Jo A.E.E. van Nunen - Böcker

Distribution logistics have been strongly affected by economic trends: globalization of markets; deregulation of the European freight traffic; a growing part of just-in time deliveries and both increased competition and strategic co-operation between all parties involved. The text covers in a systematic way all the strategic, tactical and operational planning of distribution systems and processes. It provides an overview of the relevant quantitative models and techniques as well as of applications in industry, presented through numerous case studies.

Delivering a sustainable transport system is not just a matter of adopting a number of technological innovations to improve performance in terms of people, planet, and profits. A broader structural and societal transition is needed in technology, as well as in institutions, behavioural patterns, and the economy as a whole. In this broader view, neither the free market nor the public sector will be the unique key player in making this transition happen. Elements of such an approach are presented in this book in a number of domains: integrating transport infrastructure and land use planning, thus connecting fields that are rather unconnected in day-to-day policies; experiments with dynamic transport optimization, including reports on pilot projects to test the viability of transitions; towards reliable transport systems, describing a reversal from supply-driven towards demand-driven approaches; and sustainable logistics and traffic management, from ‘local’ city distribution to global closed supply chain loops.