BPA 240 - Logistics Technologies

3 credit hours - Three hours lecture weekly; one term.
Survey the requirements for technology usage in today’s transportation and logistics operations. Identify hardware and software solutions that are used to support information management and decision making processes in transportation, warehousing and logistics. Study hardware solutions, software solutions and the link between these solutions and transportation operations.

Prerequisite(s): BPA 235 .

Course Outcomes:
Upon the successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Examine the foundations of transportation and logistics based technologies.

Identify the role of technology in transportation and logistics.
Explain how technologies work to deliver operational results.
Identify the five clusters of intelligent freight technologies, including asset tracking, onboard status monitoring, gateway facilitation, freight status information, and network status information.

Identify the major challenges and considerations for creating transportation technology based solutions.

Identify barriers to the acceptance of new technologies.
Discuss cost factors in technology implementation.
Discuss legal implications to new technology implementation.

Explain the role of technology throughout history and the impact of technology solutions in today’s transportation environment.

Identify major milestones of technology in transportation throughout history.
Discuss the impact of today’s major freight transportation solutions to current business models and freight management solutions.

Identify specific hardware and software solutions used in managing freight based transportation operations.

Identify major software solutions in freight management.
Identify major hardware solutions in freight management.
Discuss the role of implementing hardware and software solutions in freight planning and management.

Explain the benefits and costs of implementing technology based solutions in transportation management.

Identify the principle reasons for businesses to implement intelligent freight technologies.
Identify barriers to the acceptance of new technologies.
Discuss the differences between private sector, public sector and freight network benefits of technology use.

Examine the importance of using technology to create a competitive advantage with transportation operations.

Explain how tehnologies in transportation have improved the efficiency, reliability, and security of freight transportation.
Discuss how return on investment (ROI) is used in deciding the use of freight technologies.
Explain how technology is used to improve reliability and service.