The relatively high utilisation on first legs, with
lower utilisation on intermediate legs is shown in
Figure 3. This variation is due to the reduced load
carried on multi-drop trips. Final legs are used for
supplier collections and returns from stores, so
utilisation is higher than intermediate legs.
High utilisation was defined as 90% of capacity or
more. By number of unit loads this accounted for
25.1% of legs, by volume it was 6.0% and weight
2.7%.
Legs where 50% or more of the load consisted of
returns, empty handling units or packaging, were
also measured. These accounted for 23.8% of legs
measured by number of unit loads.
The causes of low utilisation are many and must be
seen in the broader context of a company’s supply
chain operations. In order to maximise efficiency
all aspects should be analysed for improvement.