Reflections on the Role of Transportation in the Evolution of Supply Chain Management

Transportation management was a separate field of study primarily because of the fundamental importance of transportation to the economy. The evolution of supply chain management from its transportation roots might be viewed as a continuous extension of systems thinking and as a reflection of the central role transportation plays in connecting the firm to its customer and supplier bases. Physical distribution management encompassed other business functions and activities associated with and influenced by transportation in the pursuit of the desired outcome, customer satisfaction. While this is a very simplistic perspective of the evolution of supply chain management, the critical and fundamental role of transportation is undeniable. The magnitude of transportation costs and the impact of transportation service on supply chain costs and customer service assure that it will continue to play an essential role in supply chain management. Finally, transportation is at the center of many of the key social issues facing not only supply chain management but the country, in general.