An event-driven optimization framework for dynamic vehicle routing

The real-time operation of a fleet of vehicles introduces challenging optimization problems. In this work, we propose an event-driven framework that anticipates unknown changes arising in the context of dynamic vehicle routing. The framework is intrinsically parallelized to take advantage of modern multi-core and multi-threaded computing architectures. It is also designed to be easily embeddable in decision support systems that cope with a wide range of contexts and side constraints. We illustrate the flexibility of the framework by showing how it can be adapted to tackle the dynamic vehicle routing problem with stochastic demands.

[1]  Paolo Toth,et al.  The Vehicle Routing Problem , 2002, SIAM monographs on discrete mathematics and applications.

[2]  J. Potvin,et al.  A dynamic capacitated arc routing problem with time-dependent service costs , 2011 .

[3]  G. Clarke,et al.  Scheduling of Vehicles from a Central Depot to a Number of Delivery Points , 1964 .

[4]  Jian Yang,et al.  Real-Time Multivehicle Truckload Pickup and Delivery Problems , 2004, Transp. Sci..

[5]  Jean-Yves Potvin,et al.  Online vehicle routing and scheduling with dynamic travel times , 2011, Comput. Oper. Res..

[6]  Tore Grünert,et al.  Sequential search and its application to vehicle-routing problems , 2006, Comput. Oper. Res..

[7]  Denis Borenstein,et al.  Real-time vehicle rerouting problems with time windows , 2009, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[8]  Gilbert Laporte,et al.  Fifty Years of Vehicle Routing , 2009, Transp. Sci..

[9]  Nubia Velasco,et al.  A memetic algorithm for the multi-compartment vehicle routing problem with stochastic demands , 2008, Comput. Oper. Res..

[10]  Roberto Montemanni,et al.  Ant Colony System for a Dynamic Vehicle Routing Problem , 2005, J. Comb. Optim..

[11]  Bruce L. Golden,et al.  VEHICLE ROUTING: METHODS AND STUDIES , 1988 .

[12]  Russell Bent,et al.  Regrets Only! Online Stochastic Optimization under Time Constraints , 2004, AAAI.

[13]  Burak Eksioglu,et al.  The vehicle routing problem: A taxonomic review , 2009, Comput. Ind. Eng..

[14]  Andreas Klose,et al.  On line Routing per Mobile Phone A Case on Subsequent Deliveries of Newspapers , 2009 .

[15]  Nicola Secomandi,et al.  Reoptimization Approaches for the Vehicle-Routing Problem with Stochastic Demands , 2009, Oper. Res..

[16]  Michel Gendreau,et al.  Exploiting Knowledge About Future Demands for Real-Time Vehicle Dispatching , 2006, Transp. Sci..

[17]  Leslie E. Trotter,et al.  On the capacitated vehicle routing problem , 2003, Math. Program..

[18]  Jean-Yves Potvin,et al.  Vehicle Routing , 2009, Encyclopedia of Optimization.

[19]  Jano I. van Hemert,et al.  Dynamic Routing Problems with Fruitful Regions: Models and Evolutionary Computation , 2004, PPSN.

[20]  J. F. Pierce,et al.  ON THE TRUCK DISPATCHING PROBLEM , 1971 .

[21]  Michel Gendreau,et al.  Vehicle dispatching with time-dependent travel times , 2003, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[22]  Russell Bent,et al.  Scenario-Based Planning for Partially Dynamic Vehicle Routing with Stochastic Customers , 2004, Oper. Res..

[23]  L. Truffet.  The Frechet Contingency Array Problem is Max-Plus Linear , 2009, 0904.2244.

[24]  IrnichStefan,et al.  Sequential search and its application to vehicle-routing problems , 2006 .

[25]  Warren B. Powell,et al.  Approximate Dynamic Programming: Solving the Curses of Dimensionality (Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics) , 2007 .

[26]  Michel Gendreau,et al.  Planned Route Optimization For Real-Time Vehicle Routing , 2007 .

[27]  Daniele Vigo,et al.  Chapter 6 Vehicle Routing , 2007, Transportation.

[28]  Nicola Secomandi,et al.  A Rollout Policy for the Vehicle Routing Problem with Stochastic Demands , 2001, Oper. Res..

[29]  Michel Gendreau,et al.  Parallel Tabu Search for Real-Time Vehicle Routing and Dispatching , 1999, Transp. Sci..

[30]  Martijn Mes,et al.  Comparison of agent-based scheduling to look-ahead heuristics for real-time transportation problems , 2007, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[31]  Jean-Yves Potvin,et al.  Decision support for vehicle dispatching using genetic programming , 1998, IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Part A.

[32]  Russell Bent,et al.  Online stochastic combinatorial optimization , 2006 .

