Substantiating the Logistics Chain Structure While Servicing the Flow of Requests for Road Transport Deliveries

Abstract

The selection of the delivery scheme is one of the most complicated problems and the results of its solution condition the sustainable development of the whole market of transportation services. Freight forwarders should consider numerous random parameters characterizing demand and technological processes to choose the proper structure of the logistics chain. The paper aims to propose a method for choosing the logistics chain structure, based on the analysis of the total expenses as a function from the demand parameters characterizing stochastic variables of the consignment weight, the delivery distance, and the time interval between the requests in the flow of queries for cargo delivery. Four basic logistics chain structures, widely used on road transport, are described to demonstrate the selection process. The areas of the most efficient use of the logistics chain structures can be defined for the flow of requests for cargo deliveries. The paper shows such areas on the example of goods delivery by automobile transport. Determining the areas of the most efficient use of the specific logistics chain structures contributes to the effective choice of correct delivery variants by freight forwarders.