturing industry, as well as ascertaining that sufficient transportation supply is available when necessary. 2- the bill of lading is the single most significant document in transportation. Discuss some of the basic functions it performs?

The importance of the bill of landing in the transport industry cannot be gainsaid. It acts as a delivery receipt once goods have been tendered to carriers. In addition, it is the legal proof of the shipper that the carrier has received the freight. The bill of lading also outlines the duties and responsibilities of the shipper and the carrier.

3- explain why smaller shipments are challenging to transportation managers?

Small shipments pose a significant problem for transport managers. This is because carriers are reluctant to take them since they require more manual labor thereby increasing labor costs. Moreover, some carriers believe that the revenues accruing from them does not reflect the cost considerations sufficiently in which case they lose money. In addition, more paperwork would be needed not to mention the information system that would be needed in order to keep track of every single shipment.

Works cited

Philip Sidney Bagwell. The transport revolution. London: Routledge, 1988