[33]  Patrick Prosser,et al.  Dynamic VRPs: A Study of Scenarios , 1998 .

[34]  George M. Giaglis,et al.  Dynamic Management Of A Delayed Delivery Vehicle In A City Logistics Environment , 2007 .

[35]  Ulrich Derigs,et al.  Cooperative planning in express carrier networks - An empirical study on the effectiveness of a real-time Decision Support System , 2011, Decis. Support Syst..

[36]  Bernhard Fleischmann,et al.  Dynamic Vehicle Routing Based on Online Traffic Information , 2004, Transp. Sci..

[37]  Michel Gendreau,et al.  Intelligent Freight Transportation Systems : Assessment and the Contribution of Operations Research , 2009 .

[38]  Volker Gruhn,et al.  A General Vehicle Routing Problem , 2008, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[39]  Robert H. Storer,et al.  An approximate dynamic programming approach for the vehicle routing problem with stochastic demands , 2009, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[40]  Ali Haghani,et al.  A dynamic vehicle routing problem with time-dependent travel times , 2005, Comput. Oper. Res..

[41]  Pierre Hansen,et al.  Variable Neighborhood Search , 2018, Handbook of Heuristics.

[42]  Gilbert Laporte,et al.  Waiting strategies for the dynamic pickup and delivery problem with time windows , 2004 .

[43]  Eiichi Taniguchi,et al.  CITY LOGISTICS. NETWORK MODELLING AND INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS , 2001 .

[44]  Robert Givan,et al.  On-line Scheduling via Sampling , 2000, AIPS.

[45]  Martin Bichler,et al.  On the impact of real-time information on field service scheduling , 2012, Decis. Support Syst..

[46]  William T. Ziemba,et al.  Applications of Stochastic Programming , 2005 .

[47]  Warren B. Powell,et al.  An Approximate Dynamic Programming Algorithm for Large-Scale Fleet Management: A Case Application , 2009, Transp. Sci..

[48]  Paolo Toth,et al.  Recent advances in vehicle routing exact algorithms , 2007, 4OR.

[49]  Gilbert Laporte,et al.  Solving a Dynamic and Stochastic Vehicle Routing Problem with a Sample Scenario Hedging Heuristic , 2006, Transp. Sci..

[50]  Gilbert Laporte,et al.  A branch‐and‐regret heuristic for stochastic and dynamic vehicle routing problems , 2007, Networks.

[51]  Gianpaolo Ghiani,et al.  Real-Time Fleet Management At Ecourier Ltd , 2007 .

[52]  Jacek Zak,et al.  Decision Support Systems in Transportation , 2010 .

[53]  Michel Gendreau,et al.  A review of dynamic vehicle routing problems , 2013, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[54]  Gilbert Laporte,et al.  What you should know about the vehicle routing problem , 2007 .

[55]  Warren B. Powell,et al.  “Approximate dynamic programming: Solving the curses of dimensionality” by Warren B. Powell , 2007, Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics.

[56]  Gilbert Laporte,et al.  Dynamic transportation of patients in hospitals , 2010, OR Spectr..

[57]  Hanna Grzybowska,et al.  Vehicle Routing And Scheduling Models, Simulation And City Logistics , 2007 .

[58]  Sven Oliver Krumke,et al.  Real-Time Dispatching of Guided and Unguided Automobile Service Units with Soft Time Windows , 2002, ESA.

[59]  Warren B. Powell,et al.  An Adaptive Dynamic Programming Algorithm for Dynamic Fleet Management, I: Single Period Travel Times , 2002, Transp. Sci..

[60]  Denis Borenstein,et al.  A decision support system for the single-depot vehicle rescheduling problem , 2007, Comput. Oper. Res..

[61]  Roberto Montemanni,et al.  Ant colony optimization for vehicle routing in advanced logistics systems , 2003 .

[62]  Warren B. Powell,et al.  A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF ALTERNATIVE ALGORITHMS FOR THE DYNAMIC VEHICLE ALLOCATION PROBLEM , 1988 .

[63]  Nubia Velasco,et al.  An evolutionary-based decision support system for vehicle routing: The case of a public utility , 2009, Decis. Support Syst..

[64]  Harilaos N. Psaraftis,et al.  A Dynamic Programming Solution to the Single Vehicle Many-to-Many Immediate Request Dial-a-Ride Problem , 1980 .

[65]  Clara Novoa.  Static and dynamic approaches for solving the vehicle routing problem with stochastic demands , 2005 .

[66]  Warren B. Powell,et al.  Stochastic Programming in Transportation and Logistics , 2003 .

[67]  Jean-Yves Potvin,et al.  Vehicle routing and scheduling with dynamic travel times , 2006, Comput. Oper. Res..

[68]  Hemant K. Bhargava,et al.  Progress in Web-based decision support technologies , 2007, Decis. Support Syst..