TCRP releases e-commerce strategy report

The Transit Cooperative Research Program has released the first volume in a new series on e-commerce strategies for public transportation. The initial report, free to anyone who requests a copy, examines the supply-chain concept and identifies supply-chain strategies used by non-transit fleets. e-Transit: Electronic Business Strategies for Public Transportation; Volume 1: Supply Chain: Parts and Inventory Management will be of particular interest to senior managers, operations managers, materials managers, asset managers, inventory professionals and procurement officers. The report includes a clarification of supply-chain terminology, discussion of the impact of asset-management decisions on parts and inventory management needs, and outlines strategies for streamlining the supply chain. It includes examples of supply-chain strategies used by non-transit fleets to reduce investments in parts and inventory while increasing fleet availability. Other areas addressed in the report include an overview of e-procurement and business-to-business marketplaces, e-procurement adoption rates and application trends. The report can be ordered online at www.tcrponline.org Future volumes may be found on the Transportation Research Board Web site at www.nationalacademies.org/trb