FedEx and UPS Network Structure and Accessibility Analysis Based on Complex Network Theory

Changsong Zhao,Chunliang Xiu,Guanyi Yu

doi:10.1155/2021/6682670

Abstract

With the expansion of the global air cargo transport system, the operating structure of air cargo has become increasingly separate from passenger counterpart, forming an independent organization model. Despite the Chinese air cargo capacity has grown exponentially in the past, its network is still in its infancy. FedEx and UPS have well-established air cargo networks and have operated effectively on both international and domestic scale; thus, understanding the structure and evolution of their air cargo networks is of a high reference value. In conjunction with the division of US regions from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), this paper refers to FedEx and UPS as FEPS and analyzes its topological structure, complexity properties, and air cargo accessibility by using social network analysis (SNA) and accessibility evaluation methods. The results suggest that (1) the structure of the FEPS air cargo network is in the highly developed states and has the typical “small-world” and “scale-free” network characteristics; (2) the degree centrality values for the nodes in the FEPS network suggest that the network complexity has increased; (3) airports in Memphis (MEM), Louisville (SDF), Indianapolis (IDN), and Ontario (ONT) are the major hubs with both high centrality values and air cargo accessibility; and (4) the FEPS network presents a unique hub-and-spoke structure compared with the passenger counterpart.

Highlights

Air transport has a pivotal role in global and regional economic development
A tremendous amount of case studies and literature focuses on the structural characteristics of air passenger transport over the past decades, and yet, for a long time, the air cargo industry has existed as an adjunct to passenger transport. e rapid growth of the air cargo industry leads to the increasing structural separation of air passenger and cargo network, and the differences between networks are becoming increasingly evident
We divided the airports in the FEPS network into five hierarchical groups based on their cargo volume. e size of the FEPS network is reflected by the number of nodes and edges, which has not drastically changed from 2008 to 2018

Summary

Introduction

Air transport has a pivotal role in global and regional economic development. Air cargo transfers 35% of international trade value through only 1% of the total trade volume [1]. Flying air cargo naturally involves cargo handling, ground transportation, and different routing strategies, which are not present in passenger networks, and it is of high reference value to study the unique properties of the hub-and-spoke air cargo network and their rationale for the formation. A tremendous amount of case studies and literature focuses on the structural characteristics of air passenger transport over the past decades, and yet, for a long time, the air cargo industry has existed as an adjunct to passenger transport. E rapid growth of the air cargo industry leads to the increasing structural separation of air passenger and cargo network, and the differences between networks are becoming increasingly evident. Air cargo hubs and route organizations display different network characteristics and properties from passenger transport. Air cargo hubs and route organizations display different network characteristics and properties from passenger transport. e U.S air cargo development has been leading the world, with

Methods

Results

Conclusion