5 Key Things to Know About Logistics and Transportation

Hundreds of millions of pieces of mail get delivered every day by the USPS. Add to that the amount of B2C packages that get delivered by other mail services and B2B shipments that take place between non-consumer-facing operations, and you’ve got a lot of items changing hands.

What makes all of that movement possible? Logistics and transportation.

There has been a lot of discussion around logistics and transportation, distribution services, and the like over the last decade. In those discussions, we’ve found that people have a lot more questions than they do answers.

To help with that, our team has compiled 5 interesting tidbits that will help you frame your understanding of what’s happening in these growing industries. Keep reading to learn more about distribution services!

1. Logistics and Transportation Are Related but Different

People use the terms logistics and transportation interchangeably. While that may work in some contexts, it’s important to be aware that these two terms correlate with different legs of the same race.

Logistics describes the planning parts of the process of moving things. It quantifies how much of something needs to go to who and discerns the most effective ways to get those things there. Transportation focuses on the actual movement of those parcels via trucks, trains, and the like.

2. Transportation Is a Blue Collar Worker’s Go-To

Did you know that transportation is one of the most popular blue-collar professions on earth? Millions of people drive big rig trucks for a living and many more steer freight ships and manage cargo trains.

The popularity of transportation jobs is the reason why so much has been made of the threat of automating away these sorts of positions in recent years.

3. Automation Is Making Things More Efficient

Machine learning isn’t only involved in logistics and transportation in the context of potentially automating away driving jobs. It’s actually having an impact right now on these industries, particularly on the logistics side.

For example, when a package arrives at a warehouse, automation can automatically weigh that package to ensure cargo wasn’t removed and add all items in that box to a businesses online inventory. Automation also keeps tabs on worker productivity, manages warehouse safety, and other impactful tasks.

4. The Biggest Companies in the World Are Logistics Focused

Companies like Amazon and Alibaba are massively successful. While many think of these companies as being eCommerce focused, the real trick to their success is having mastered logistics and transportation.

Let’s look at Amazon specifically. The company is constantly buying warehouses all over the country, is investing in its own fleet of drivers, and employs armies of contractors to ensure its packages make it to destinations as quickly as possible.

That’s what sets it apart from its eCommerce competitors.

5. Demand Is Driving These Industries Forward

Would you say you ordered more or less items from Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and other websites as time has gone on? Our guess is more.

With that heightened demand, you’re powering logistics and transportation to keep swelling in importance. You’re also fueling growing powerhouses in the space, which is worth taking the time to learn more about.

Logistics and Transportation Is Worth Diving Deeper Into

Whether you’re interested in improving your career prospects or your community, knowing about logistics and transportation is a powerful tool. We commend you for dipping your toe in the water by reading this post. We also recommend you dive deeper by exploring related content on our blog and around the web.

You certainly won’t regret continuing to satiate your curiosity on this ever-changing topic, so be sure to check out the rest of our site!