A tabu-embedded simulated annealing algorithm for a selective pickup and delivery problem

Abstract

Several actors are involved in the transport of goods. To model freight transport, the different actors who take part in the decision making process have to be represented. In Maes et al. (2012) a conceptual framework is presented to model freight transport. The key actors in this framework are firms, carriers, and forwarders. This allows the model to work on an activity-based level, focusing on the different activities of each actor. The decision making process of carriers is one of the key aspects in modelling logistic decisions in a behaviour based transportation model. When modelling at an activity-based level, the behaviour of carriers has to be taken into account. The framework of Maes et al. (2012) formulates decisions of the carrier as a selective pickup and delivery problem (PDSP). This is a novel approach to model logistic decisions in models with the objective to explain and predict freight flows. One of the important decisions a carrier has to make is whether or not to accept a transport request in order to maximize his profit. The selection of requests in a paired pickup and delivery problem is not often studied in literature. Next to this decision, he also needs to schedule the transport orders that are accepted into the different vehicles and construct a routing plan, given time and capacity limitations.