An Optimization of the Vehicle Routing Problem in Consideration of a Heterogeneous Fleet And Multiple Day Service Windows

With the growing need for more efficient, affordable, and sustainable shipping, this paper creates a model that addresses the periodic vehicle routing problem. Considerations are made for a mixed heterogeneous fleet, consisting of various models of electric and diesel vehicles. Longer service windows are also considered to account for deliveries that can be made over multiple days. With that customer of overlapping service windows can possibly be serviced using the same route. The formulated model will create a route that will satisfy all demands with the objective of maximizing profit, while assigning vehicles to specific routes, in consideration of their capacities. The results of the model showed that the considerations of a hybrid fleet and multiple day service windows would result in decreased fuel cost and distance traveled. Further scenario analysis also provided insights on the price fluctuations of energy and diesel and how it may play a role in fleet mix deployment.