Route planning in the transportation and logistics industry is no easy task. Depending on the type of products being transported, planners have different constraints to consider, whether it’s the transportation of liquid bulk, dry bulk, cold transport or hazardous loads.
Then there is the matter of coordinating a large number of deliveries with a limited pool of drivers. Demand for the logistics industry is always growing, but with the world now facing a shortage of truck drivers, transportation companies need to be able to do more with less and a lot of this responsibility falls to planners.
But even with the perfect plan, unexpected disruptions can happen on the day of the delivery, resulting in delayed deliveries, dissatisfied customers and even extra costs incurred.
Smart Solution for Improved Planning
Route planning becomes a far less demanding job when planners are able to leverage the power of data and AI to help them make the best decisions in optimizing routes. DELMIA, in partnership with Ab Ovo offer an easily accessible and powerful planning solution that is able to support both large and highly complex logistics companies as well as mid-size trucking companies.
Imagine a solution that can help planners easily keep track of the number of shipments planned, estimated pickup and delivery times, utilization of individual trucks and view driving routes on a map—all from a single user-friendly interface. The precise timing calculated also takes into account driver regulations, loading and unloading times as well as various road restrictions along driving routes.
Then with the touch of a button, the solution can simulate all possible routes—calculating the total distance and cost of all routes for the day—and recommend an efficient route plan with the lowest total distance and cost within all constraints and conditions provided. The plan can also be continuously optimized over the course of the day to overcome last-minute disruptions, with drivers receiving the latest updates to the schedule on their devices for improved synchronization.
The benefits of employing such a solution are manifold for logistics companies:
- Cost reduction from reducing inefficient empty miles
- Total mileage reduction means reduced carbon emissions
- Better arrival information and higher customer satisfaction
- More satisfied drivers from improved schedules; better driver retention
- Easier route planning means more satisfied planners; better planner retention
- Easy to implement and configure with fast ROI
Discover more benefits and details about how you can empower your logistics operations through SmartRouting, the smart transportation planning solution from DELMIA and Ab Ovo, a strategic partner of Dassault Systèmes. Click here to listen to the podcast.
Thomas Laarz, Industry Sales Strategy Specialist, Business Services, is responsible for extending Dassault Systèmes footprint in the logistics industry. In this role, he leads and collaborates with geo teams on the development of robust, go-to-market strategies to promote Dassault Systèmes’ digital transformation and simulation capabilities that help logistics firms strengthen supply chain resiliency, optimize planning and improve the customer experience. With over 20 years of experience in logistics, Thomas has gained in-depth experience across all aspects of logistics and has built up a broad base of cross cultural experience and knowledge along the value chain.