1568. Good things come to those who wait: improvements on the VRP using wait time and time window optimisation
Invited abstract in session TD-56: Routing with Time Windows, stream Vehicle Routing and Logistics.
Tuesday, 14:30-16:00Room: Liberty 1.11
Authors (first author is the speaker)
| 1. | Ruth Walton
|
| Data Science, Datasparq | |
| 2. | Ying Tan
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| 3. | Annelies Van Der Ham
|
| Rhythm | |
| 4. | Louisa Sober
|
| Datasparq |
Abstract
In collaboration with a multinational logistics company, the Datasparq team have developed an advanced vehicle routing optimisation product using an ALNS framework. This optimiser generates improved strategic routing plans for vehicle routing problems with capacity constraints and time windows across a number of different clients.
Some recent developments of this optimisation product have been focussed around the flexibility of time windows, both of which have delivered significant efficiency gains for our clients. The first is the incorporation of wait time, which effectively functions as a soft widening of time windows. This configurable feature allows the client to specify a maximum amount of wait time and in one example in grocery backbone haulage, this feature has led to an annual cost savings of 3.7%.
The second innovation is time window optimisation, which helps clients understand the potential savings associated with adjusting their delivery windows. Recognising that fully flexible time windows are not operationally feasible, we have developed an approach to identify the most efficient operational window within a wider time horizon, offering targeted recommendations for time window adjustments. This method has demonstrated annual savings of up to 1.5% for a national hardware chain.
Our presentation will outline the technical implementation of these features, their impact on real-world logistics operations, and insights gained from working with diverse clients.
Keywords
- Vehicle Routing
- Industrial Optimization
Status: accepted
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