Improvement of Road Transport Management Efficiency and Sustainability

Topic:

Road Transport Management, Automation and Environmental Impact.

Tasks

Your task is to research the improvement of systems to manage the efficiency and sustainability of road freight transportation.  This includes the consideration of introducing new technology systems and automation to both manage and enhance fleets of delivery vehicles.

You must identify and critically discuss the most recent developments in road freight transport including both management systems and alternative changes to vehicle design to either reduce operating cost and/or environmental impact.  You should research these innovations and discuss the benefits and challenges that they face if they are to be adopted operationally on a domestic level or on a world-wide basis. Your task is to use the module content and supplementary research to investigate, critically discuss and make recommendations on methods of operating road transport vehicles efficiently and effectively.  

You should discuss the principles of successful transport management and outline possible areas of future innovation.  This should cover discussion around the key performance metrics used to manage road transportation and ways by which the delivery process can be improved.  You should also discuss the impact on service of future technological approaches to road freight transportation.

You must apply the theory from this module, providing examples where this could be used to improve the transportation process and conduct wider research to further develop your understanding.   You should demonstrate awareness of management of the transportation processes and the wider impact of alterations to transport systems in the logistics supply chain environment.    

From an operational perspective your discussion of transport process management approaches must be rational and suitable.  Thus, your discussion around the transportation improvements you choose, and any recommendations you make, must be appropriate to the context of road transportation.  

From an academic perspective your report should present a balanced view of any options you present and critical analysis of academic theory to support your recommendations. It is stressed that your critical evaluation of the academic theory and practical management of transport management processes will be key to determining your marks.

It should be noted that this should be considered a research project.  Whilst the content of the taught element of the course will provide a framework and context for the assignment, it will not provide all the detail.  It is your task to research the topic in depth and provide a structured, well-reasoned response with appropriate reference (and use of citations) to underpin your discussion.  All submissions must conform to the SHU standard of APA referencing conventions.  

Drafting Your Work

There is a folder in the re-assessment tab of the Bb site that will help with drafting your work.  This includes links to referencing, plagiarism and draft TurnitIn submission points.  You can submit drafts to the 'Draft TurnitIn Submission Point' as many times as you like to check your work.  Plagiarism and/or collusion will be prosecuted where found so please ensure you understand University requirements.  There is also a guide to critical writing that will help you develop your report.

Your final report submission must be submitted electronically via both the 'Reassessment – 001 Report - Submission Point' and the 'TurnitIn' submission point marked 'Final Referral Assignment Submission Point'.  These can both be found on the blackboard module site in the assessment tab.  The file should be uploaded with the covering sheet below.