Implementation of the Concept of Green Logistics Reffering to it Applications for Road Freight Transport Enterprises

The article examines a scientific and practical problem concerning the ability to implement a concept of green logistics with reference to IT applications for Lithuanian road freight transport enterprises. A scientific discussion develops the relation between the concept of green logistics and the principles of sustainable development. The paper analyses the main problems of green logistics and IT employment in the sector of Lithuanian road freight transport enterprises and focuses on the elaborated model representing a set of IT applications necessary to achieve the goals of green logistics in the road freight transport enterprise

An economic evaluation model of the logistic system based on container transportation

Over the recent years, the use of containers in the transport system has dramatically increased. The rise of world containerisation is the result of the interplay of macroeconomic, microeconomic and policy‐oriented factors. World trade is facilitated through the elimination of trade barriers and the liberalisation and deregulation of markets. Market liberalisation revealed a demand for enhancing the development of logistics services throughout the world. In the conceptual metamorphosis of the transportation system, cargo movements are viewed in light of the total distribution system. Producers, commodity shippers, ocean, air and land carriers, ports, logistics managers, freight forwarders and consignees are involved in such a total system. The physical distribution of cargo, then, involves an integrated logistics system. This article examines of changes in the transport system that occurred during the last decades because of the invention and application of containers. Moreover, an economic model of evaluating the logistic system based on container transportation is discussed. First published online: 27 Oct 201

Research on dry port concept as intermodal node

The shortage of the free space in the port areas is the reason to search for alternatives. This paper focuses on the dry port concept which is a new approach to solving the mentioned problem. The dry port concept is based on moving of intermodal terminals further to hinterland from the port areas. It helps to avoid traffic bottlenecks, to connect cargo handling from the port with other types of cargo at one common transport centre and it can help develop the hinterland areas. The BSR Interreg III B NP project Inloc (Integrating logistics centre networks in the Baltic Sea Region) showed an initiative to elaborate the concept and to study the feasibility to attract transport operators. The research was done partly by the authors of the article – partners of the Inloc project. Common results of the dry port research and conclusions of the approach elaborated by the article authors are presented. First Published Online: 27 Oct 201

Principle and benefits of third party logistics approach when managing logistics supply chain

The principle of third party logistics has grown into a very important and a well‐functioning logistics concept, mainly due to outsourcing trends in transport business. Providers of 3PL services complemented the effectiveness of logistics supply chain management extending the performance of hauliers and forwarders to what might be called outsourced logistics services providers. The main driver for this was large transportation companies that have striven to render their limited services to the whole transport chain. Firstly, this extended to what now is called forwarding services, i.e. responsibility and transport service was extended from only physical transportation to additional services. Then some transport and forwarding companies continued enlarging their responsibility so that it included an increased part of the transport chain up to a total responsibility for the entire transportation, from production to consumption. A nature of transportation services became more and more the nature of logistics. Companies started offering complete logistics solutions, instead of only isolated physical transportation services. This allowed a customer to concentrate on the core business instead of paying much attention to material flows. First Published Online: 27 Oct 201

The impact of transport on the competitiveness of national economy

Transport has always been and remained one of the main driving forces in the economical development of any country including Lithuania. The paper assesses a positive impact of transport on Lithuanian economy in the light of the analysis of the main indicators measuring the success of the transport sector: the share of transport and warehousing sectors to national GDP (%) and the share of the export of transport services in GDP (%). It is also widely acknowledged that transport is going to play a crucial role in economic development in the future, especially in transit‐related transport like the Baltic States. On the other hand, the growth of transport, particularly in road transport, has had a significant impact on congestion, safety and pollution. Therefore, the task of transport decision makers is to find the key for sustainable transport development and reduction of a negative transport impact to sustain the transport sector as the engine of economy. The paper analyses both the positive and negative impacts of transport on economy and evaluates the possible ways developing the sustainable transport system. First published online: 27 Oct 201

The Assessment of Importance of the Factors that Predetermine the Quality of a Service of Transportation by Road Vehicles

AbstractStriving for satisfaction of the needs of clients is the principal task in any sector of economy, including transportation by road vehicles. In course of the grow of the demand for transportation services, the number of enterprises offering the transportation services grows increasingly in national and international markets of European states. To survive in the competition struggle upon the high level of supply of such services in the international market, Lithuanian carriers should ensure their competitive advantage over carriers from other countries. The purpose of the paper is to analyze what criteria of the quality of a transportation service predetermine a competitiveness of such services and what factors mostly impact the key service quality criteria. The object of the research includes the factors that may affect the criteria of the quality of a transportation service

