FLEET MANAGEMENT
TAKING A CONNECTED APPROACH TO ROUTING AND SCHEDULING
David Shaw, manager of strategic projects at Aptean’s Paragon Software Systems
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outing and scheduling software is a proven and established way of simplifying transport planning processes to reduce costs and make best use of available resources, while meeting business KPIs and customer delivery needs. Simply switching from manual to automated planning can dramatically reduce transport overheads by as much as 30 per cent, but the latest systems go way beyond this and offer a breadth of business and operational benefits.
The proliferation of telematics within the marketplace in recent years is creating opportunities for integrated technology solutions. There are huge advantages to be had from the convergence of systems—encompassing planning, execution and reporting—so critical data can be accessible via a single system. By removing the operational silos that often exist between planners, transport offices, warehouse teams and drivers, distribution operations can achieve the highest levels of visibility and control.
Combining routing and scheduling, vehicle tracking and electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) into an end-to-end solution makes it possible to
optimise every step of the delivery process and deliver the best operation possible. It allows an organisation to plan, do, review and then act, providing the tools and data needed to analyse operational performance, model the impact of potential improvements and, ultimately, implement the changes that achieve continuous improvement.
KEEPING ON TRACK Daily transport operations are becoming increasingly complicated, so it is critical to have planning processes in place to create robust and achievable routes quickly and efficiently — but what happens when the vehicles are out on the road? Our own customer research found that 45 per cent are interfacing vehicle tracking with their routing and scheduling software to address this exact issue. By doing so, they can gain complete visibility during execution of a plan, to easily compare the progress of drivers against it and minimise any discrepancies, while alerting customers to any potential delays. A vehicle tracking system can also feed actual driver hours into routing and scheduling software,
30 SEPTEMBER 2020 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
which can then be combined with data about shift times and skillsets. Considering driver and vehicle availability on an individual basis ensures plans are achievable in the real-world, compliant with European Working Time Directive rules and less likely to be changed by the transport team tasked with putting them into action. Furthermore, it can take into account the impact of current and completed schedules on future plans and adjust them in-line with available time and resources.
UNITED THINKING
Streamlining efficiency is a key requirement at every step of the supply chain, so exploring where data can be shared is now an essential part of any planning process. Traditionally, there have been issues with critical information being stored in siloed systems, but there is now growing recognition that increased visibility across an operation can deliver real savings and improvements. This is driving integration with TMS, ERP and WMS systems to connect teams and achieve greater control over distribution operations.
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