The truck assignment problem

Let us consider the following problem: A group of cement factories produces several types of cement, but each factory produces only one type. There is also a group of purchasers and each purchaser may need several types of cement. The amounts supplied and the demands are assumed to be known for each cement factory and each purchaser. Each cement factory has several trucks, but there is only one dispatcher for ail of the trucks from all of the factories. It is assumed that the entire lcad of each truck is for one purchaser only. A truck begins its workday by leaving its base depot loaded and ends its day by returning to it empty. During the day it may be required to transport cement from any of the cement factories. The distances from various factories to individual purchasers are known. The problem to be solved is that of finding a truck schedule such that cement in the needed quantities is delivered daily to the individual purchasers and in such a manner that the total truck‐kilometers traveled will be as small as possible. This paper presents the method of solution, though the assumption of an 8‐hour workday may not be met. On the other hand, there are methods developed for effecting a variety of cyclic routings which can be used to lend considerable flexibility to the schedules.