Improving Road Transport Operations using Lean Thinking

This paper documents a case study where the transport operations of a word leading provider of paper-based packaging solutions operating in Bogota, Colombia, were measured and improved using lean concepts, methods and tools. The methodology consisted of: (1) direct observations of the transport operations; (2) collection and analysis of data; (3) creation of a Transportation Value Stream Map (TVSM); (4) measurement of the Transportation Overall Vehicle Effectiveness (TOVE); and (5) proposal of improvement recommendations. The TVSM identified six wastes: waiting, resource utilisation, excess movement, over-production, over-processing and behavioural. The TOVE measure resulted in an efficiency of 54%. The study proposed improvement recommendations based on the results of the TVSM and TOVE.