PRACTICAL VEHICLE SCHEDULING WITH A HIGH-SPEED HYBRID GA

A practical vehicle scheduling method has been developed based on a ge netic algorithm hybridized with a specially developed high-speed opera tions research (OR) algorithm. Test results show that this method quic kly provides sufficiently optimized schedules for real-world problems. For example, the method's schedules reduce the number of required veh icles, and achieve a high loading rate, close observance of company's internally set load limits, and excellent punctuality. This method is much superior to human expert schedulers in terms of the quality of sc hedules and the scheduling speed. With this method, distributors will be able to make large cost reductions and win the confidence of custom ers.