Transportation and vehicle fleet management in humanitarian logistics: challenges for future research

Transportation and vehicle fleet management in humanitarian logistics have characteristics almost entirely unexplored by operations research (OR) researchers. This paper provides evidence-based insights into the logistics challenges imposed by the dual objective of relief and development, decentralization, earmarked funding, and field operating conditions. The authors discuss why these characteristics help explain the persistence of aging fleets, excessive fleet sizes, low fleet standardization, and service delays, problems humanitarian fleet managers fight on a daily basis to improve service levels. Avenues for future research are proposed to address strategic, tactical, and operational challenges derived from the defining characteristics of humanitarian logistics discussed in the paper.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s13676-012-0001-1
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/21924376
• Authors:
  • Pedraza-Martinez, Alfonso J
  • Van Wassenhove, Luk N
• Publication Date: 2012-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 185-196
• Serial:
  • EURO Journal on Transportation and Logistics
  • Volume: 1
  • Issue Number: 1-2
  • Publisher: SPRINGER VERLAG HEIDELBERG
  • ISSN: 2192-4376
  • EISSN: 2192-4384
  • Serial URL: http://www.springerlink.com/content/2192-4376/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Disaster relief; Disasters and emergency operations; Fleet management; Logistics; Operations research; Vehicle fleets
• Uncontrolled Terms: Humanitarian logistics; Last mile
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01447633
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 28 2012 9:13AM