Aids for perfect routeing
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PEOPLE in the distribution business need faster, more accurate and more comprehensive sources of information. With this in mind the Institute of Grocery Distribution has been examining the potential of computerised vehicle scheduling and its findings are contained in a 50-page report entitled An Introduction to Computerised Vehicle Scheduling.
Much of the report is taken up with a mathematical analysis of the problem that vehicle routeing represents; how to minimise the time and distance between points on a delivery round. Vehicle load planning is similarly treated.
Perhaps the most useful section to a manufacturer or operator who is considering computerised scheduling is near the end of the report. This part lists the many computer scheduling packages available together with their major features and names and addresses of their suppliers.
There is also a checklist of points and requirements to look for when comparing the various packages available.
The report includes an example of how one of the packages deals with a scheduling problem involving beer deliveries to pubs from depots in Birmingham and Manchester.
On the subject of cost the report has to remain rather vague since prices vary so much — it quotes a typical monthly rental price as between £100 and £1,500. But how much can they save?
It all depends on how efficient your manual routeing is; there may be room for improvement here. The Institute points out that there are a possible 3,600 feasible routes for a round with only 10 drops.
The computer scheduling packages claim savings of between 10 and 50 per cent of transport costs and the Transport and Road Research Laboratory has estimated that nationally around £600m per year could be saved if a perfect system of vehicle routeing was adopted.
The report, price £10 including postage, is available from the Publications Department, Institute of Grocery Distribution, Grange Lane, Letchmore Heath, Watford WD2 8DQ.