Optimization of a Stochastic Heterogeneous Vehicle Routing Problem for the Trucking Industry

In the transportation industry customer satisfaction, driver retention and profitability are some of the most critical factors in company success. As regulatory environments change, and competition grows Contrans Corp., a flatbed freight company, is seeking to develop a user-friendly application that allows team members to rapidly and accurately determine an optimal dispatch schedule for the fleet. This tool takes in information, such as road conditions, order types, vehicle specifications, driver specifications and time windows and solves a vehicle routing problem to maximize company profits and driver satisfaction, all whilst ensuring customer demand is met. This tool will be implemented in a graphic user interface and will serve as a case study for how operations research can ensure sustainability in the trucking industry.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jeff Gostick;Michael Fowler

Student:

Steven Zak Brookshaw;Nicholas Preston

Partner:

Contrans Corp.

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Transportation and warehousing

University:

University of Waterloo