EFFECTIVENESS OF BIG DATA ANALYTICS IN FLEET OPTIMIZATION BY TRANSPORT COMPANIES IN MUTARE, ZIMBABWE

Global trends in transport and logistics management show increase in the use of big data analytics (Moradi and Moradi, 2023). While data-driven fleet management brings improvements in fleet optimization, there are technological and organizational pitfalls related to these developments (Kumar and Singh 2020; Moradi and Moradi, 2023). This study therefore explored effectiveness of big data analytics in fleet optimization by transport companies in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The study applied a conceptual model that analysed the relationship between big data variables and fleet optimisation benefits in a multiple case study that generated data from staff in five purposively selected haulage transport companies that had sites in Mutare. The study established that diverse and inconsistent data sources negatively affected fleet optimisation and recommended that transport companies adopt data management statrgeties that use uniform formats that are internationally benchmarked.