MOTOR CARRIERS' AND SHIPPERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE CARRIER CHOICE DECISION

Abstract

In almost every industry today increasing attention is given to the customer and his preferences and research is undertaken to determine the factors that influence consumer choice. But in the transportation industry, particularly the motor carrier industry, much less has been done in this regard. This study is based on the hypothesis that shipper and carrier have a different notion of what it is that constitutes a good service. In Oklahoma, a random sample of manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers were questioned along with all motor carriers who served the area. The respondents were asked to rate 28 factors commonly thought to be important in the carrier selection decision using a scale where 1 indicated one of the most important factors down to 5, not important. The findings are summarized in a table. The mean scores for carriers and shippers were compared using a 'T' test. Only a few statistically significant differences were found indicating that Oklahoma motor carriers are fairly well attuned to shippers' needs. /TRRL/

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