IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orinte/v51y2021i3p179-199.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Network Mode Optimization for the DHL Supply Chain

Author

Listed:
  • Yibo Dang

    (DHL Supply Chain, Westerville, Ohio 43082; The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210)

  • Manjeet Singh

    (DHL Supply Chain, Westerville, Ohio 43082)

  • Theodore T. Allen

    (The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210)

Abstract

DHL Supply Chain North America moves more than 20 million packages each year. DHL transportation planners perform routing and cost-deduction tasks for many business projects. We refer to the associated planning problem as the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Regulations and Common Carriers ( VRPTRCC ). Unlike ordinary vehicle routing problems, which use only a single type of transportation mode, our VRPTRCC applications include make–buy decisions because some of the package deliveries are ultimately subcontracted to organizations other than DHL. Time regulation means that the problem considers not only delivery-time windows, but also layover and driving-time restrictions. Our developed Network Mode Optimization Tool (NMOT) is an ant-colony optimization (ACO)-based program that aids DHL Supply Chain transportation analysts in identifying cost savings in the ground logistic network. By using the NMOT, DHL and its customers have saved millions of dollars annually. Also, the NMOT is helping DHL to win new customers against bidding competitors and reducing estimation times from multiple weeks to hours. The results show an actual increase in profits compared with the previous process by more than 15% through a combination of new projects enabled and reduced current operational costs. The NMOT is implemented and evaluated by using data from ongoing projects.

