Reduction In Travel Distance Research Articles

Dynamic Programming Implementation for Delivery Route Optimization in E-Commerce Logistics

The rapid growth of e-commerce has created new challenges in logistics optimization, particularly in terms of delivery route efficiency. This research develops a dynamic programming model to optimize delivery routes in the context of e-commerce in Indonesia. Using a modified Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW) approach, we implemented an algorithm that considers various factors such as distance, time, and cost. Simulations using synthetic datasets showed efficiency improvements of 18.7% in travel distance and 22.3% in delivery time compared to conventional methods. Field trials with an e-commerce partner resulted in a 21.5% reduction in travel distance and an increase in on-time delivery rate from 87% to 94%. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the algorithm's performance is most affected by demand fluctuations and changes in traffic conditions. Implementation challenges include integration with existing systems and consideration of workforce impact. This research opens avenues for further development in algorithm scalability, integration of sustainability factors, and adaptation to various geographical contexts, demonstrating significant potential for improving e-commerce logistics efficiency in the future.

Optimising picking operations in distribution centres: a simulation and algorithm-based approach for travel distance reduction

Abstract This study examines the pivotal role of the logistics sector in corporations, particularly those with diverse product portfolios. It focuses on the time-intensive “picking” process, driven by various products and material handling requirements for order fulfilment. The research presents a methodology that combines distribution centre modelling for simulation with an optimisation algorithm to enhance operational efficiency. The goal is to determine an optimal route for product retrieval, minimising employee travel distances, using the simulated annealing algorithm. The results showcase a significant 7 % reduction in employee travel distance during collection. This research is relevant to academia and practical applications as it presents an opportunity to reduce operational costs in distribution centres, enhance the efficiency of picking operations, and improve the competitiveness of companies. Furthermore, it contributes to operations research by addressing a complex problem with significant practical implications using a rather unused method to solve this problem of picking operations. The approach is empirically applied in a prominent Brazilian beverage company. This methodology proves valuable for optimising logistics operations in various industrial contexts, highlighting its practical applicability.

Feasibility and effects of GIS-based municipal solid waste vehicle routing for Bahrain

<p>In the realm of waste management, efficient route optimisation for municipal solid waste (MSW) collection is becoming increasingly crucial, particularly for developing nations with budgetary considerations. This study leverages the capabilities of the geographic information system (GIS) and integrates the Dijkstra algorithm to enhance route optimisation for MSW vehicles in Bahrain. Utilising comprehensive local vehicle routing data from Urbaser and applying GIS methodologies, three distinct areas in Bahrain were methodically analysed. The results revealed a notable 55% reduction in travel distance, a 17% decrease in time, and a yearly fuel cost saving of 6405 BHD (16,974 USD) in the optimal scenario. Given these findings, the potential applicability of this optimisation algorithm extends beyond Bahrain, suggesting significant benefits for regions with similar challenges. To further refine this approach, the integration of real-time traffic data into the routing algorithm is recommended. Other additions to the optimization process could include additional parameters such as safety.</p>

Can virtual care reduce treatment burden in pediatric leukemia? A retrospective cost analysis.

We conducted a retrospective analysis to determine the potential reduction in treatment burden through the expansion of virtual care among children with leukemia (n=152). Patients living in urban areas traveled median distances of 1555km compared with 7536km for patients living in rural areas (p<.05). For the latter group, a median reduction in travel distance of 3560km (interquartile range [IQR], 2136-5787km), travel time of 51h (IQR, 26-78h), and CO2 emissions of 623kg (IQR, 374-1013kg) was estimated, if every second visit was replaced by video consultations.

A Study on the Localization of Urban Residents' Recreation: A Moderated Mediation Model Based on Temporal Self-Regulation Theory.

