Abstract
Route selection and distribution costs of express delivery based on the urban metro network, referred to as metro express delivery (MeD), is addressed in this study. Considering the characteristics of express delivery transportation and the complexity of the urban metro network, three distribution modes of different time periods are proposed and a strict integrated integer linear programming model is developed to minimize total distribution costs. To effectively solve the optimal problem, a standard genetic algorithm was improved and designed. Finally, the Ningbo subway network is used as an example to confirm the practicability and effectiveness of the model and algorithm. The results show that when the distribution number of express delivery packages is 1980, the three different MeD modes can reduce transportation costs by 40.5%, 62.0%, and 59.0%, respectively. The results of the case analysis will help guide express companies to collaborate with the urban metro network and choose the corresponding delivery mode according to the number of express deliveries required.
Highlights
The world yearns for “low-carbon life, green travel,” which has been reflected by more and more individuals seeking a green travel experience
As assumed in subsections 3.2 and 3.3, the metro express delivery (MeD) model was constructed and there is no need to consider waiting for the metro to enter the station time, which is inconsistent with the normal metro operation
We propose a transportation method of the express delivery based on the urban subway network termed as metro express delivery (MeD)
Summary
The world yearns for “low-carbon life, green travel,” which has been reflected by more and more individuals seeking a green travel experience. Kyoto Prefecture launched the light rail freight service in 2011 using the existing light rail vehicles to deliver goods every morning before the peak of passenger flow [9] This service effectively replaced traditional truck transportation. The off-hour delivery is based on the fact that most metro-operated cities are relatively out of service due to insufficient passenger traffic. To the best of our knowledge, many cities exhibit lower passenger traffic during off-peak hours, resulting in a large amount of metro carriage space. Another MeD mode is to select a metro carriage for express delivery during off-peak hours.
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