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Cutting mileage by computer
Page 36
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• After a hesitant start, considerable momentum is building up in the development of trip planning by computer, but there are still problems created by the need to preserve flexibility, especially in delivery work. This opinion is contained in a book, Computers in Vehicle Scheduling, just produced by the National Computing Centre Ltd, Audrey House, Ely Place, London, Ed. A second book produced by the Centre reports on the potential for the use of computers in transport planning, and concludes that techniques have been developed which could produce annual savings of £29.8m in road goods transport and £6m in public passenger transport.
The scheduling book explains developments in computer work with a wide variety of transport undertakings and provides a detailed analysis of the types of programme which have been developed, and their scope and limitations.
One of the values of this publication is the way in which it explains the approach to computer scheduling in simple road transport terms. In assessing the success of known techniques, the book reveals that the main difficulties lie in allowing for "negative constraints", such as part-delivery of orders, delivery outside specified hours or with a different type of vehicle. It is not easy to tell the computer when, and when not, to make allowances for such factors.
The second book emphasizes that the possible savings in road transport are so large that industry and Government should get together to work out a constructive approach and decide how the diverse efforts of operators, customers, suppliers, drivers, managers, computer manufacturers, consultants and research 'groups can be co-ordinated to form action plans.
The book is particularly insistent that fleet size and mileage could be considerably reduced by better planning; it provides examples of savings already made by large and small operators. H.B.C.