Road Freight Transport:

Planning and Resourcing

ITL 474 - Project in Logistics
Presenter: Leena Chang

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Need for Planning
Major elements include:

Assets Service Costs Maintenance

Driver Security and

Replacement
Management Tracking
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Fleet Management

Maintenance Vehicle Parts Fleet

Scheduling Control Administration

Tachograph
Fleet Costing
Analysis
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Main Types of Road Freight Transport

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Vehicle Routing and Scheduling Issues
Different Types of Routing and Scheduling Problem

01 02 03 04

Strategic Tactical Interactive Planning

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Vehicle Routing and Scheduling Issues (Cont'd)
Different Algorithms

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Data Requirements
● Demand Data
● Distance Factors
● Customer and Service Constraints
● Vehicle Restrictions
● Driver Constraints
● Route Factors
● Product/Unit Load Constraints

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Data Requirements (Cont'd)
Demand Data

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Data Requirements (Cont'd)
Distance Factors

01 02 03

True Distance Co-ordinate Digitized Road

Method Method Network

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Data Requirements (Cont'd)
Customer and Service Constraints
The most common customer and service constraints are:

· specified times for delivery (eg 8 am);

· specified delivery windows (eg between 10.15 and 11.00 am);

· early closing days;

· lunch breaks;

· access restrictions (eg only vehicles of a certain size can deliver);

· unloading restrictions (eg no fork-lift truck available to unload pallets);

· drop size limitation (eg only a certain number of packages/pallets can be received);

· parking problems (eg cannot park or unload in the main road);

· paperwork problems (eg all goods must be checked by the driver and signed for).

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Data Requirements (Cont'd)
Vehicle Restrictions
Typical examples might include:

· the type of vehicles available;

· the number of vehicles available;

· the need to pre-load trailers;

· mixed fleets (ie rigid and articulated vehicles);

· vehicle capacities (in weight or volume);

· use of compartmentalized vehicles.

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Data Requirements (Cont'd)
Driver Constraints
Typical examples might include:

· drivers’ hours legislation;

· shift patterns and hours of work;

· the number of drivers available;

· different types of license and training;

· the need for a second person to assist with deliveries.

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Data Requirements (Cont'd)
Route Factors
Typical examples might include:

· the road infrastructure;

· maximum number of calls per route;

· multiple trips (ie more than one journey in a day by one vehicle);

· two-day trips (ie the vehicle and driver do not return to the depot every night);

· simultaneous delivery and collection.

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Data Requirements (Cont'd)
Product/Unit Load Constraints
Typical examples might include:

· the weights and dimensions of the different products;

· the weights and dimensions of the different unit loads;

· variable unloading times (different products or unit loads may vary in the time it takes for their
unloading);

· separation of products within a vehicle because of potential contamination or fire hazard;

· the need to collect empty containers;

· a requirement for special handling equipment.

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 Manual Methods of Vehicle Routing and Scheduling
A Daily (Manual) Scheduling System

Forward Orders Normal Delivery

Urgent Orders

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Manual Methods of Vehicle Routing and Scheduling
Manual Scheduling For Strategic Purposes

01 02 03 04

Establish Determine Determine Determine

delivery data & geographic area demand customer drop
parameters (map/grid) constraints

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Manual Methods of Vehicle Routing and Scheduling
Manual Scheduling For Strategic Purposes (Cont'd)

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Allocate Decide on Plan trips Plan routes

demand to geographic
geographic area 'rules'

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Manual Methods of Vehicle Routing and Scheduling
Manual Scheduling For Strategic Purposes (Cont'd)

09 10 11

Calculate Calculate the Calculate

vehicle delivery cost vehicle
requirements & utilization
mileage
travelled

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Computer Routing and Scheduling

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Computer Routing and Scheduling (Cont'd)

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Computer Routing and Scheduling (Cont'd)

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Computer Routing and Scheduling (Cont'd)

The advantages of computerized vehicle routing and scheduling system:

● decreased standing costs as the vehicle establishment can be minimized;

● decreased running costs as efficient routing reduces mileage;
● less need to hire in vehicles;
● increased customer service through consistent and reliable schedules;
● less chance of breaking transport regulations through the ability to program in
legislative constraints;
● savings in management time as schedules can be calculated quickly;
● an increased level of control because more accurate management reporting is
possible.

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Computer Routing and Scheduling (Cont'd)

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Other Information System Applications

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Thanks!

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