Overview
In order to promote efficient air cargo operations DTLR has been discussing with the joint Committee of the UK Airline Operators Committee Cargo (AOCC) and with the British International Freight Association (BIFA) a project to benchmark performance within the air freight supply chain. Such indicators should help industry to meet the demands being placed upon it, and point to action that might be taken to reduce some of the environmental costs attached to the structure and operation of the air cargo industry.
A successful KPI study has been carried out in the food sector, and a similar study is currently being undertaken in the automotive industry. Past studies have highlighted large differences between the best and the least efficient operators. This gap represents an opportunity to improve reducing the miles driven, truck journeys made, fuel burnt and delayed delivery of goods to customers. However, no comparable work has been carried out for the road element of the air cargo industry.
The objectives of the research are to:
- design key performance indicators appropriate to the needs and capability of the industry;
- collect the data necessary to calculate these indicators with a degree of statistical robustness;
- provide the air cargo industry with information about its performance that it can use to use to improve the efficiency of its logistics.
This data should:
- inform policy makers as to the effectiveness of the logistics system in this market sector;