USING HEURISTICS TO IMPROVE A TRANSPORT ROUTING SYSTEM

Abstract

Routing and scheduling of delivery vehicles is an important factor affecting the cost of a product.  This article presents a case study of a company in Bangkok which is a distributor of dairy products, using delivery vans.  The study focuses on finding a method of reducing the fuel cost, total distance and driving time, while keeping the same service level, to achieve the maximum capability of the vans.

The company provided data of transportation costs and delivery distances and times.  This data is analysed, using Microsoft Excel, Visual Basic Application software, and six heuristic devices.  Two scenarios are developed, which provide for different situations.  The first scenario improves the existing routing and scheduling, and the second provides for possible future expansion of the business, to identify how many vans would be needed.  Both scenarios have the same objective, which is saving fuel cost and distance for each delivery van.  The actual implementation of a new system needs to consider the constraints which apply in the real situation.