Map-Route: A GIS-based decision support system for intra-city vehicle routing with time windows

G. Ioannou, M. N. Kritikos, G. P. Prastacos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents a Decision Support System (DSS) that enables dispatchers-schedulers to approach intra-city vehicle routing problems with time windows interactively, using appropriate computational methods and exploiting a custom knowledge base that contains information about traffic and spatial data. The DSS, named Map-Route, generates routes that satisfy time and vehicle capacity constraints. Its computational engine is based on an effective heuristic method for solving the underlying optimization problem, while its implementation is developed using MapInfo, a popular Geographical Information System (GIS) platform. Map-Route provides very efficient solutions, is particularly user-friendly, and can reach answers for a wide variety of 'what if' scenarios with potentially significant cost implications. We have implemented Map-Route in an actual industrial environment and we report on the experience gained from this real-life application. Journal of the Operational Research Society.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)842-854
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of the Operational Research Society
Volume53
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2002

Keywords

  • Decision support systems
  • Distribution/logistics
  • GIS
  • Heuristics
  • Vehicle routing

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Map-Route: A GIS-based decision support system for intra-city vehicle routing with time windows'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this