G. Don Taylor

MULTI-ZONE DISPATCHING IN TRUCKLOAD TRUCKING

Abstract This paper examines the use of multi-zone dispatching alternatives in truckload trucking using simulation methods and historical freight data of continental scale supplied by J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. After introducing the concept of zone dispatching, several alternative operational configurations are presented. Simulation results indicate that multi-zone dispatching works best when zone boundaries are configured to minimize, to the extent possible, the freight imbalance between the zones.

Forecasting freight demand using economic indices

This paper describes the results of an effort to predict future freight volume in the truckload (TL) trucking industry. The approach involves the use of stepwise multiple linear regression models that relate freight volume to a variety of economic indicators. The models are built using a large set of actual freight data provided by J.B. Hunt Transport (JBHT), one of the world’s largest TL carriers. The data was first analyzed using the overall set of national data, and then for specific industrial and regional segments. The overall results of these analyses should prove useful to a wide variety of transportation and logistics operations.

Simultaneous determination of warehouse layout and control policies

In a supply chain’s order fulfilment process, it is often the warehouse that plays a central role in making the right product available to the right customer at the right time. This paper aims to improve warehouse performance by deriving an effective design method for the simultaneous determination of warehouse layout and the warehouse’s control policies. The authors consider layout variables for the warehouse such as the number of primary aisles utilised, the number of cross-aisles and the aisle length under several different design philosophies. Concurrently, control policies such as storage policies and routing are considered. Simulation is utilised to determine the performance of the various resulting scenarios. A screening and selection procedure is employed to reduce the required number of replications while achieving a predetermined precision in identifying the best configuration. The approach is applied for an industrial partner in this research and the results of experimentation are compared to a baseline scenario which describes a proposed new facility in the Netherlands. The results reveal a large potential for performance improvement.

Using Board Puzzles to Teach Operations Research

Engineering design is a difficult task. Designers work at the boundaries between physical laws, societal or governmental regulations, the need for efficiency, and the desire to develop creative or aesthetic solutions. Teaching engineering design is therefore a difficult task. How is it possible to stimulate students to think of creative solutions while adhering to established principles and necessary rules? Certainly, it is important for students to have deep-seated roots in engineering fundamentals. These fundamentals include both a strong overall engineering core and coursework specific to the particular branch of engineering study undertaken by the student. For industrial engineers, the study of operations research is fundamental in preparing them for careers in engineering design. This paper addresses one way of encouraging creativity in teaching operations research in industrial engineering design curricula. Specifically, this paper provides examples of the use of games as pedagogical tools in teaching operations research. These games cannot be used as a substitute for teaching practical applications, but they are excellent supplementary tools that encourage students to tackle highly structured problems creatively while working on interesting and enjoyable tasks. Four examples are provided within the paper.

A simulation-based software system for barge dispatching and boat assignment in inland waterways

Abstract In this paper, the authors present a simulation-based scheduling system designed to assist in barge dispatching and boat assignment problems for inland waterways. Specifically, the system assists in the assignment of barge freight to boats. The simulation platform provides the ability to explicitly consider time-based cost trade-offs between barge handling requirements and equipment dwell time. The efficacy of use for the system is demonstrated via case studies utilizing data provided by American Commercial Barge Line, LLC (ACBL) for the Ohio River in North America. The scheduling system described herein is now being implemented as ACBL’s primary dispatching tool for the Ohio River. Results indicate that the solution approach is viable for general use in large-scale dispatching and load assignment problems on major commercial rivers.

AN ANALYSIS OF INTERMODAL RAMP SELECTION METHODS

Abstract A key issue affecting the viability and efficacy of intermodal transportation via truck and rail is the operational selection of intermodal ramps. In this paper, two alternatives for ramp selection are examined. Both methods seek to reduce total empty and circuitous miles incurred during intermodal drayage movements. The sensitivity to the ramp group configuration and to freight compatibility is tested to determine the robustness of the findings. The analysis is industrially motivated, using data supplied by J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. The primary contribution of the paper is in quantifying the performance of the ramp selection methods in various operational settings.

Improving the quality of operations in truckioad trucking

In this paper, the authors discuss the quality of operations in the truckioad trucking industry. After introducing the concept of quality in the industry from the perspective of the customer, the carrier, and the driver, the authors introduce a new operational paradigm based on zone dispatching that leads to improved quality from all three perspectives. A review of the current literature indicates that the approach is unique. A comprehensive experimental design supports simulation experiments to examine operational design parameters and to determine solution robustness for zone dispatching alternatives. Results indicate that zone dispatching alternatives compare favorably with baseline point-to-point dispatching methods. Case studies supported by data provided by J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. further demonstrate the efficacy of the approach as a means of improving the quality of operations in truckioad trucking. Additionally, a research framework is provided to guide future efforts in this area.

Availability Demonstration Testing

This paper presents a procedure for conducting an availability demonstration test (ADT) under the assumption that time to failure and time to repair are both exponentially distributed. The procedure yields a test plan consisting of the required number of failures that must be observed, and the required ratio of total observed repair time to total observed failure time. The test is designed to meet stated levels of producer and consumer risk. Solutions require the use of numerical integration, but can easily be implemented using mathematics software or spreadsheets. The approach should be useful to both producers and consumers who want to define a system test for which availability is the primary performance measure of interest. Copyright

Evaluating approaches to product design and sourcing decisions in multinational companies

Product design and sourcing decisions are among the most difficult and important of all decisions facing multinational manufacturing companies, yet associated decision support and evaluation systems tend to be myopic in nature. Design for manufacture and assembly techniques, for example, generally focuses on manufacturing capability and ignores capacity although both should be considered. Similarly, most modelling and evaluation tools available to examine the performance of various solution and improvement techniques have a narrower scope than desired. A unique collaboration, funded by the US National Science Foundation, between researchers in the USA and the UK currently addresses these problems. This paper describes a technique known as Design For the Existing Environment (DFEE) and an holistic evaluation system based on enterprise simulation that was used to demonstrate the business benefits of DFEE applied in a simple product development and manufacturing case study. A project that will extend these techniques to evaluate global product sourcing strategies is described along with the practical difficulties of building an enterprise simulation on the scale and detail required.

Extended regional dispatch for truckload carriers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether or not driver job satisfaction, carrier performance, and customer service can be improved as a result of the use of uniquely constructed, extended regional dispatching systems.Design/methodology/approach – Simulation is used to examine regional dispatching systems that are extended in scope of dispatch by using integrated freight lanes. The results of extended regional dispatching systems are compared to traditional dispatching methods and previous experimentation with stand‐alone regional and lane dispatching.Findings – It is shown that a carriers adoption of extended regional dispatching can be beneficial to both trucking companies and drivers, while remaining relatively neutral to customers. Additionally, it is shown that this improvement can be obtained without significant degradation of the driving jobs that remain outside the regional dispatching network.Research limitations/implications – A new method of dispatching has been developed in su...