Articles Index

Pick To Light Warehouse Systems

Companies that operate fast moving and complex warehouses are constantly looking at technology and processes that increase the efficiency of the warehouse. By implementing a "pick to light" system, accuracy and productivity can increase significantly. This article examines the basics of light-directed systems and the advantages they offer.

American Transport Unions

The union movement in the United States started as far back as the mid-1800’s when the small organized unions started to emerge. Today, the AFL-CIO currently a federation of 57 affiliated unions, including some of the largest unions representing transport workers such as airline staff, transit employees and dock workers. This article looks at unions representing transport workers.

National Transportation Safety Board

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency that is determines the probable cause of transportation accidents, as well as promoting transportation safety. This article examines the different offices with the NTSB and the safety recommendations they make.

Federal Hazardous Materials Transportation Regulations

Hazardous materials are transported across the US every day. The responsibility for safety lies with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) which has developed the FMCSA Hazardous Materials Program. This article examines the regulations, the responsibilities of each party, and incident reporting.

Hazardous Materials

Hazardous material has to be transported from one facility to another, either by road, sea or air. The Department of Transport provides and enforces regulations that ensure safe transportation of hazardous materials in the United States. This article examines the different classes of hazardous materials are transported on US highways.

Reporting a Hazardous Material Incident

When carriers load, transport and unload hazardous materials, the unexpected can happen even when all safety procedures have been followed. When an incident occurs the shipper and their employees need to be aware of what to do, and who to report the incident to. This article examines the reporting required for hazardous material incidents.

British High Speed Rail Network (HS2)

In 2009 the project was launched in the UK based on studies that freight traffic would increase by 40 percent between London and Birmingham. The country's second high speed link, called the HS2, has now been approved by the government after three years of impact studies and public consultations. The opening date for the first stage of the HS2 is planned for 2026. This article looks at the HS2 project.

Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is an important passageway for container ships as they move cargo between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. But the limitations of the original canal has meant that larger container ships were unable to use the canal and so an expansion project was needed. This article looks at the original canal and the expansion.

European Megatrucks

The US is considering longer and heavier vehicles to be allowed to travel along the interstate highway. Currently the weigh limit is 80,000 pounds, but in some European countries the limit is far greater, up to almost 133,000 pounds. This article looks at the megatruck that could be a common sight on European roads in the next decade, if approved by the European Union.

RFID and SAP

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is becoming more prevalent in the manufacturing industry as companies find ways in which its benefits can be used to greater enhance the accuracy of data collection and identification of products. This article examines the use of SAP Auto-ID for companies who look to implement RFID with their SAP ERP application.

Freight And The Railroads

Although road transportation of goods is the primary vehicle in the supply chain in the US, the freight train is still a very important aspect of the transportation network. In the UK the first steam railways came into being not for the movement of passengers but the movement of coal from the mines. This article examines the development of freight and the railroads.

Containerization

Wherever you travel these days there is always a container nearby. Whether it is on a train, on a ship, or on a truck, intermodal containers are an integral part of today’s supply chain. The modern era of containerization started only fifty years ago and revolutionized the way in which goods were moved along the supply chain. This article examines the development of the shipping container over the last half century.

Autobahn System In Germany

The Bundesautobahn system, commonly known as the autobahn, is well known across the world as roads that have no speed limit, but that is not actually the case. Around forty percent of the BAB has no speed limit, while the other sixty percent has a variety of speed limits depending on the area. This article will examine the history of the autobahn from the early 20th century to post unification.

UK Motorway System

The British motorway system is important to the transportation of goods across England, Wales and Scotland. With limited air cargo within the UK, the road network is vital to the movement of goods. This article examines the history of the motorway system in the United Kingdom.

Interstate Highway System

The supply chain in the United States depends in a great part on the movement of raw materials and finished goods from vendor to customer and finally to the consumer. The majority of products in the United States are moved by commercial vehicle along the Interstate Highway System which includes 47,000 miles of freeways, highways and expressways. This article examines the history of the Interstate Highway System.

Open Source ERP

Open source software has gained a significant foothold in the business work and it is natural that open source ERP and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions are the next evolutionary step in the process. The open source ERP and CRM solutions can be purchased by a company and used as is. This article looks at the advantages and disadvantages of open source ERP software.

Lean Six Sigma

Many organizations see Lean Six Sigma as the evolution of the Six Sigma methodology rather than a modification. Six Sigma has been developed over the last thirty years and has become the de facto methodology to eliminate defects from a process and improve the quality of the manufacturing process. The objective of this article is to examine the key steps in the Lean Six Sigma process.

Six Sigma Concepts: The DMAIC Problem Solving Method

The Six Sigma system uses a number of quality methods and tools that are used by Six Sigma trained professionals within the organization. The DMAIC problem solving method can be used to help with any issue that arises, usually by those who professionals in the organization who have reached green belt level. This article examines the elements that make up the DMAIC methodology.

Freight Forwarding

The main function of the freight forwarder is to act as an intermediary between the client who is hiring them and various transportation services that are involved in getting the product overseas to the customer. This article looks at the different services that a freight forwarder can offer.

Commercial Motor Vehicle Licensing

To drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) as person is required to have a commercial driving license. The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 required that drivers of commercial motor vehicles were qualified to drive such vehicles to ensure greater safety on the highways of the United States. This article looks at different aspects of commercial vehicle licensing.

Commercial Motor Vehicle Classification

Commercial trucks that operate on US highways can be classified based on their gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). The classification is divided into eight classes, one through eight, although many people use the more generic terms, light duty, medium duty and heavy duty. This article examines the different types of truck classifications in the US.

Supply Chain Management Certification

Supply chain management professionals are actively pursued by companies in the US and globally. In recent years companies looking to hire staff for supply chain positions are looking favorably at candidates with supply chain certification. This article examines some of the educational options that supply chain professionals can choose from.

Commercial Vehicle Size and Weights

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a part of the US Department of Transportation (DoT). It is responsible for the federal size and weight regulations for commercial motor vehicles (CMV). The regulations are found in Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 23 CFR Part 658. This article examines the size and weight limitations specified in the federal regulations.

Compliance, Safety, Accountability

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) developed Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) to look at how data is collected, reported, and how it can improve safety for commercial motor vehicles (CMV). The CSA measures covers trucking companies, drivers, and shippers who hire third parties to move freight. This article examines the CSA and how it affects drivers and carriers.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration develops and enforces rules and regulations that relate to drivers, vehicles, and the carrier. As well as the enforcement of regulations, the FMSCA encourages the education of drivers and carriers. This article examines the work of the FMCSA.