Sustainable Temperature-Controlled Transportation System by Multi Temp Truck, DHL Distribution (Thailand) Company Limited

Abstract

This research aims to 1) study the sustainable temperature-controlled transportation system using multi-temp trucks of DHL Distribution (Thailand) Limited, 2) compare the conventional and new temperature-controlled transportation systems using multi-temp trucks, and 3) study transportation efficiency and provide recommendations for decision-making. Using qualitative research, the key informants were 82 people. Data were analyzed using content analysis and compared using data analysis tables. The findings found that 1) the temperature-controlled transportation system using multi-temp trucks can better control the temperature inside the container due to the increased thickness of the container compared to conventional temperature-controlled trucks by 6 millimeters, which helps stabilize the temperature and increases stability throughout the transportation route. Additionally, larger containers allow for increased cargo capacity by 4 pallets/trip or 312 pallets/month, reducing fuel consumption due to the use of solar panel chains to accelerate the temperature inside the cargo container, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 85,000 kilograms. 2) Multi-temp truck transportation found that relying too much on the truck's refrigeration unit leads to excessive energy consumption. When the truck's engine in the refrigerated container stops, non-continuous refrigeration units lose power, resulting in increased internal temperatures due to significant loss of cool air or the refrigeration unit failing to dissipate heat if the engine fails, leading to easy damage to goods. Additionally, labor costs for truck drivers increased from 54,000 to 74,000 baht, necessitating a reduction in safety costs from 200 to 100 baht/day and eliminating overtime pay for 2 forces to reduce costs. 3) It is recommended to switch to using multi-temp trucks, which use electricity for both propulsion and refrigeration in the controlled temperature container, to reduce fuel consumption, as using electricity is more beneficial in the long run.