The pandemic has resulted in a further reduction in travel distance, recreational radius of destinations and other levels of tourism activity, making "local people traveling locally" a new feature. From the perspective of localization of urban residents' recreation, this paper describes a moderated mediation model based on temporal self-regulation theory. Five representative urban parks in Beijing were selected as study areas, and data collected through a questionnaire were used to discuss the behavioral characteristics of localized recreation and the formation mechanism of sense of place among urban residents in Beijing. The results showed that: (1) connectedness beliefs and temporal valuations positively influenced sense of place, and had a positive indirect effect on sense of place through the mediating role of recreation involvement; (2) recreation benefits positively influenced sense of place; (3) recreation benefits reinforced the direct and mediating role of recreation involvement. Based on these findings, the paper concludes with a discussion of the theoretical value and practical implications, as well as future research directions for park and city management.

Open Innovations for Tourism Logistics Design: A Case Study of a Smart Bus Route Design for the Medical Tourist in the City of Greater Mekong Subregion

One of the industries with the fastest growth rates worldwide, and notably in Thailand, is medical tourism. With connections to Cambodia and Laos, Ubon Ratchathani is located in lower northeastern Thailand, close to Vietnam and Myanmar. Therefore, there is a significant chance that this region will welcome medical travelers. High-quality medical facilities are available in Ubon Ratchathani to fulfill the needs of medical tourists. A visitor’s decision to travel to Ubon Ratchathani for medical treatment is influenced by factors other than the high-level medical facilities, such as lodging, accessibility to public transportation, and tourist attractions. The public transportation services in Ubon Ratchathani, especially the public bus system, are poorly designed and may let down visitors. The purpose of this study is to develop a smart public bus route design that will meet tourists’ demands. The concept of open innovation will be utilized to develop the model. We surveyed 400 visitors to Ubon Ratchathani. The tourists’ opinions and views of public transportation will be made public and used as an input parameter when designing bus routes. The bus route can then be constructed using the differential evolution algorithm (DE). A web-based smart public transportation system was built. In order to construct an efficient smart public bus system (SPBS), open innovation was used in the development phase. According to the computational results, the new routes using DE lead to a 5.97% reduction in travel distance when compared to the output of the more well-known genetic method. More than 98.5% of visitors are satisfied with the new routes, and once they start running, 99.5% of all respondents plan to use public transit.

Do Limited-Resource Hospitals Improve Medical Care Utilization in Underdeveloped Areas: Evidence From Mobile Hospitals in Indonesia

Limited physical access to health facilities contributes to inadequate medical care in low-income countries. Therefore, to fill the supply gap, the Indonesian government built limited-resource hospitals in impoverished areas. This study examines whether the existence of those hospitals improves medical care usage. Difference-in-differences adapted for continuous treatment methodologies was applied with exploitation of timing implementations of mobile hospital establishments. In the process, national representatives’ survey data, hospital characteristics, and travel distance from various sources were used. Public hospitals’ existence was discovered to cause substantial travel distance reduction, with outpatient and inpatient healthcare services becoming more accessible on the main islands compared with outer islands. On the basis of these results, expanding health facilities and improving infrastructures in poor regions broadly are essential for improving healthcare access.

Positive environmental impact of remote teleconsultation in urology during the COVID-19 pandemic in a highly populated area.

IntroductionGreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are a serious environmental issue. The healthcare sector is an important emitter of GHGs. Our aim was to assess the environmental cost of teleconsultations in urology compared to face-to-face consultations.Materials and methodsProspective study of all patients who had a remote teleconsultation over a 2-week period during COVID-19 pandemic. Main outcome was the reduction in CO2e emissions related to teleconsultation compared to face-to-face consultation and was calculated as: total teleconsultation CO2e emissions–total face-to-face consultation CO2e emissions. Secondary outcome measures were the reduction in travel distance and travel time related to teleconsultation.ResultsEighty patients were included. Face-to-face consultations would have resulted in 6699 km (4162 miles) of travel (83.7 km (52 miles) per patient). Cars were the usual means of transport. CO2e avoided due to lack of travel was calculated at 1.1 tonnes. Teleconsultation was responsible for 1.1 kg CO2e while face-to-face consultation emitted 0.5 kg of CO2e. Overall, the total reduction in GHGs with teleconsultation was 1141 kg CO2e, representing a 99% decrease in emissions. Total savings on transport were 974 € and savings on travel time were 112 h (1.4 h/patient).ConclusionsTeleconsultation reduces the environmental impact of face-to-face consultations. The use of teleconsultation in our urology departments resulted in the avoidance of more than 6000 km of travel, equivalent to a reduction of 1.1 tonnes of CO2e. Teleconsultation should be considered for specific indications as the healthcare system attempts to become greener.Level of evidence3.

