How logistics performance of freight operators is affected by urban freight distribution issues: Fid-Bau Portal

How logistics performance of freight operators is affected by urban freight distribution issues

Vidal Vieira, José Geraldo / Fransoo, Jan C.

Abstract This article is to shed light on the interactions among the various freight distribution constructs such as regulations, collaboration, detour, load/unload interfaces and logistical performance. The proposed model is empirically tested using Partial Least Squares with 119 freight operators. The findings reveal the moderating effect of regulations (negative effect) on the positive relationship between collaboration and load/unload interfaces regarding receivers and freight operators. According to the effects shown by our model, regulation, along with lack of collaboration, appear to be the Achilles' heel of freight distributors, in that both factors contribute (directly and indirectly) to detour, which results in less efficient logistical performance.

Highlights • Regulations and lack of collaboration are very important in freight distribution. • Detour is a full mediator between regulation and logistical performance. • Detour is directly and indirectly caused by governmental regulations. • Small firms have better logistical performance than large ones. • The role of the actors in freight distribution system should be viewed as a whole.