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What is Transportation and Logistics Management and Are They the Same Thing?


About a week and a half ago we wrote a blog about the History of and Academic 

definitions of Supply Chain and Logistics Management. While researching our next blog 

post about the academic thoughts on what is transportation and logistics management, I 

came across a fantastic video series on YouTube covering 12 Supply Chain Management, 

from The W. P. Carey Department of Supply Chain Management, who provide academic 

instruction and research that advances knowledge in global supply chain management while 

focusing on issues of practical importance. One of the videos did a fantastic job at 

explaining what is transportation and logistics (see video embedded below), as it 

compares the details of personal travel, and the complex logistics behind getting from 

point A to point B. The video explains how getting on the plane and getting off the 

plane are not the only parts of personal travel. The video talks about the primary level 

of transport vs. all of the modes involved to get to the airport, such as a personal 

car. Additionally, you may have layovers, meaning you will have to sit in "People 

warehousing". Finally, think of all the work that went into getting your tickets, what 

it takes for the staff to make your flight happen, etc. So, it begs the question, "What 

is Transportation and Logistics Management and are they the same thing?"

transportation and logistics management definedAccording to Wikipedia, 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. Transport 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. According to the APICS 

dictionary, 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. The Council of Supply Chain Management 

Professionals (CSCMP) defines logistics 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, outbound, internal, and external movements.

After Asking "What is Transportation and Logistics Management?" Do you Think They are 

the Same Thing? If you have read the above academic definitions, you will see that that 

after Asking "What is Transportation and Logistics Management" it seems rather easy to 

see the difference between the two. Transportation is the driver of logistics, but 

logistics is the race car driver in the seat of transportation. In fact, it's easy to 

see from that sentence alone, the pure difference. Logistics requires planning, 

transportation is just the mode to execute the planning, when getting freight from point 

A to point B. Clearly, they are not the same thing, but transportation is just simply a 

part of logistics. When it comes to logistics, logistics executives must make further 

decisions beyond the mode of transportation. So if you are looking for transportion services visit http://allindiayellowpage.com for more information.