Casebook

The United States is one of the largest industrial nations on the face of the planet and an industrialized nation of that magnitude must have a transportation infrastructure that can handle the volume of items being exported. Fortunately the United States has an expansive network of highways, waterways and airways that are ever present to meet its export needs. Because America has so many means of transporting its goods through out the country competition for business cwould become extremely cut throat if not regulated. Companies could do what ever it would take to make a fast dollar even if it meant operating in an unsafe manor or in any manor that could be deemed unethical. The United States has placed control measures to curb these types of practices at the federal level by indoctrinating the National Transportation Policy. The policy evens the playing field by holding everyone in the transportation community to one set standard. It puts special emphasis on safety, and restricts how companies do business eliminating much of the negativity through out the transportation industry.

In my opinion the the national policy has is its ups and downs when it comes to evacuation planning and disaster relief. When it comes to evacuation planning I believe the idea is there, but many things seem to happen that contradict the set plan. Many places that have disaster evacuation routes always lead people away from the threat but many times these routes are plugged with heavy traffic that is barely moving because everyone is trying to use the same route. When it comes to disaster relief the government will often use the military to help augment the logistics of bringing in supplies since they often have the training and resources to bring in needed items before any other organization can respond.

References:

Coyle, J.J., Novack, R. A., Gibson, B.J., & Bardi, E. J. (2011). Transportation: A Supply Chain, Perspective, 7th edition, South Western College Publishing.