Research on Joint Scheduling of Fruit and Vegetable Grading Vehicles and Pre-Cooling Vehicles Targeting the First Kilometer Cold Chain Logistics

To address the challenges of “the first kilometer” in cold chain logistics for fresh fruits and vegetables-including insufficient consideration of farmers' needs and delays in pre-processing-a joint scheduling model for post-harvest mobile grading and pre-cooling facilities is proposed. First, a joint optimization model for the multi-demand vehicle routing problem is established, considering time window constraints and service order for both services. Second, a joint optimization genetic algorithm is developed to address this issue. Experimental results indicate that this research method optimizes resource allocation, prevents cold chain disruptions, reduces losses, and enhances logistics efficiency.