Punjab PSEB Matric NSQF Logistics (Land Transportation Associate) cheat sheet

Logistics is the planning and control of the flow of goods, information and money from origin to consumption; land transportation is the road and rail leg of that flow.

The seven rights of logistics: right product, right quantity, right condition, right place, right time, right customer, right cost.

Inbound logistics brings raw material and stock into a business; outbound logistics moves finished goods to customers; reverse logistics handles returns, recalls and empties.

Land transportation in India is dominated by road (roughly two-thirds of freight by volume); rail carries bulk commodities such as coal, ore, cement and foodgrain over long hauls.

Freight cost per tonne-kilometre falls as load size and distance rise, so consolidating small shipments into a full truck load reduces unit cost.

Key cost drivers: fuel (often 40-55% of a truck operator's cost), driver wages, tyres, maintenance, tolls, permits and empty running.

A 3PL provider performs outsourced logistics functions (transport, warehousing) for a client; a 4PL designs and coordinates the whole supply chain using other providers.

First mile = pickup from the shipper; last mile = delivery to the consignee; the last mile is usually the costliest per consignment because drops are small and scattered.

Road: door-to-door, flexible routing, suited to short and medium distance and high-value or time-sensitive loads; low fixed cost, high variable cost.

Rail: high fixed cost (track, terminals), low variable cost per tonne-km, best for bulky, low-value, long-haul freight; needs road for pickup and delivery.

Air: fastest and most expensive, chosen when value density or urgency justifies it (perishables, spares, documents).

Water/inland waterways: cheapest per tonne-km for very large, non-perishable loads but slow and limited by waterway access.

Pipeline: continuous flow of liquids and gases; very low operating cost but only one product type and fixed route.

Mode choice rule: compare total door-to-door cost and transit time, not just line-haul rate; include handling, terminal and inventory-in-transit costs.

Intermodal transport uses two or more modes under one contract, e.g. road-rail container movement, with the container as the transfer unit.

Transit time reliability often matters more than speed: variance in delivery time forces safety stock, which adds inventory carrying cost.

Vehicle classes by gross vehicle weight (GVW): LCV up to about 7.5 t, medium commercial vehicles roughly 7.5-16 t, heavy commercial vehicles above 16 t.

Common Indian bodies: open body with side boards, covered body, container/closed body, flatbed, tanker, tipper and refrigerated body.

Payload = GVW minus kerb (unladen) weight; never load above the permitted payload, which is printed on the vehicle documents and often on the body.

Axle load limits are set by law; overloading damages roads and is penalised per tonne of excess under the Motor Vehicles Act.

Load selection rule: match body type to cargo protection needs (weather, pilferage, temperature) and match volume to deck area and cubic capacity.

Volume-limited (light, bulky) loads fill space before weight; weight-limited (dense) loads reach payload before space; calculate both before booking.

Load securing: distribute weight evenly, keep centre of gravity low, lash with straps or chains, use dunnage and load bars to stop shifting.

Refrigerated and hazardous loads need a vehicle suited to the class; hazardous goods also need the prescribed placards and emergency information.

Consignment note / lorry receipt (LR) is the contract of carriage and the consignee's delivery document; it records consignor, consignee, goods, weight, freight and risk terms.

E-way bill is required for movement of goods above the notified value threshold; it carries a unique number and a validity period based on distance.

Invoice and packing list state commercial value and contents; the driver should carry them with the LR and e-way bill during transit.

Motor vehicle documents to carry: registration certificate, valid insurance, fitness certificate (for transport vehicles), permit and driving licence of the correct class.

Goods carriage permit types include national permit (for inter-state movement), state permit and contract carriage; operating without the correct permit is an offence.

The Motor Vehicles Act and Central Motor Vehicles Rules govern licensing, permits, load limits, insurance and penalties; state RTOs enforce them.

Driving licence for a transport (goods) vehicle must be a valid transport-vehicle licence; learner or private licences are not sufficient.

Keep documents valid before dispatch: an expired fitness, insurance or permit exposes the operator and consignor to fines and vehicle detention.

Core warehouse flows: receiving, put-away, storage, order picking, packing, dispatch and returns handling.

Receiving checks quantity against the invoice/LR, inspects condition and records shortages or damage before signing the proof of delivery.

Put-away assigns stock to a location by ABC class, size or hazard; location codes let pickers find stock quickly.

Storage types: floor/block stacking, pallet racking (selective, drive-in), shelving for small items, and bulk yards for non-perishables.

Cross-docking moves goods from inbound to outbound dock with little or no storage; it cuts handling and inventory but needs accurate timing.

Dock management: schedule arrival slots, assign doors, verify seals, and record gate-in and gate-out times for turnaround measurement.

FIFO (first in, first out) and FEFO (first expiry, first out) rotation rules prevent stock from ageing out of shelf life.

Space utilisation and pick productivity (lines or units per labour hour) are the standard warehouse performance measures.

Stock record fields: item code, description, unit of measure, batch/lot, quantity on hand, location and expiry date.

Perpetual inventory updates the balance on every transaction; periodic inventory counts stock at fixed intervals.

Cycle counting counts a subset of items on a rotating schedule instead of a full shutdown count; count high-value A items most often.

Safety stock covers demand and lead-time variability; reorder point = average demand during lead time + safety stock.

Economic order quantity balances ordering cost and holding cost; total inventory cost is minimised where the two are equal.

Inventory turnover = cost of goods sold / average inventory value; a higher ratio means stock moves faster.

