Return to search

U.S. Postal Service response to logistics disruptions resulting from terrorism : its effectiveness and relevance to other organizations / USPS response to logistics disruptions resulting from terrorism

Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2003. / This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 29). / Following the incidents of 9/11, the FAA imposed new restrictions on cargo to be carried aboard commercial aircraft. This had broad and immediate impact on the U.S. Postal Service, which has long depended on such flights to carry mail, particularly expedited services such as Priority and Express Mail. In fact, the USPS normally utilizes over 15,000 commercial flights daily to transport approximately one quarter of the daily mail volume-over 170 million pieces. In less than 3 hours on that September 11 in 2001, more than 4,500 commercial flights were landed immediately regardless of where they were or where they were headed. It was two days before mail began to move again aboard commercial aircraft, and restrictions persist 18 months later, including one prohibiting any mail weighing in excess of 16 ounces. It is this restriction in particular that most drastically affected movement of the mail. There are many measures that the USPS has identified and/or undertaken since the onset of the aforementioned situations. Some of these measures were permanent and some temporary. While the USPS is different in some respects from other businesses or organizations in general, there are certainly many parallels as well. In lights of this, there may be valuable lessons to be learned from the experiences and actions of the U.S. Postal Service. By studying these actions--and determining their effectiveness in terms of delivery standards, financial impact, and effect on short and long-term strategy--other organizations may ultimately save themselves time and money by following the example of the USPS. / by Christopher J. Hamel. / M.Eng.in Logistics

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:MIT/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/27514
Date January 2003
CreatorsHamel, Christopher J. (Christopher John), 1962-
ContributorsYossi Sheffi., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division.
PublisherMassachusetts Institute of Technology
Source SetsM.I.T. Theses and Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format33 leaves, 321895 bytes, 322406 bytes, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf
Coveragen-us---
RightsM.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission., http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Page generated in 0.0018 seconds