PrintPlanning and managing the movement of people and goods is a demanding business operation. Whether applied to public transit, private automotive travel, or logistics of supply chains, geospatial analysis optimizes routing, conserves resources (time, fuel, package handling), improves cost effectiveness, or identifies new opportunities to expand business and regional growth.
In this lesson, we will learn how large transportation operators such as UPS use GIS and mobile networking to drive efficiencies into their massive fleets of local delivery trucks. Then we will simulate similar operations with a local business that is ready to expand but must make critical transportation decisions that will affect its growth and profitability. Fortunately, as we will discover, there are GIS tools that can model alternative transportation schemes, and with methodical analysis provide the insights business managers need to make optimal decisions.
Global commerce introduced efficiencies into large-scale logistics and led to standardized protocols of electronics, transportation signage, shipping container dimensions, metal fabrication strengths, and classifications of business. To grasp the potential applications of location intelligence with new technologies and standards, it is important for us to examine business sectors and topics such as:
- Financial Services
- Retail
- Real Estate
- Insurance
- Location-Aware Mobile Messaging
- Customer Experiences
- Healthcare
Learning Objectives
At the successful completion of Lesson 7, you should be able to:
- identify sectors of an economy and recognize secondary relationships of industries that make products and provide services;
- describe network routing and scheduling, distinguishing between point-to-point and multi-point methods;
- describe mobile, location-based applications including field service management and mobile asset management;
- describe the mobile technologies (GPS, AVL) used to support transportation applications;
- identify industries and their associated logistics applications including trucking/delivery, airline, train, and utilities.
What is due for Lesson 7?
Lesson 7 will take us one week to complete. There are a number of required activities in this lesson listed below. For assignment details, refer to the lesson page noted.
Note: Please refer to the Calendar in Canvas for specific time frames and due dates.
| 7.1 Sectors of an Economy | ||
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | Details | Access / Directions |
| Read |
Read the course content. |
Use the Lessons menu or the links below to continue moving through the lesson material. |
| Murphy, Geography: Why It Matters, Chapter 5 Why We All Need Geography (pp.110-125) | The Geography: Why it Matters reading is from the required textbook for this course. | |
| Deliverable | No Deliverable for 7.1 | N/A |
| 7.2 Introduction to Transportation Sector: Routing, Scheduling and Telematics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | Details | Access / Directions |
| Do/Read | Read the course content. | Use the Lessons menu or the links below to continue moving through the lesson material. |
| Watch video/Read articles on routing, scheduling, telematics. | Video and readings are provided in the course content. | |
| Deliverable | Reply to at least one question, due Tuesday. | Post in Canvas to the Lesson 7.2 - Transportation Sector forum. |
| 7.3 Case Study in Routing/Scheduling | ||
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | Details | Access / Directions |
| Read | Read the course content. | Use the Lessons menu or the links below to continue moving through the lesson material. |
| Do | Case Study in Routing/Scheduling, “Delivering the Goods” and “Growing Pains”. | Directions are provided in the course text. |
| Deliverable | Comment/screen shots, due Tuesday. | Post comment in Canvas to the Lesson 7.3 - Case Study: Transportation & Routing forum. |
| 7.4 Additional Sectors | ||
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | Details | Access / Directions |
| Read | Read the course content. | Use the Lessons menu or the links below to continue moving through the lesson material. |
| Skim | Links to content for 4 additional sectors of an economy. | Links are provided in the course text. |
| Deliverable | Quiz 3: Sector Applications in Location Intelligence due Tuesday. |
Registered students can access the quiz in Canvas in the Lesson 7 module. |
| 7.5 Continue Working on Your Term Project | ||
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | Details | Access / Directions |
| Read | Read the course content. | Use the Lessons menu or the links below to continue moving through the lesson material. |
| Do | Continue gathering data, making maps/reports, and preparing for your presentation. | Manage your time wisely. |
| Deliverable | No Deliverable for 7.5 | N/A |