Route Planning with Dynamic Information from the EPLOS System

The paper presents the problem of distribution route planning with dynamic information about sudden customers\u27 needs. Particular attention was paid to dynamic vehicle route planning and its influence on the distance covered by a distribution vehicle. In the article, authors assume that the quick information about customers’ sudden needs is transferred from the EPLOS tool data base. Authors analyze the available literature on transport route optimization and propose a solution to the problem of distribution among customers with sudden needs. In order to present the impact of quick information influence on the distribution route minimization, a simulation model of the vehicle routing problem was generated in the FlexSim environment

The Selected Problems of Public Transport Organization Using Mathematical Tools on the Example of Poland

Public transport plays an increasingly important role in satisfying the transport needs. Travellers’ requirements regarding the quality of services are increasing. In addition to passenger comfort, other parameters are important (timetable and the state of transport infrastructure). Therefore, methods that determine the appropriate organization of public transport for an area should be sought. The purpose of the article is to present the most commonly used optimization methods and tools that have been applied to the chosen problems of organization of public transport mainly in Poland (described in the articles of mainly Polish scientists), but against the background of global research. The article characterizes the functioning of public transport in Poland. The selected problems of public transport functioning, which can be solved by using optimization methods and tools were discussed. The chosen methods that were used to formulate and solve the identified problems were indicated. The effects of this article will form part of the work on the POIR.01.01.01-00-0970/17-00 project "IT system for computer-aided public transport planning" financed by the National Centre for Research and Development

An Integrated EPLOS Database as a Tool Supporting TSL Companies

The paper presents the conceptual design of a database for the European Portal of Logistics Services (EPLOS) and its application. The database contains the data on logistics companies, the infrastructure for road, railway, inland, and air transport, as well as the data on the nodal elements of logistics infrastructure (warehouse facilities, seaports, transhipment terminals). Complete and verified information is the fundamental condition for rational decisions about the realization of logistics processes on a meso- and macroeconomic scale. Authors present the relations in the making of the EPLOS database, its assumed scope, and the potential benefits for the TSL market from accessing the EPLOS database

Benefits from Implementing the EPLOS System in Logistics Companies

Logistics companies are currently differently using IT tools to assist the planning of their operational activity. The functionalities of tools are also different. The paper presents the results of a research on the use of automated solutions to obtain the data necessary for logistics processes planning. It also presents a review of IT solutions used by TSL (transport, shipping, logistics) companies and the functionality of these tools. This allowed for the assessment of the potential of the EPLOS system to be used in TSL companies, as well as the benefits of implementing this system. In the paper, the selected results of a survey made in companies about the crucial data needed for efficient operating were presented. The summary indicates the main features that software should have in the era of the Industry 4.0 revolution

A Model for the Designing of Multimodal Transport Processes and the Concept of Its Integration with the EPLOS System

The paper proposes a new single criterion mathematical model for the designing of multimodal transport processes by taking into account the cargo’s susceptibility and the concept of its inclusion into the EPLOS system, which is done as part of the EUREKA initiative. This system will integrate the data from logistics sources and transport and logistics infrastructure from many sources. In the first phase of its implementation, it will cover the Czech Republic, Poland, and the Baltic States. Using the EPLOS system integrating data from various sources needed to solve this problem is a proposal to overcome the main barrier to the effective planning of multimodal transport processes – a lack of reliable information

The Task Assignment of Vehicles for a Production Company

The article investigates the problem of task assignment of vehicles for a production company. The presented problem is a complex decision-making issue which has not been analyzed in the literature before. Two stages must be passed through in order to solve the task assignment problem of the vehicles for the production company. The first stage is to designate the tasks, the other one is to determine the number of the vehicles that is needed to perform these tasks. The task in the analyzed problem is defined as transporting the cargo from the suppliers to the warehouses and from the warehouses to the production company. The number of the tasks depends on the type of the vehicle which carries out a given task. In order to solve the presented problem, the mathematical model has been developed, i.e., decision variables, constraints, and criterion functions. There are three types of decision variables occurring in the model, which means that this problem is quite complex. The first type of the decision variables determines the volume of the cargo which flows among the facilities on a given working day, the second type of the decision variables determines the use of a given type of the vehicle in the task, and the third type of the decision variables determines the number of the vehicles which perform the task. The criterion functions take the following form: the fuel consumption costs, the transition costs of the cargo via the warehouses, the purchase costs of the cargo, and the task completion time. In order to solve the task assignment problem of the vehicles, a genetic algorithm has been developed. The proposed method of task assignment solution is unique due to the coding method of individuals and related recombination procedures. The construction stages of this algorithm are presented. The algorithm has been verified by the use of the real input data. The developed model and method of its solution are unique in the application to the service of manufacturing enterprises. Due to the high efficiency and multi-aspect approach, it can be applied in enterprises of various industries as support for decision-makers in the optimization of resources