Here at WSI, we get asked every now and again about whether we're a transport or logistics company, and it seems to come as a pleasant surprise to some customers to hear we provide both services. To other customers, though, that can become confusing, because they have this notion that the two fields are the same thing. Today, we'd like to answer that one question that seems to be burning in their minds while we talk to them: what's the difference between transport and logistics, anyway?
Running The Cross-Country On An Eighteen-Wheeler And A Full Tank Of Gas
Transport services are all about efficiency. If you need something transported, you'll want to get in touch with a company that understands how to make sure your goods are well maintained but also efficiently shipped, reaching their destination unharmed in a decently short time. Transport companies analyse the best delivery routes available and compare them to the cost of packaging, finding a happy medium that will reliably deliver their cargo without causing any damage.
Of course, while many people think of cross-country transportation as being predominately the territory of eighteen-wheeler trucks, it can actually involve any cargo imaginable. Boats, ferries, railways, and buses are all classed as transport services, which, of course, ensures the term 'public transport' makes sense. In the case of public transport, the cargo is the passengers, the packaging could be as simple as seatbelts, and the best delivery route is the one that services the most passengers without taking egregiously long to get from the first stop to the last.
Ruling Over Your Warehouse Domain
Logistics, by comparison, is what you do with your cargo on either side of the transportation journey. This includes the sourcing, delivery, and distribution of any material or product you're hoping to use or sell, and can generally be considered to be the management of your assets. Logistic managers are the individuals behind the decisions of packaging, insurance, and documentation before the transport company is even contacted, and they'll be the ones that manage any vendors or contractors necessary to keep a business afloat.
To continue with the bus example, while the transport service plans the route, the logistics manager thinks about how best to implement the stops. Should there be a shelter at every stop, or only at ones that don't have immediate protection from the elements? How do you organise boarding and disembarking from the bus so that no-one is accidently trodden or injured? If you've got a mind for answering these sorts of questions, you might make an excellent logistics manager.
Get Help From Someone Who Can Do Both
If you're looking to manage the transport and storage of goods and assets over a significant distance and at a high volume, a road trip in your truck ending at your home garage isn't going to cut it. Instead, you can rely on our team to make sure your assets are handled properly and don't fall victim to any unfortunate accidents. To speak with us about our container transport services in Sydney, give our team a call on +61 2 8319 2855
