Abstract:
The efficient operation of a country’s economy depends, among other
things, on an efficient logistical system to ensure that goods can be transported
efficiently between producers and users. The costs of logistics
include aspects such as transport, storage, inventory, and management.
Of these, the transport costs are directly influenced by the condition of
the transport infrastructure. The effects of road riding quality on the
costs of logistics were evaluated through analysis of data on actual truck
costs (specifically, vehicle damage and maintenance) obtained from a
logistics service provider as well as data on road riding quality for the
routes used by the company. Analysis of the data indicated that the vehicle
operating costs increased with decreasing riding quality (as would be
expected). Spending adequate resources on the maintenance of routes in
a country decreased vehicle fleet operating costs and ultimately the logistics
costs of the country. It is recommended that the study be broadened
to incorporate a larger sample of vehicles and road conditions.