Development of automobile distribution networks on the basis of multi‐criteria evaluation of distribution channels

The days when a buyer was forced to choose from what is being offered have passed. These days, buyers demand a product that would answer their exclusive expectations at a time of their preference and at an acceptable price. Therefore, manufacturers aiming to survive the competition battle have to rethink their operation strategies. Special importance is attached to the process of development and reconstruction of supply chains, and the process which may feature particularities, depending on the branch of industry. Automobile manufacturing is the biggest the fastest industry developing across the globe. New automobiles are listed as luxury commodities and are, therefore, subjected to very strict requirements with regard to various logistic operations and technologies, which are vital for ensuring efficient automobile delivery to the final users. Due to the growing demand for brand‐new automobiles and the distance to the user, automobile manufacturers are constantly searching for solutions to the development and support of an efficient distribution network. Strategy shaping of distribution network requires evaluation of a number of criteria, which influence the distribution system. The article analyzes the development of automobile distribution networks on the basis of multi‐criteria evaluation of distribution channels. First published online: 10 Feb 201

Transport management: The popularity of study programmes among the applicants to Lithuanian universities evaluating the qualifications of graduates in the labour‐market

The accession of Lithuania to the European Union made transport one of the most important branches of national economy. Presently, economic development is hardly possible without an efficient transport system (providing both local and international transportation). The operation of industrial, construction and agricultural enterprises as well as work efficiency and a public opinion largely depend on the reliability and effective performance of transport systems which is not possible without qualified transport managers. The paper presents requirements raised for controlling the abilities and level of educating specialists in Transport Management and introduces employee assesment at student skills. Specialists in Transport Management are trained at vocational and higher schools of Lithuania. Experts in the field of Transport Management are trained at two university‐level higher schools in Lithuania (Bachelors, Masters and Doctors) including Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and The General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania (the introduced higher schools are located in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania). Although both study programmes taught at the above mentioned higher schools cover the area of Transport Management, they have some differences discussed in the paper. A brief survey of admission to Lithuanian higher schools is analyzed in the article. Some statistical data on the popularity of study programmes chosen by the applicants participating in the joint admission programme to Lithuanian higher schools is presented in the article. Also the popularity of the study programmes of Transport Management (competition, competitiveness indices and average competitive marks and motivation indices) available at two higher schools of Lithuania is described. First published online: 27 Oct 201

Analysis of the current logistics and transport challenges in the context of the changing environment

The rapidly changing world determines changes in the business processes. Logistics and transport are the areas facing constant changes. Therefore, an important point is to analyse the current problems of logistics and transport within the context of the changing environment. For many years, the experts of the Dept of Logistics and Transport Management of the Faculty of Transport Engineering from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University have been pursuing research both, in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) in Lithuania and foreign countries. This research has been directed toward improvements to logistics and the entire supply chain in pursuit of economic, social and ecological competitiveness, an increase in the competitiveness and attractiveness of the transport system in the context of sustainable development, the impact of this system on the economic and social welfare of society, an increase in the competitiveness and attractiveness of the transport sector of improving the legal framework and the application of innovative technologies (including IT) in the transport sector aimed at implementing economic and social cohesion goals. The article deals with some of the key issues of the above introduced research

Modelling of intermodal freight transportation network

It was realized long ago that one of the main factors for steady groowing economic of the country is a properly working transport system in which new enough means of cargo transportation, so called intermodal transportation takes not the last place. First of all it raises problems related with the development and optimization of proper infrastructure - the network of roads and terminals which aim to carry out intermodal transportation. The article deals with one of possible ways of modelling the national intermodal freight transportation network. The basis for such model is the investigation of freight traffic during which we identifY the routes for intermodal freight transportation (as well as places where such freight is shifted from one mode of transport to another), extend the existing statistic date base on modal transport carriages and start to develop a new data base on intermodal freight carriages. With the help of the last one we can go further in modelling national intermodal freight transportation network and determine the steps for creating such network. The main steps should include: • - the integration of the particular modal networks into a general intermodal network; • - the optimization of the network defining optimal routes between possible origin and destination points; • - the estimation of terminal operations to get a more detailed and optimal view of the national intermodal cargo transportation network. First Published Online: 19 Dec 201