Sustainable Technology Strategies for Transportation and Logistics Challenges: An Implementation Feasibility Study

Muhammad Saleem Sumbal, Waqas Ahmed, Huzeifa Shahzeb and Felix Chan ()
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Muhammad Saleem Sumbal: Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Waqas Ahmed: Operations and Supply Chain Department, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Huzeifa Shahzeb: Operations and Supply Chain Department, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Felix Chan: School of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-19

Abstract: Transportation and logistics are the basic building blocks in the socio-economic development of a country. The pandemic altered the landscape of the transportation and logistics sector where organizations had to look for new technology-based solutions. Block chain and digital trucking are emerging concepts, which were further accelerated by COVID-19, to manage the challenges in the transportation and supply chain industry. This study, therefore, investigates the challenges faced by the transportation industry during and post COVID-19 and, consequently, identifies relevant sustainable strategies to combat these challenges in a developing-economies context. Data were collected through interviews from 20 key personnel working in managerial positions in the transportation industry of Pakistan, a developing economy. The findings of this study indicate that the challenges faced by the transportation industry are reduced import–export, local market orders and revenues, supply limited to a few edible items, increase in e-commerce, new entrants in the market and operational issues, such as lack of standard operating procedures (SOPs), performance management and training of drivers. These challenges were more pronounced in the COVID-19 era; however, they are still impacting the industry. Thus, in the post-COVID-19 era, transportation companies need to opt for efficient strategies, such as contactless deliveries, expansion in e-commerce, tech-based performance management of drivers and digital trucking for sustainability, in a developing economy’s transportation and logistics sector.

Keywords: logistics; transportation; COVID-19; sustainable strategies; challenges; Pakistan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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