Real-time Planning Systems

Real-time Scheduling Algorithms: Benefits for Logistics

MJC²'s real-time scheduling and dispatcher software is applicable to most logistics and distribution operations:

• Bulk Transport, especially highly dynamic operations such as dairy, petroleum or cement which have to respond to same-day orders and demand/supply fluctuations.
• Construction & Building Materials logistics, which are affected by unpredictable factors such as weather and traffic, and need to plan the use of specific vehicle types.
• Parcel & Courier delivery networks, particularly for e-commence and same-day operations serving customers in busy urban areas with ULEZ and other constraints.
• Containerised Freight logistics planning, automatically responding to factors such as delays in terminals or last-minute customer requests.

REACT increases efficiency and reactive capability in logistics operations which are too large or complex to be managed dynamically without powerful planning and optimization systems.

At the same time REACT facilitates increased agility and service level, while maintaining sustainable logistics execution and compliance with working time regulations.

Increased Efficiency

Less empty running

The real-time planning algorithms continuously refine and update the plan, looking for opportunities to reduce empty running by intelligent backhauling and scheduling of consolidated or combined journeys.

This results in an overall reduction in kms and driver hours, and of course reduced environmental impact and smaller carbon footprint.

Lower contractor costs

Real-time scheduling helps logistics businesses make better use of their own resources, reducing the need for last-minute spot-hire which can often be costly.

Similarly, by increasing the utilisation of in-house vehicle, and making sure that trailers are utilised effectively in multi-site operations, overall fleet size can be reduced and less short-term hire of equipment is needed.

Driver Hours Utilisation

Driver hours balancing

By intelligently balancing the allocation of work to drivers, REACT increases utilisation of core hours and results in less overtime, which is of increasing importance as logistics operations around the World are reporting a shortage of skilled drivers in many sectors.

Integration with ROCS enables shift patterns and rotas to be optimized on a demand-driven basis, more closely matching working hours patterns to daily, weekly and seasonal variations.

Increased compliance

Integration with digital tachograph and Time & Attendance technology facilitates more straightforward management of driver hours within working time regulations.

Real-time planning algorithms balance the workload for drivers, distributing a mixture of long- and short-haul work where possible to assist with fatigue management while offering a more varied and better quality-of-life workload.

Agility & Visibility

Increased service level

Real-time optimization leads to better adherence to schedule and customer service, through the ability to automatically anticipate and react to delays.

For example, advanced warning of potential delays due to traffic congestion or breakdowns, combined with the ability to suggest suitable mitigations, increases on-time delivery performance without significantly affecting costs.

Logistics control tower

REACT provides a control tower environment, with improved visibility through the use of real-time tracking, combined with dashboards and KPI reports to provide performance statistics and management information.

Captured Big Data about logistics activity and performance can be used for strategic optimization of the network and future what-if analysis.