Suggested Citation

  • Yibo Dang & Manjeet Singh & Theodore T. Allen, 2021. "Network Mode Optimization for the DHL Supply Chain," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 51(3), pages 179-199, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:51:y:2021:i:3:p:179-199
    DOI: 10.1287/inte.2020.1046
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/inte.2020.1046
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/inte.2020.1046?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dondo, Rodolfo & Cerda, Jaime, 2007. "A cluster-based optimization approach for the multi-depot heterogeneous fleet vehicle routing problem with time windows," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 176(3), pages 1478-1507, February.
    2. G. B. Dantzig & J. H. Ramser, 1959. "The Truck Dispatching Problem," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(1), pages 80-91, October.
    3. Jonathan F. Bard & George Kontoravdis & Gang Yu, 2002. "A Branch-and-Cut Procedure for the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 36(2), pages 250-269, May.
    4. Matteo Fischetti & Paolo Toth, 1997. "A Polyhedral Approach to the Asymmetric Traveling Salesman Problem," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(11), pages 1520-1536, November.
    5. Vidal, Thibaut & Crainic, Teodor Gabriel & Gendreau, Michel & Prins, Christian, 2013. "Heuristics for multi-attribute vehicle routing problems: A survey and synthesis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 231(1), pages 1-21.
    6. A. L. Kok & C. M. Meyer & H. Kopfer & J. M. J. Schutten, 2010. "A Dynamic Programming Heuristic for the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows and European Community Social Legislation," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(4), pages 442-454, November.
    7. Thibaut Vidal & Nelson Maculan & Luiz Satoru Ochi & Puca Huachi Vaz Penna, 2016. "Large Neighborhoods with Implicit Customer Selection for Vehicle Routing Problems with Profits," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(2), pages 720-734, May.
    8. Goel, Asvin, 2018. "Legal aspects in road transport optimization in Europe," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 144-162.
    9. M. W. P. Savelsbergh & M. Sol, 1995. "The General Pickup and Delivery Problem," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(1), pages 17-29, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Toni Greif & Nikolai Stein & Christoph M. Flath, 2023. "Information Value Analysis for Real-Time Silo Fill-Level Monitoring," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 53(4), pages 283-294, July.
    2. Yu-Cheng Kao & Kao-Yi Shen & San-Ting Lee & Joseph C. P. Shieh, 2022. "Selecting the Fintech Strategy for Supply Chain Finance: A Hybrid Decision Approach for Banks," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(14), pages 1-20, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Puca Huachi Vaz Penna & Anand Subramanian & Luiz Satoru Ochi & Thibaut Vidal & Christian Prins, 2019. "A hybrid heuristic for a broad class of vehicle routing problems with heterogeneous fleet," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 273(1), pages 5-74, February.
    2. Alcaraz, Juan J. & Caballero-Arnaldos, Luis & Vales-Alonso, Javier, 2019. "Rich vehicle routing problem with last-mile outsourcing decisions," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 263-286.
    3. Daiane Maria Genaro Chiroli & Sérgio Fernando Mayerle & João Neiva Figueiredo, 2022. "Using state-space shortest-path heuristics to solve the long-haul point-to-point vehicle routing and driver scheduling problem subject to hours-of-service regulatory constraints," Journal of Heuristics, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 23-59, February.
    4. Michael E. Fragkos & Vasileios Zeimpekis & Vasilis Koutras & Ioannis Minis, 2022. "Supply planning for shelters and emergency management crews," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 741-777, March.
    5. Coelho, V.N. & Grasas, A. & Ramalhinho, H. & Coelho, I.M. & Souza, M.J.F. & Cruz, R.C., 2016. "An ILS-based algorithm to solve a large-scale real heterogeneous fleet VRP with multi-trips and docking constraints," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 250(2), pages 367-376.
    6. Qi, Mingyao & Lin, Wei-Hua & Li, Nan & Miao, Lixin, 2012. "A spatiotemporal partitioning approach for large-scale vehicle routing problems with time windows," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 248-257.
    7. Christian Tilk & Asvin Goel, 2019. "Bidirectional labeling for solving vehicle routing and truck driver scheduling problems," Working Papers 1914, Gutenberg School of Management and Economics, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
    8. Lagos, Felipe & Pereira, Jordi, 2024. "Multi-armed bandit-based hyper-heuristics for combinatorial optimization problems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 312(1), pages 70-91.
    9. Hatzenbühler, Jonas & Jenelius, Erik & Gidófalvi, Gyözö & Cats, Oded, 2023. "Modular vehicle routing for combined passenger and freight transport," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    10. John E. Fontecha & Oscar O. Guaje & Daniel Duque & Raha Akhavan-Tabatabaei & Juan P. Rodríguez & Andrés L. Medaglia, 2020. "Combined maintenance and routing optimization for large-scale sewage cleaning," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 286(1), pages 441-474, March.
    11. Phan Nguyen Ky Phuc & Nguyen Le Phuong Thao, 2021. "Ant Colony Optimization for Multiple Pickup and Multiple Delivery Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Window and Heterogeneous Fleets," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-13, May.
    12. Schaumann, Sarah K. & Bergmann, Felix M. & Wagner, Stephan M. & Winkenbach, Matthias, 2023. "Route efficiency implications of time windows and vehicle capacities in first- and last-mile logistics," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 311(1), pages 88-111.
    13. Shih-Che Lo & Ying-Lin Chuang, 2023. "Vehicle Routing Optimization with Cross-Docking Based on an Artificial Immune System in Logistics Management," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-19, February.
    14. Tilk, Christian & Goel, Asvin, 2020. "Bidirectional labeling for solving vehicle routing and truck driver scheduling problems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 283(1), pages 108-124.
    15. Gilbert Laporte, 2016. "Scheduling issues in vehicle routing," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 236(2), pages 463-474, January.
    16. Yuan Qu & Jonathan F. Bard, 2015. "A Branch-and-Price-and-Cut Algorithm for Heterogeneous Pickup and Delivery Problems with Configurable Vehicle Capacity," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(2), pages 254-270, May.
    17. Bergmann, Felix M. & Wagner, Stephan M. & Winkenbach, Matthias, 2020. "Integrating first-mile pickup and last-mile delivery on shared vehicle routes for efficient urban e-commerce distribution," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 26-62.
    18. Samuel Reong & Hui-Ming Wee & Yu-Lin Hsiao, 2022. "20 Years of Particle Swarm Optimization Strategies for the Vehicle Routing Problem: A Bibliometric Analysis," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(19), pages 1-19, October.
    19. Gilbert Laporte, 2016. "Scheduling issues in vehicle routing," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 236(2), pages 463-474, January.
    20. Z. Al Chami & H. Manier & M.-A. Manier, 2019. "A lexicographic approach for the bi-objective selective pickup and delivery problem with time windows and paired demands," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 273(1), pages 237-255, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:51:y:2021:i:3:p:179-199. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.