A cargo transport company is equivalent to an airline that serves limited routes with large containers. In discrete processing systems, baggage from check-in counters feed into the main transport system freely. Tracking and routing becomes a major problem, as there is no order to the travelling baggage. This system is analogous to automobile traffic on highway systems. A batch processing system maintains gates that control baggage in groups.
Baggage travels in batches.
Efficient scheduling of batches becomes a major problem, as all must channel through the main transport system. This system is comparable to train traific on railroads. In discrete processing system, baggage enters the system freely, at any time. At the end of the collecting conveyor is a sorter that directs baggage to respective output conveyors. Discrete processing type BHS resembles highway system where baggage corresponds to automobiles.