Abstract:
Distribution, one of major outbound logistics functions draws attention due to high cost incurred. This
study investigates the planning of a real time distribution operation achieving three objectives
simultaneously. Route optimization, truck utilization and equal delivery make-span have been
accompanied in order to address the problem giving financial benefits to company and satisfying the
stake-holders. It is a real challenge to fulfill these three objectives concurrently; however, this research
provides promising solution for the problem combining both exact and heuristics techniques.
Heuristics techniques exploits to cluster the customers ensuring equal delivery make-span and
Dijikstra algorithm has been modified to generate optimal route in terms of distance and delivery
quantity. Algorithm was developed in C++. Results reveal that proposed route planning reduces the
cost by 11.5 % included with 50% reduction of fleet size and 37% saving of travel distance.
