Multi-modal transport is on the rise — and future infrastructure should be designed to accommodate it
Isuzu Australia chief executive Phil Taylor has called on governments and industry leaders to work together to help integrate future infrastructure investment into existing supply channels.
With consumers purchasing their goods in new ways and automation being integrated across the supply chain, Taylor says the time had come for industry leaders and legislators to think about the future of Australian freight distribution.
“Any inefficiencies that impact the way we transport freight have a ripple effect, not just across the transport and logistics industry, but for every Australian industry that relies on the transport of products and raw materials,” he says, in an opinion piece released on the Isuzu Australia webpage.
“Given the magnitude of this shift, it’s vital that road transport industry stakeholders understand just how vast the changes sweeping our industry are, and then provide a united front of advocacy as legislators examine supply chain priorities throughout the country.”
Taylor notes that state and federal governments have started work on projects to help the sector be more competitive, such as the proposed Western Sydney Airport and the Inland Rail project.
“In a multi-modal transport landscape, every piece of infrastructure’s effectiveness will be largely determined by the links that connect it to broader supply chains. It’s vital that substantive planning instruments are in place to best improve supply chain efficiencies,” he says.
“In terms of freight distribution, road will remain a lynchpin in Australia.
“Even as Australian population hubs expand and business-to-consumer commerce drives a significant shift in the logistics space, trucks will remain the most effective way for operators to address the all-important first and last miles of freight transport.”
Taylor says supply chains have grown more complex over the past two decades – with multi-modal transport emerging as an increasingly viable option for companies – but adds that technology alone is not enough to ensure the efficient transport of goods.
“The freight landscape is changing rapidly and disruptive technology threatens to increase that rate of change,” he says.
“These circumstances make it imperative for governments to take concrete steps towards delivering the freight corridors of tomorrow around solutions that can be adaptable.”
Governments needed to be on the front foot, he says, playing a regulatory role to facilitate the way companies use and share data collected across the supply chain – helping local operators work better in what was an increasingly globalised logistics environment.
But he says the industry should also advocate for ways trucks can contribute to freight distribution across the board – working with other modes of transport to find effective ways to share knowledge and data.
“Ultimately, the more conversations we can facilitate, the better chance we have of ensuring Australia’s evolving freight transport needs are met,” he says.