Review of models and methodology for scheduling problems in USPS mail processing and distribution centres

Abstract

This paper gives a comprehensive presentation of the scheduling problems to the management equipment and workforce in the United State Postal Service (USPS) mail processing and distribution centres in an effort to cut cost and increase efficiency as well as detailed discussions on some of the kernel models. These research studies advance the research frontier and have brought millions of dollars in savings to the USPS. The study of these models not only presents a successful application of operations research in the public service area, but also offers much technical and managerial insight that could be beneficial to other industries.