Freight Mission Scheduling with Layover Charge Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transportation planning systems do not accurately account for layover charges in proposed missions, leading to suboptimal decision-making and increased costs, as they fail to predict and incorporate layover charges into the optimization phase, resulting in potential operational disruptions and additional expenses.
Innovation Solution
A computer program that automatically schedules missions, determines layover charges based on rules, and uses these charges to optimize transportation planning by inserting mandatory and non-mandatory layovers, thereby considering the timing impact of layovers and their associated costs to decide whether to perform a mission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If transportation planning systems do not account for layover charges in the optimization phase, then computational complexity is reduced and planning speed is improved, but cost accuracy deteriorates and suboptimal decisions are made
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of potential layover events during the optimization phase by analyzing mission parameters such as driver hours of service constraints, facility operating hours, and geographic distance. Layover charges are estimated in advance based on these parameters, allowing the optimization algorithm to consider cost implications before finalizing the transportation plan, thereby improving cost accuracy without significantly compromising planning speed
2Measurement precision
If layover charges are accurately predicted and incorporated into optimization, then cost accuracy is improved, but device complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses simplified layover charge estimation models that compute charges based on basic mission parameters (distance, time, facility hours) rather than complex simulation. These lightweight calculations provide sufficient cost accuracy for optimization purposes without requiring heavy computational resources or complex system architecture, thus improving cost accuracy while limiting system complexity
3Ease of operation
If layover charges are not accounted for in advance, then ease of operation is improved, but loss of time and operational disruptions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates layover charge estimates into the optimization phase, providing feedback to the planning algorithm about the cost implications of different mission schedules. This feedback mechanism allows the system to automatically adjust plans to minimize layover charges and avoid operational disruptions, improving operational efficiency while maintaining ease of use through automated decision-making
Data Source
AI summary
A computer, for planning moves of freight automatically adds one or more layover(s) to a mission. Next, the computer determines one or more charge(s) for the layovers, using carriers' rules. Thereafter, the computer uses the charge(s) in deciding whether to include the mission in a transportation plan to be executed. In some embodiments, the computer automatically maintains, for the given mission, counts of attributes on which limits are imposed by a government or by carriers, such as driving time, on-duty time, and driving distance, and when any count exceeds a corresponding limit in the midst of a driving activity, the computer automatically divides up the current driving activity into a truncated driving activity and a remainder driving activity, separated by a layover activity. The computer also determines an estimated time of arrival, including the impact of required layovers, to reach destination(s), and whether layover(s) is/are required at the destination(s), e.g. due to consignee's receiving hours or due to congestion at consignee's dock.