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A Capacitated Vehicle Routing Model for Distribution and Repair with a Service Center

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  • Irma-Delia Rojas-Cuevas

    (Departamento de Ingenierías, Tecnológico Nacional de México Campus Puebla, Av. Tecnológico 420, Puebla 72000, Puebla, Mexico)

  • Elias Olivares-Benitez

    (Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad Panamericana, Alvaro del Portillo 49, Zapopan 45010, Jalisco, Mexico)

  • Alfredo S. Ramos

    (Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad Panamericana, Alvaro del Portillo 49, Zapopan 45010, Jalisco, Mexico)

  • Samuel Nucamendi-Guillén

    (Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad Panamericana, Alvaro del Portillo 49, Zapopan 45010, Jalisco, Mexico)

Abstract

Background: Distribution systems often face the dual challenge of delivering products to customers and retrieving damaged items for repair, especially when the service center is separate from the depot. An optimized solution to this logistics problem produces benefits in terms of costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and disposal reduction. Methods: This research proposes a Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem with Service Center (CVRPwSC) model to determine optimal routes involving customers, the depot, and the service center. AMPL-Gurobi was used to solve the model on adapted instances and new instances developed for the CVRPwSC. Additionally, a Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) algorithm was implemented and compared with AMPL-Gurobi. Results: The model was applied to a real-world case study, achieving a 40% reduction in fuel costs, a reduction from 5 to 3 routes, and a sustainable logistics operations model with potential reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and item disposals. Conclusions: The main contribution of the proposal is a minimum-cost routing model integrating item returns for repair with customer deliveries, while the limitation is the exclusion of scenarios where return items exceed vehicle capacity. Finally, future research will enhance the CVRPwSC model by incorporating additional constraints and decision variables to address such scenarios.

Suggested Citation

  • Irma-Delia Rojas-Cuevas & Elias Olivares-Benitez & Alfredo S. Ramos & Samuel Nucamendi-Guillén, 2025. "A Capacitated Vehicle Routing Model for Distribution and Repair with a Service Center," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-36, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlogis:v:9:y:2025:i:1:p:28-:d:1589591
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pawel Sitek & Jarosław Wikarek, 2019. "Capacitated vehicle routing problem with pick-up and alternative delivery (CVRPPAD): model and implementation using hybrid approach," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 273(1), pages 257-277, February.
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    3. Pierre Hansen & Nenad Mladenović & José Moreno Pérez, 2010. "Variable neighbourhood search: methods and applications," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 367-407, March.
    4. Wang, Yong & Peng, Shouguo & Zhou, Xuesong & Mahmoudi, Monirehalsadat & Zhen, Lu, 2020. "Green logistics location-routing problem with eco-packages," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
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