Optimizing the VRP by minimizing fuel consumption

Abstract

Purpose

In recent years, people have started to realize the importance of environmental protection, and in particular the problem of global warming. Consequently, many governments have started to view decreasing carbon emissions as a priority. Green transportation is one of the policies that is relevant to these efforts. This research aims to optimize the routing plan with minimizing fuel consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, a model is proposed for calculating the total fuel consumption when given a routing plan. Three factors which greatly affect fuel consumption of transportation – transportation distance, transportation speed and loading weight – are taken into consideration. Then a simple Tabu Search is used to optimize the routing plan and an experimental evaluation of the proposed method is performed.

Findings

It is shown that the proposed method provides substantial improvements over a method based on minimizing transportation distances.

Originality/value

The experimental results show that the routing plans found by the proposed method require less fuel consumption than that found by optimizing methods in which the distance travelled was minimized. That means that, if the distribution center can transport goods using vehicles with better fuel consumption, and the drivers can drive in the such a way as to reduce the discharge of carbon, then the proposed method can be a strategy for the continuous improvement of fuel consumption.

Citation

Kuo, Y. and Wang, C. (2011), "Optimizing the VRP by minimizing fuel consumption", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 440-450. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777831111136054