Enriching the tactical network design of express service carriers with fleet scheduling characteristics

Express service carriers provide time-guaranteed deliveries of parcels via a network consisting of nodes and hubs. In this, nodes take care of the collection and delivery of parcels, and hubs have the function to consolidate parcels in between the nodes. The tactical network design problem assigns nodes to hubs, determines arcs between hubs, and routes parcels through the network. Afterwards, fleet scheduling creates a schedule for vehicles operated in the network. The strong relation between flow routing and fleet scheduling makes it difficult to optimise the network cost. Due to this complexity, fleet scheduling and network design are usually decoupled. We propose a new tactical network design model that is able to include fleet scheduling characteristics (like vehicle capacities, vehicle balancing, and drivers' legislations) in the network design. The model is tested on benchmark data based on instances from an express provider, resulting in significant cost reductions

Enriching the Tactical Network Design of Express Service Carriers with Fleet Scheduling Characteristics

Express service carriers provide time-guaranteed deliveries of parcels via a network consisting of nodes and hubs. In this, nodes take care of the collection and delivery of parcels, and hubs have the function to consolidate parcels in between the nodes. The tactical network design problem assigns nodes to hubs, determines arcs between hubs, and routes parcels through the network. Afterwards, fleet scheduling creates a schedule for vehicles operated in the network. The strong relation between flow routing and fleet scheduling makes it difficult to optimise the network cost. Due to this complexity, fleet scheduling and network design are usually decoupled. We propose a new tactical network design model that is able to include fleet scheduling characteristics (like vehicle capacities, vehicle balancing, and drivers’ legislations) in the network design. The model is tested on benchmark data based on instances from an express provider, resulting in significant cost reductions.express service carriers;freight transportation;tactical hub network design;integer programming;fleet scheduling;heuristics

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF DISTRIBUTED INVENTORY IN PHYSICAL INTERNET

International audienceClassical supply chain design relies on a hierarchical organization to store and distribute products over a given geographical area. Within this framework a shortage in a stock affects the whole downstream of the supply chain regardless of the inventory kept in others locations. Within the Physical Internet approach, inventories are distributed in hubs towards the market and source substitution is allowed. The Physical Internet aims to integrate logistics networks into a universal system of interconnected services through the development of protocols and standards for the routing of smart containers of various sizes. This organization enables a distributed storage of goods in hubs thanks to containerization, thus the feasibility of multi-sourcing to one ordering point. This contribution measures the impact of such an organization on stock levels and inventory costs with service level set as a constraint. The analysis focuses on the resources levels (transportation and inventory) needed by the current supply model and by the Physical Internet in order to serve a market with a (Q,R) stock policy. Starting with two supply models and with the definition of cost models as well as inventory policy, the work is based on computer simulation. The analysis tested 3 different families of criterion in order to select dynamically the source when an order is requested: Source Substitution, Minimum Ratio and Minimum Sum. The source substitution, one of the simplest, was found the more efficient and stable according to different scenarios

Analyse of express delivery market

katedra: KMG; přílohy: 1 CD-ROM; rozsah: 88 s.The thesis is based on the current situation on the express carriers market. It describes the impact on the customer and the overall economic environment. The aim is to evaluate through several different methods the largest providers of these services. For simplification, only DHL, UPS, TNT and FedEx were selected. It deals with comparison of the quality and range of products and services offered. The first chapter looks at the current market situation and current trends and tendencies. The second chapter analyzes in detail the behavior of the customer. The third part focuses on the individual shipping companies, their history, financial indicators and plans. Subsequently, the SWOT analysis was prepared, which defines the strengths and weaknesses and reveals potential opportunities and threats. The last chapter includes a test of express service carriers and new proposals and recommendations for both the shipper and the customers themselves.V diplomové práci je zachycena současná situace na trhu expresních přepravců. Je zde popsán vliv na zákazníka a na ekonomické prostředí celkově. Cílem práce je pomocí několika různých metod provést zhodnocení největších poskytovatelů těchto služeb. Pro zjednodušení byly vybrány pouze společnost DHL, UPS, TNT a FedEx. Jde o porovnání kvality a rozsahu nabízených produktů a služeb. V první kapitole je popsána současná situace na trhu a momentální trendy a tendence. Ve druhé kapitole je rozebráno podrobně chování zákazníka. Třetí část je zaměřena na jednotlivé přepravní společnosti, jejich historii, finanční ukazatele a plány. Následně byla vypracována SWOT analýza, která definuje silné a slabé stránky a odhaluje možné příležitosti a hrozby. Poslední kapitola obsahuje test služeb expresních přepravců a nové návrhy a doporučení jak pro přepravce, tak pro samotné zákazníky

Motor Carrier Service Network Design

This chapter introduces service network design (SND) operations research models and solution methodologies specifically focused on problems that arise in the planning of operations in the trucking, or motor freight, industry. Consolidation carriers such as less-than-truckload and package trucking companies face flow planning problems to decide how to route freight between transfer terminals, and load planning problems to decide how to consolidate shipments into trailerloads and containerloads for dispatch. Integer programming models are introduced for these network design decision problems as well as exact and heuristic solution methods

Enriching the tactical network design of express service carriers with fleet scheduling characteristics

Express service carriers provide time-guaranteed deliveries of parcels via a network consisting of nodes and hubs. In this, nodes take care of the collection and delivery of parcels, and hubs have the function to consolidate parcels in between the nodes. The tactical network design problem assigns nodes to hubs, determines arcs between hubs, and routes parcels through the network. Afterwards, fleet scheduling creates a schedule for vehicles operated in the network. The strong relation between flow routing and fleet scheduling makes it difficult to optimise the network cost. Due to this complexity, fleet scheduling and network design are usually decoupled. We propose a new tactical network design model that is able to include fleet scheduling characteristics (like vehicle capacities, vehicle balancing, and drivers’ legislations) in the network design. The model is tested on benchmark data based on instances from an express provider, resulting in significant cost reductions