Abstract
This paper examines the role of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) in the successful application of transportation management for businesses in the 21st century. A literature review was conducted for this paper using the University library; scholarly peer-reviewed articles were selected based on relevance and publication date (studies published within the past five years were deemed acceptable to obtain the best up-to-date information on the Partnership). The study found that CTPAT certification can help mitigate risks in shipping and the supply chain by requiring companies to obtain documentation that signals trustworthiness and the integrity of their lines, thus allowing for expedited modes of transportation to be implemented. In the age of terrorism, this precaution is both necessary and helpful in protecting cargo and supply chains as well as in managing logistics and easing congestion. The paper concludes that transportation managers should work towards obtaining CTPAT certification to facilitate international supply chain and transportation management.

Keywords: CTPAT transportation management, CTPAT supply chain management, CTPAT transportation shipping

Introduction

Transportation management is one of the most important aspects of a business’s operations: the flow of goods and services, the management of the supply chain, logistical decision-making, and security issues all come together under the purview of the transportation manager. In today’s world, security is more important than ever, what with the threat of global terrorism impacting countries around the world and thus impacting global supply chains (Sheffi, 2001). As Goldsby (2014) points out, transportation is sometimes “to blame for a company’s inability to properly serve customers” (p. 3), and so the concept of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) is a rather basic one that gets right to the heart of the collaborative spirit in the global business industry to ensure that businesses stand together to address the threat of terror. CTPAT is a supply-chain security program that is completely voluntary: it focuses on supporting secure supply chains and is led by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which provides guidance and logistical support for the volunteer participants. After a little over a decade, what started out as a small group of seven large U.S. companies working together to secure their shipping networks and supply chains became an international effort to safeguard business transportation for more than 10,000 companies (Rasero & Piniella, 2015). This paper will provide a full analysis of CTPAT from a transportation management approach with a view of evaluating its successfulness in enabling companies to strengthen their transportation systems in the face of the dangerous realities of the 21st century.

Methodology

The method used to obtain information on this subject was to perform a literature review by conducting a keyword search using the University library and the keywords “CTPAT transportation management.” Articles were selected for review based on relevance as indicated from their titles and abstracts: all articles selected had the keywords in their studies and were published within the past 5 years. The purpose of this method was to obtain information that could provide an overview and understanding of the role that CTPAT plays in transportation management. The follow section discusses the sources obtained.

Literature Review

Yang and Hsu (2018) note that because of the rise of incidences of terrorism in the 21st century and the need to stabilize transportation modes and channels, “the development of multiple security initiatives to enhance security and resilience capability without...…of time and up to rigorous standards of the CTPAT, which thus qualifies them for quicker mobility into and out countries that have a duty to protect their borders from possible transporters lacking integrity.

Transportation managers benefit from CTPAT in that they can select carriers and suppliers that have proven their integrity by becoming CTPAT members. This reduces the stress and pressure placed on the transportation manager to find adequate supply chain companies that can deliver speedily and safely. The CTPAT is thus a sound solution for the troubled times of the 21st century as it empowers businesses and managers to be proactive in the fight against instability in their systems.

Conclusion

Recommended membership of CTPAT should be a top priority for transportation managers seeking to develop relationships with suppliers and transporters. When selecting a transportation mode or channel, CTPAT certification can now act as the first set of criteria that has to be met in order for the transportation manager to select that company as a partner in the transportation of goods, for both inflows and outflows. The CTPAT provides a better assurance of safety for the line throughout a region based on the necessary components that a company must meet in order to be a member. The purpose is to provide stability, efficiency, speed and integrity to the transportation sector in the 21st century. It places the onus of ensuring security on the companies themselves and ensures that corporate social responsibility is adopted by those businesses that seek to have a place in the international transportation sector in the future. If they want to work with today’s transportation managers, they must abide by the rules of this voluntary partnership.