Yachats Oregon Writer Rick Schultze

Logistics is one of my favorite words since I’ve changed jobs several times like many of us have. Roughly the word means “the management of the flow of things including people between the point of origin and the final destination”.

Originally a military term, it is often used today describing people moving due to a change in jobs and there can be good and bad logistics when it comes to that.

One scenario is when, unfortunately for many, your job disappears or is downsized and you have to move to find a new one, or have to change your life style to accommodate the new situation. Your logistics might be a bit raggedy since the level of stress in that scenario is going to be fairly high.

But another scenario is when you have applied for a job you wanted and they’ve hired you and you have to move your family to a new location. That’s a much better situation; a positive move, but nevertheless it’s an exercise in logistics.

That is precisely what is happening to a friend of mine from Waldport. He was hired for a job in Washington State and he and his family are moving over the weekend prior to his starting his new job. They are excited and looking forward to it since it is good job but it’s going to take some great logistical maneuvering to pull the move off. First of all getting hired for the new job was sudden. He had to give his two week notice at his old job but had to fulfill his obligations there which were time consuming so no time to leisurely get ready to go. He has two vehicles and a houseful of furniture so he had to rent a truck and a vehicle transport trailer to make the move. This is where it got tricky. The vehicle transport was only available in Florence, the truck only available in Toledo. His father-in-law who is going to help them move and carry things in his truck has to pick up the transport in Florence, hook it to his truck, and my friend has to pick up the rented truck in Toledo and then the two will meet up in Waldport and prepare to leave early Saturday morning for the three hundred mile trip. That calls for the rented truck to be loaded with the household goods, the towed vehicle to be secured on the transport, and for the show to hit the road!

Logistics is the key here. If the timing is off even a bit my friend might be a bit late for his first day on the new job. That isn’t the way to start as you can imagine!

However, I’m confident this logistical exercise will come off without a hitch because my friend was in the military, has moved a lot, and understands the whole concept of good logistics; know what you have to do and the time to do it in and get it done in the most efficient manner!

So if you have to make a move, good or bad, study the logistics of what it will take, then fine tune it and you’ll be fine!

To reach Rick Schultze email: yarick@pioneer.net