Application of Advanced Information Systems in Freight Vehicle Routing:

A micro-simulation approach

Sideney SCHREINER
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Department of Urban Management
Kyoto University
Kyotodaigaku-katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto
615-8540 Japan
Fax: +81-75-950-3800
sideney.schreiner@kiban.kuciv.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Eiichi TANIGUCHI
Professor
Department of Urban Management
Kyoto University
Kyotodaigaku-katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto
615-8540 Japan
Fax: +81-75-950-3800
E-mail: taniguchi@kiban.kuciv.kyoto-u.ac.jp



Abstract

Travel time is one of the most important issues in the planning of logistical operations. The
estimation of travel time and the management of travel time information is a hard task when
modelling logistical systems. Most logistical models consider travel time as an static input data
(vehicle routing problem, and some facility location problem) obtained assuming an average
travel time value based on probe vehicles, VICS, or volume-delay estimations such as BPR
functions.

Moreover, Advanced Information Systems (AIS) have become an important component in
efficient and reliable logistics operations. According to Taniguchi & Van der Heijden (2000),
advanced information systems for pickup/delivery vehicle operations have three important
functions: (1) To allow drivers and the control centre to communicate with each other; (2) To
provide the real time information on the traffic conditions; (3) To store detailed historical
pickup/delivery trucks operations data.
Taniguchi & Nakanishi (2003) explored such use of advanced information systems and defined a
dynamic vehicle routing and scheduling problem with time windows (VRPTW-D) model as able
to change the visiting order of the customers and the road link used by the vehicles according to
real-time information on travel times. The model was implemented in a macroscopic simulation
(block density model), which showed promising results in terms of distribution cost savings.
This study incorporates the three functions of AIS in a single system that sends the current travel
time between the serviced customers back to the control center model (CCM). In the CCM, the
travel times received from several vehicles currently on the street are consolidated with
publically available travel times (in some parts of the network) to provide a updated travel time
matrix, which is used in the CCM to update the itinerary of the vehicles on the street by re-
optimizing their routes among the un-serviced customers. This model is implemented in
VISSIM through the COM interface, where each sub-model controls a different feature of the
simulation, such as the demand, servicing time, optimization of routes, and routing of the vehicle
between the customers.
Dynamic demand requests are randomly generated during the simulation in order to replicate a
real-time demand. Servicing times are set dynamically in accordance with the demanded quantity
and an efficiency parameter specific to each individual customer.
The model uses an insertion heuristics to optimize each vehicle's tour, minimizing the total
distribution cost for the existing demand. As a soft-time window approach, early arrival implies
in additional waiting time, weighted at the time cost of the driver, as late arrival implies in a
penalty cost.
The model is applied to a test network showing good results in cost savings when compared to
static model, especially in extraordinary situations when the AIS features ensure efficient
correction of the visiting order of the clients.