How Far Goods Travel: Global Transport and Supply Chains from 1965-2020

This paper considers the evolution of global transportation usage over the past half century and its implications for supply chains. Transportation usage per unit of real output has more than doubled as costs decreased by a third. Participation of emerging economies in world trade and longer-distance trade between countries contribute to this usage increase, thereby encouraging longer supply chains. The authors discuss technological advances over this period, and their interactions with endogenous responses from transportation costs and supply chain linkages. Supply chains involving more countries and longer distances are reflective of reliable and efficient transportation, but are also more exposed to disruptions, highlighting the importance of considering the interconnectedness of transportation and supply chains in policymaking and future work.

• Record URL:
  • http://doi.org/10.3386/w31167
• Record URL:
  • https://www.nber.org/papers/w31167
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2023 by Sharat Ganapati and Woan Foong Wong. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Ganapati, Sharat
  • Wong, Woan Foong
• Publication Date: 2023-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References;
• Pagination: 50p
• Serial:
  • NBER Working Papers
  • Issue Number: 31167
  • Publisher: National Bureau of Economic Research

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Freight transportation; International trade; Trend (Statistics); Trip length
• Subject Areas: Economics; Freight Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01881298
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 26 2023 1:27PM