Christina Fucci
CIS/207
March 31, 2014
Robin Deitsch
Abstract
Transportation Management Systems (TMS) have changed the way companies do business. Handling transportation planning, TMS transformed the way United Parcel Service (UPS) executes their delivery business. Enabling what once was a small business by providing assistance in managing the shipping and receiving of retailers, manufacturers and suppliers goods, United Parcel Service (UPS) is now an international servicing company. The conjoined efforts of UPS and its TMS have allowed brick-and-mortar businesses to focus on core competencies and customer service by eliminating the shipping and receiving responsibility. In this composition basic uses of the TMS within UPS will be discussed. Addressing the factors that influenced the need for a developed transportation system, this article will cover the influences involved in the growth of a TMS system within companies such as UPS.
IDENTIFIYING TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Transportation management system is a subset of supply chain management (SCM) software focused on transportation logistics. Connecting cities, manufactures, retailers and consumers, this system consolidates shipping and plans destination or travel routes. TMS was introduced to the supply chain process in the 1980s (McCrea, 2012). The sole intention of the system creation is to make the distribution of products from manufacturers to consumers efficient and affordable. This system is available to companies such as United Parcel Service (UPS) in many forms; standalone software packages, integrated into enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) or accessible online in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). UPS utilizes TMS integrated into the ERP and offers the consumer SaaS solutions to easily schedule and track the delivery process. The infrastructure of UPS is extensive, specifically adapted to the needs of parcel
References: McCrea, Bridget (2013). Supply Chain and logistics technology; 8 trends driving TMS adoption. Retrieved March 18, 2014 from Rodrigue, Dr. Jean-Paul (2014). UPS: Logistics management of distribution networks. The Geography of Transport Systems. Retrieved March 18, 2014 from United Parcel Service. Technology support, Transportation management systems. Ups.Com Retrieved March 18, 2014 from http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/techsupport/alliances/application_tms.html