Title: Application of an operational trip planning software to a transportation problem for a Norwegian dairy

Authors: Trond Hammervoll

Addresses: Retail, Service and Logistics, Harstad University College, Havnegata 5, 9480 Harstad, Norway

Abstract: Streamlining the distribution of dairy products to retailers and other customers is a complex task. Until recently, companies have mostly relied on experts to calculate, simulate or resolve complex routing problems. However, operational trip planning software is now available. Due to high costs (in acquisition and training), only large companies have so far started to use such software, but eventually this technology will be at the disposal of logistic practitioners in a variety of industries. However, there have been no attempts in the literature to describe the implementation of such software in practical trip planning situations. At present, dairies face increasing competition and effective distribution is of particular importance to them. Important operational issues, a dairy encounters during the identification and validation of a new trip plan, are the focus of this paper. More specifically, it describes how this company solves the distribution problem aided by the trip planning programme software.

Keywords: dairy products; distribution planning; operational trip planning software; vehicle routing; Norway; logistics; product distribution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISTA.2009.024258

International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technologies and Applications, 2009 Vol.6 No.3/4, pp.287 - 295

Published online: 30 Mar 2009 *

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