Logistics in the Road Modal: A costs approach in function of the distance of transport and type of vehicle

With the increase in soybean production in the last couple of years - transported mostly by road - Brazil has faced great transportation problems , mainly due to lack of infrastructure and poor road conditions. These factors have direct influence on transportation costs and, consequently, on logistics costs, strongly affecting the final cost of soybean in Brazil. In this work, a simulation with different routes and main road carriers was carried out aiming at optimizing and controlling soybean ground transportation more efficiently in the State of Paraná. The following road carriers used for soybean ground transportation in the State of Paraná were analyzed: vehicle 1 – a semi-trailer truck, vehicle 2 – a bitrem ( truck with interlinked trailers ) and vehicle 3 – a rodotrem (truck with two large trailers). A detailed cost analysis for each vehicle showed that vehicle 3 – the rodotrem- was superior in both capacity and cost-effectiveness, reaching 67% more capacity and 29% less costs in comparison to the others, thus being the most recommended for grain transportation.