Optimising parcel deliveries in London using dual-mode routing. Issue 6 (3rd June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nguyê˜n, Thu Ba T.; Bektaş, Tolga; Cherrett, Tom J.; McLeod, Fraser N.; Allen, Julian; Bates, Oliver; Piotrowska, Marzena; Piecyk, Maja; Friday, Adrian; Wise, Sarah
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Operational Research Society. Volume 70:Issue 6(2019)
• Page Start: 998
• Page End: 1010
• Publication Date: 2019-06-03
• Subjects: Clustered travelling salesman problem -- last-mile delivery -- time windows; Operations research -- Periodicals; 658.4034
• DOI: 10.1080/01605682.2018.1480906
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-5682

Abstract

Abstract: Last-mile delivery operations are complex, and the conventional way of using a single mode of delivery (e.g. driving) is not necessarily an efficient strategy. This paper describes a two-level parcel distribution model that combines walking and driving for a single driver. The model aims to minimise the total travelling time by scheduling a vehicle's routing and the driver's walking sequence when making deliveries, taking decisions on parking locations into consideration. The model is a variant of the Clustered Travelling Salesman Problem with Time Windows, in which the sequence of visits within each cluster is required to form a closed tour. When applied to a case study of an actual vehicle round from a parcel carrier operating in London, savings of over 20% in the total operation time were returned over the current situation where 144 parcels were being delivered to 57 delivery locations.