The Team Orienteering Pick-Up and Delivery Problem with Time Windows and its applications in fleet sizing

Design, Operations and Production Systems Lab, Department of Financial and Management Engineering, University of the Aegean, 41, Kountourioti Street, 82100 Chios, Greece.
i.minis@fme.aegean.gr

Received: 11 February 2014
Accepted: 17 August 2015

Abstract

In this paper we consider the problem of prioritized pick-up and delivery operations under resource constraints. Our proposed formulation combines the Team Orienteering Problem with the case of Pick-up and Delivery with Time Windows and Capacity Constraints. We solved this model to optimality using an exact Branch-and-Price method, which is based on previous work. To study the performance of the solution method and its refinements, we conducted extensive computational experiments. We also applied the proposed model and method to a relevant logistic system and investigated its performance under various conditions. Finally, we present a practical method to determine the most suitable fleet configuration for a pick-up and delivery system that delivers prioritized operations to a known client base.