In this paper, the author describes current research topics in truckload trucking underway at the University of Arkansas. The problems are motivated through a discussion of the poor quality of driver life brought about by current dispatching methods and through discourse related to the difficulty associated with determining the value of potential new business, especially when concurrently considering multiple transportation modes. Several alternative dispatching methodologies of historical interest are briefly described. Following this discussion, two current research efforts are outlined. The first deals with a dispatching method that seeks to compromise between random point-to-point dispatching and less flexible reqularized tour designs as a means of improving the quality of the driving job. The second involves the use of simulation to evaluate the value of new business and the synergy or lack of synergy that is achieved by making use of new inter-modal freight business. Concluding remarks further justify the current approaches.
展开▼
