What Is Goods Transportation and Is It the Same as Distribution?
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Distribution and transportation are two of the most critical aspects of delivering products and goods. However, they are not the same thing.
In simple terms, distribution is all about getting goods to the consumer. Some of the in-between parts of getting those goods and products to a consumer involve goods transportation.
So let’s get to it! We’ll now look at the main differences between the two concepts. We’ll also look at freight transportation and some of its benefits.
What Is Distribution?
Distribution is the entire procedure that ensures that a product arrives at its destination in excellent shape. It is also known as the proper handling of goods.
Distribution is a systematic procedure. It’s about picking up products, classifying them based on their destination location. It involves storage, packing, order fulfillment, and customer interactions.
The job of a distribution manager is to create safe and efficient distribution channels for businesses. They also need to ensure a smooth, predictable, and reliable distribution process.
In an unpredictable world, distribution managers have to be ready for challenges they may never have faced before. For example, during the pandemic, managers have had to rethink their distribution channels. Otherwise, they would not get their products to their intended destination.
Quality control is also a significant part of the distribution. It’s no good delivering goods that are no longer useable. Perishable goods like flowers, for example, only have a specific shelf life. If the distribution network cannot deliver the flowers on time, it fails.
Another recent 2021 example that we can look at is the UK fuel shortages. Since the UK lacks HGV drivers, the distribution system for some oil companies is failing to deliver fuel to the UK gas pumps. Poor distribution management and foresight may be the causes of this.
Transportation Explained
Transportation refers to the transfer of goods from one location to another. It is an element of the product distribution process.
Transportation involves the transporting of goods but not the planning of how to transfer goods through a channel. The planning aspect is a distribution problem. Instead, transportation focuses solely on transporting goods from their originating location to their intended recipients.
Goods transportation can come in many forms, with some more efficient than others. For instance, you have road, rail, shipping, and air as forms of goods transportation. All of these forms have their benefits and drawbacks for different firms.
So as you can see, transportation is a vital part of the distribution process. But it’s one element of a grander system at play.
Freight Transportation
Freight transportation is the process of transporting various sorts of commodities from one location to another. It uses multiple means of transportation.
Freight transportation can include road solutions, air delivery, and even rivers. Here are some instances of freight transportation in various forms.
Land-Based Freight Transport
Moving products across land is one of the most popular means of freight transportation. You can achieve successful land-based freight transportation in two ways.
One option is to transfer the products via short-haul or long-hail transportation companies. This method entails hiring a trucking firm to collect, transport, and deliver the items to a particular place. Many firms utilize this method to acquire raw materials and deliver completed items to customers on a regular basis.
The utilization of rail freight transport is indeed a second land freight alternative. The use of railways to transport products is part of this approach.
Workers put products onto detachable containers or freight cars, which are transported over a network of railways until they reach their destination. It’s not uncommon for shippers to use both rail services and trucks in their distribution network.
Water Freight Transit
Companies sometimes use rivers and the ocean to move freight. Containers are filled with products to be transferred to a new site via water freight transit. The containers are stacked and fastened in situ to reduce the likelihood of moving during transportation.
The barge or ship then transports the goods to their final destination via lakes, rivers, or the ocean. Water freight transportation is often cost-effective. It’s also a practical option when carrying products to places far from the producer or seller of the goods.
Air Freight Transport
Another efficient mode of freight transportation is air freight. When you must transport items quickly, this option is a reliable choice.
While air freight is the fastest mode of transit, it often costs the most. However, you mitigate the expense by the avoidance of any temporary production shutdowns.
Freight Transport Combinations
Freight transportation services tend to employ many options to ensure that they transport their freight in an efficient manner. Trucks or trains can convey goods to a seaport. The workers load them onto a ship and deliver them to a distant destination. The products are then put into a container or rail car at the receiving port and transported overland to their final destination.
You can use air freight to transport goods to remote places. Many transportation companies offer all of these services. Or, they may have agreements with other freight transport companies to handle different types of freight distribution.
And when you look at all these freight transport types, you might be thinking, what is drayage? In simple terms, it’s the name of a transport fee, which you can research more about.
Goods Transportation Explained
You should now have a clearer idea about goods transportation and what it entails. Distribution is the whole process regarding the transport of goods. Transportation supports the distribution process.
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