Handling rules: apply the correct unit load (pallet, crate, carton), respect stack height limits, and never lift beyond safe manual limits.

Record every movement (issue, transfer, return, damage) so the physical count and the system balance stay reconciled.

Packaging levels: primary (touches the product), secondary (groups primary packs, e.g. a carton) and tertiary (transport pack, e.g. a pallet load).

Packaging functions: contain, protect, identify/inform, and enable handling and unitisation.

Common transport materials: corrugated fibreboard boxes, wooden crates and pallets, stretch and shrink film, strapping, bubble wrap and desiccants.

Stacking strength of a carton falls sharply with humidity and time; design the compression strength for the bottom layer of the stack.

Pallet standard footprints include 1200 x 1000 mm and 1200 x 800 mm; keep overhang zero so loads do not crush or tip.

Hazard classes under the UN/IMDG system include explosives, flammable liquids, oxidisers, toxic and corrosive substances; each has its own label and packing rule.

Hazardous goods need compatible packaging, correct labels, a transport document stating the class, and segregation from incompatible cargo.

Material safety data sheet (MSDS) gives the hazards, handling, PPE and first-aid steps for a chemical; read it before handling.

Route planning aims to minimise total distance or time while meeting delivery windows, vehicle capacity and driver hours.

Nearest-neighbour and savings heuristics build routes quickly; software uses optimisation for larger fleets.

Vehicle routing problem: assign a set of stops to vehicles of given capacity so that all are served at least cost, often with time windows.

Cost per km = (fixed cost per trip + variable cost per km x distance) / distance; freight rate is often quoted per tonne or per tonne-km.

Trip costing components: fuel, driver and helper wages, tolls, permits, insurance, maintenance, tyres, depreciation and loading/unloading charges.

Break-even load factor = fixed cost per trip / contribution per tonne; below it the trip loses money.

Scheduling sets departure times and dock slots; build in rest breaks and legal driving limits to avoid delays and penalties.

Backhauling (finding a return load) cuts empty running, which is the largest avoidable cost in road transport.

Service quality measures: on-time delivery, order fill rate, damage rate, complaint resolution time and proof-of-delivery accuracy.

The service gap is the difference between what the customer expects and what is delivered; close it by defining and measuring service standards.

Communication flow: order confirmation, dispatch advice, in-transit status, delivery confirmation and exception notification.

Exception handling rule: inform the customer as soon as a delay or damage is known, with cause, revised time and remedy.

Proof of delivery (POD) signed by the consignee closes the delivery and is the evidence for billing and claims.

Complaint handling steps: listen and record, acknowledge, investigate, resolve, and confirm closure with the customer.

Use plain language and confirm key details (address, quantity, time window) in writing to avoid disputes.

Escalate a service failure by severity: safety or legal issues immediately, commercial losses within the agreed service level.

Manual handling limit rule: keep the load close to the body, bend the knees, avoid twisting, and use two people or a trolley for heavy or awkward loads.

Personal protective equipment for warehouse and dock work: safety shoes, high-visibility vest, gloves, and helmet where overhead risk exists.

Forklift safety: only trained and licensed operators, sound the horn at blind corners, no riders, keep forks low, and separate pedestrian walkways.

Loading dock hazards: vehicle creep, trailer tip, falls at open dock edges; use wheel chocks, dock locks and dock levellers.

Fire safety: keep extinguishers accessible and inspected, keep aisles and exits clear, and store flammables away from ignition sources.

Environmental practices: segregate waste for recycling, prevent fuel and oil spills with drip trays, and dispose of used oil and batteries through authorised handlers.

Fuel-efficient driving (steady speed, correct tyre pressure, no idling) cuts emissions and cost at the same time.

Report every incident and near miss; near-miss records are used to fix hazards before an injury occurs.

Core logistics systems: transport management system (TMS) for booking and routing, warehouse management system (WMS) for stock and picks, and ERP for orders and billing.

Barcode and QR scanning capture item, batch and location data at receiving, picking and dispatch, reducing keying errors.

GPS/telematics gives vehicle location, speed, fuel use and driver behaviour; geo-fencing triggers arrival and departure events.

RFID reads tags without line of sight, useful for pallet and asset tracking; cost per tag limits it to higher-value units.

Data entry rules: use the correct item and location codes, enter units consistently, and validate quantity against the source document.

Spreadsheet reporting basics: use consistent date and unit formats, sort and filter before analysis, and build pivot tables for summaries.

Key transport KPIs: on-time delivery %, cost per km, vehicle utilisation %, empty-run %, and damage/claims rate.

Back up data and control access by role; personal and commercial data must be handled under the organisation's data policy.

Employability skills sought in logistics: punctuality, teamwork, clear communication, numeracy, problem solving and willingness to follow safety rules.

A CV for a logistics role should list licences, vehicle classes handled, systems used (TMS/WMS, spreadsheets) and measurable results.

Interview preparation: know the job's safety and documentation duties and be ready to describe how you handled a delay or a damaged consignment.

Entrepreneurship basics: a business idea is tested by demand, cost, price and margin before any investment.

Break-even quantity = fixed costs / (selling price per unit - variable cost per unit).

Small transport business essentials: goods carriage permit, vehicle insurance, GST registration where turnover requires it, and a simple bookkeeping system.

Working capital in transport is tied up in fuel, driver wages and credit given to clients; track receivables to avoid cash shortages.

Government support schemes for small transport and logistics enterprises include MSME registration, subsidised loans and skill development programmes.