In modern logistics facility planning, optimizing the transportation and delivery network connecting facilities to the outside world is just as critical as internal warehouse layout design and material handling equipment selection. Facility location and the number of truck berths are dictated by the choice of transport methods.
Transportation and delivery refers broadly to the function of "moving goods from one location to another" in logistics, but it is categorized into several types based on purpose, segment, and transport mode. This chapter explains the overall structure, main types, and overview—ranging from operational efficiency gains through joint delivery and milk runs to dynamic transport strategies utilizing rail transport and maritime transport.
In a logistics network, transport terminology and vehicle sizes differ depending on the distance and role of the segment over which goods travel. In logistics facility planning, platform height and depth must be designed for each specific segment.
Description: Transporting large volumes of goods consolidated on pallets from manufacturing plants to major distribution centers (DCs/TCs), or from large warehouses to regional facilities.
Characteristics: Primarily uses 10-ton class heavy trucks, trailers, or rail transport and maritime transport (ships) described below. Operations are generally planned with regular schedules, requiring vast site areas at facilities for heavy vehicles to turn and queue.
Description: Long-distance bulk transport connecting hub facilities (transfer centers) across major national regions (such as Kanto, Kansai, Kyushu) like arterial roads.
Characteristics: Moves large volumes over long distances (e.g., 300 km or more) using large vehicles. To reduce costs, load factors (full load rates) are maximized, and relay systems (switch transport / relay transport) are actively implemented to prevent long working hours for drivers.
Description: Capillary-like transportation and delivery distributing (or collecting) goods in detail from regional hubs (depots or delivery centers) to final destinations such as stores, businesses, and private residences.
Characteristics: Uses 2-ton to 4-ton small/medium trucks or light vans capable of navigating residential areas and narrow roads. This is the most costly segment (the last mile), requiring high delivery density and detailed customer service such as multi-SKU, small-lot, and time-specified deliveries.
This classification focuses on transportation and delivery operational patterns for efficiency—how to consolidate goods or fill empty truck space. In response to the recent logistics crisis (driver shortages), an increasing number of logistics facility plans are designed around these operational models.
A format where a specific shipper exclusively charters a whole truck or vehicle. Although costlier, routes and times can be freely specified, making it ideal for high-volume single shipments, confidential cargo, temperature-controlled food, or urgent deliveries (Just-In-Time).
A format where shipments from multiple different shippers are loaded together onto the same route truck. Sharing truck space keeps per-item freight costs low, making it highly effective for cost reduction on small-lot cargo (from a few boxes to a few pallets). However, because cross-docking occurs at intermediate hub facilities, lead times tend to be longer than chartered services.
To resolve severe drops in load factors (transporting empty space), multiple companies (sometimes including competitors in the same industry) share joint logistics centers and trucks to deliver goods collectively to shared destinations (supermarkets, convenience stores, etc.). Drastically reducing truck counts improves load factors, eliminates waiting time at delivery points (driver wait-time issues), and significantly cuts CO2 emissions, making it a sustainable logistics method.
The inverse of the traditional approach where suppliers deliver individually to a buyer's factory. A single truck dispatched by the receiver (e.g., manufacturer) visits multiple suppliers (component makers) sequentially to pick up cargo—like collecting milk from farms—and consolidates it back to the factory. This yields significant benefits in alleviating traffic congestion around factories and achieving accurate Just-In-Time component procurement.
This classification focuses on the transit infrastructure used. In logistics facility planning, it directly relates to location strategies—such as positioning facilities near highway interchanges, seaports, or rail freight terminals.
| Transport Mode | Main Characteristics & Applications | Key Advantages | Challenges & Key Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truck (Overland Freight) | Main infrastructure for domestic logistics. Handles flexible direct door-to-door delivery from shipper to receiver. | Offers unmatched speed, mobility, and flexibility. Navigates narrow roads easily, making it the primary mode for last-mile delivery. | Faces severe driver shortages on long-haul routes (e.g., the 2024 problem), rising fuel costs, and cost-increase risks due to high CO2 emissions. |
| Rail Transport | Scheduled transport of large-scale freight over medium to long distances (500 km or more) using container trains. | Capable of bulk-transporting cargo equivalent to dozens of trucks at once. Extremely low environmental impact (CO2 emissions ~1/10th of trucks), making it an eco-friendly transport mode. | Inflexible scheduling due to reliance on train timetables. Goods cannot be stored directly at stations, requiring combined truck usage (drayage) for initial/final legs between facilities. |
| Maritime Transport (Ferries / RORO Ships / Coastal Vessels) | Long-distance transport of heavy goods (steel, chemicals) or bulk container cargo between domestic ports. | Highest volume capacity per shipment among all modes, resulting in the lowest freight cost per ton-mile. | Very slow transit speeds. Highly susceptible to weather conditions (typhoons, rough seas), posing risks to schedule reliability. |
| Air Freight | Transport for high-value items (semiconductors), perishable foods requiring fresh delivery, pharmaceuticals, or emergency spare parts. | Unrivaled speed over long distances across seas (hours to 1 day) compared to any other mode. | Highest freight costs among all modes, with strict volume and weight constraints due to aircraft space limitations. |
💡 Strategic Shift: Promoting Modal Shift
A critical keyword in modern logistics facility planning is "Modal Shift." This refers to the strategic transition from long-haul trunk line transport relying on trucks to rail transport or maritime transport (shipping), which can transport large volumes at once with lower environmental impact (CO2 emissions) and dramatically reduce the physical burden of long-distance driving on drivers.
To overcome logistics crises and build sustainable supply chains, companies must design resilient transportation networks that combine trucks, rail transport, and maritime transport in a hybrid model rather than relying on a single transport mode.