Logistics and TRANSPORTATION

Logistics and transportation services involves the merchandises in movement. The logistics and transportation services to connects between customers, manufacturers, distributors with the carriers and owners-operators. These are the fixed points in a logistics supply chain.

The logistics and transportation services is the expansion of the global marketplace puts the concept of global logistics into the limelight. Logistics experts must now manage all of the logistics activities within a worldwide arena spanning a multitude of countries, languages, cultures, governments, and regulations. Along with this expansion of the marketplace comes the need for global channel intermediaries.

The basic modes of logistics and transportation are water, rail, motor carrier, air and pipeline. Water being the slowest mode with rail, motor carrier, and air following in order of speed of delivery. Generally, the order is reversed when looking at costs.

The shipper must compare the service desired with the rate or cost of service. The logistics and transportation services usually means transit time or the time that elapses from the time the consignor makes the goods available for dispatch until the carrier delivers to the consignee. Pickup and delivery, terminal handling and movement between origin and destination account for the time involved in transporting goods. This includes the rate charged for the service, minimum weight requirements, loading and unloading facilities, packaging, possible damage in transit, and any special services that may be desired or required. If next day delivery is imperative, the shipper will utilize an air freight carrier but will pay a premium price for such rapid service. If time is not a particularly critical element the shipper may elect to use rail or a motor carrier, or may even utilize a water carrier if time is inconsequential.

Common carriers serve the general public at reasonable prices and without discrimination. They cannot refuse to carry a particular commodity or refuse to serve a particular point with the scope of the carrier's operation. Common carriers are liable for all goods lost, damaged, or delayed unless caused by an act of God, an act of a public enemy, an act of public authority, an act of the shipper, or some defect within the good itself. Regulated carriers are required to provide safe and adequate logistics and transportation services and facilities upon reasonable request and are liable for damage up to limits established by the carrier. Regulated carriers can be motor carriers or water carriers and are subject to minimal federal controls.A contract carrier does not serve the general public, but, rather serves one or a limited number of contracted customers. They have no legal service obligation. They often provide a specialized service and usually have lower rates than common or regulated carriers.

A carriers are exempt from regulation regarding rates and services. A status comes from the type commodity hauled or the nature of the carrier's operation. A motor carriers are usually local and typically transport such items as agricultural goods, newspapers, livestock, and fish. A water carriers transport bulk commodities such as coal, ore, grain, and liquid. A rail carriers transport piggy-back shipments and exempt air carriers haul cargo.A firm's own transportation is termed a private carrier. Private carriers are not "for-hire" and not subject to the same federal regulations as other types of transport. However, the carrier's primary business must be something other than transportation.

Once the mode and type of carrier is determined a final decision can be made based on other factors. Accessibility is one such factor. Some firms have geographic limits to their routing network. Others may not possess physical access to needed facilities or have the ability to provide the equipment and facilities that movement of a particular commodity may require. Reliability, the consistency of the transit time a carrier provides, is also a key factor. Finally, convenience and communication are other important considerations when selecting a carrier.

The logistics and transportation terms and services:

• Foreign freight forwarders handlers of a myriad of foreign freight services: rate quotes, vessel chartering, booking of vessel space, handling of documentation and cargo insurance, tracing and expediting, arranging inland transportation and providing translation logistics services.
• Export management companies suppliers of expertise to those wishing to sell products overseas but lacking the necessary logistics resources.
• Export trading companies locaters of overseas buyers. They also handle export documentation, transportation and the meeting of foreign government requirements.
• Customs house brokers overseers of the movement of goods through customs. They also ensure that accompanying documents are complete and accurate.
• Ship brokers sales representatives for ship owners and purchasing representatives for the shipper.
• Ship agents local representative of the ship operator that handles the ship's arrival, berthing, clearance, loading and unloading.
• Export packers suppliers of export packaging services.
• Port authorities owner and operator of the port. They provide wharf, dock, and other terminal facilities at port locations.

It's a logistics jobs; dockman, manager, billing, dispatcher, driver, salesman and more.