QUICKTRANS and alternative commercial transportation: a cost comparison

Abstract : The purpose of this thesis is to determine if the Navy's QUICKTRANS system could be replaced with a more cost effective combination of commercial air freight and trucking service. QUICKTRANS is used to transport DoD cargo between major continental United States Navy operating sites. The history, components, billing structure, and total cost of the QUICKTRANS system are described. Types of material moved as QUICKTRANS shipments are examined with particular emphasis on dirty freight shipments, those which require special handling. A cost model is developed to estimate the cost of moving cargo currently shipped in QUICKTRANS by readily available alternative commercial transportation assuming four different scenarios for determining which shipments move by premium air transportation. The cost for QUICKTRANS compares favorably with the cost required for alternative commercial transportation as computed by the cost model. Continued QUICKTRANS operation is recommended unless the shipment volume continues to decline in FY 93.