An Enhanced Kaizen Event in a Sterile Processing Department of a Rural Hospital: A Case Study.

Operating Rooms (ORs) generate the largest revenues and losses in a hospital. Without the prompt supply of sterile surgical trays from the Sterile Processing Department (SPD), the OR would not be able to perform surgeries to its busy schedule. Nevertheless, little emphasis has been brought in the medical literature to research on surgical instrument processing in the medical literature. The present study was done applies an Enhanced Kaizen Event (EKE) in the SPD of a rural hospital to identify sources of waste and minimize non-value-added steps in the SPD processes. The EKE consisted of three successive Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycles, which focused on improvements at the departmental level first, then at an area level, and finally at the station level. The EKE yielded an improved streamlined workflow and a new design for the SPD layout, one of its areas, and a workstation. This paper aims at building a methodology, including identified steps. Results exhibited a 35% reduction in travel distance by the staff, eliminating non-value-added processes, reducing errors in the sterilization process, and eliminating cross-contamination for sterilized materials.

Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Academic Conferences: The Example of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

.We calculated carbon emissions associated with air travel of 4,834 participants at the 2019 annual conference of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH). Together, participants traveled a total of 27.7 million miles or 44.6 million kilometers. This equates to 58 return trips to the moon. Estimated carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions were 8,646 metric tons or the total weekly carbon footprint of approximately 9,366 average American households. These emissions contribute to climate change and thus may exacerbate many of the global diseases that conference attendees seek to combat. Options to reduce conference travel–associated emissions include 1) alternating in-person and online conferences, 2) offering a hybrid in-person/online conference, and 3) decentralizing the conference with multiple conference venues. Decentralized ASTMH conferences may allow for up to 64% reduction in travel distance and 58% reduction in CO2e emissions. Given the urgency of the climate crisis and the clear association between global warming and global health, ways to reduce carbon emissions should be considered.

Determination of waste generation, composition and optimized collection route for university of Abuja main campus using “MyRouteOnline” software

Routing is one of the main components of solid waste management. Optimization of collection route reduces travel distance and time which could reduce disposal cost. In this research, an optimal waste collection route in University of Abuja main campus was determined using “myrouteonline” software. Information on waste generation and nature of waste disposal practices were determined from daily waste collections measurement by volunteers, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and discussion with various stakeholders. One hundred and fifty-five (155) questionnaires were administered. The results show that an average daily quantity of waste generated per person was 0.59kg/day while a range of 3.44 to 6.04kg/day was recorded for each Faculty. The composition of the solid waste by respondents are: 31.6% paper, 27.1% combination of the solid waste, 16.1% food waste, 14.2% plastics, 3.2% e-waste, 2.6% metals, 2.6% cloth, 1.3% glass, and 1.3% wood. The result also shows a reduction in travel distance from 24.38 km to 12.44 km representing 48.78% savings and travel time from 83mins to 43mins representing 52.44% savings. This reduction implies a low energy cost of waste collection truck. The results provide insight into the types and quantity of waste generated within University of Abuja campus as well as how efficiency can be improved during collocation using the optimized route.

Location and analysis of emergency point of distributions (PODs) under hurricane Harvey flood conditions using POD locator.

In 2010 and 2017, respectively, the manuscripts Location and Analysis of Emergency Management Point of Dis-tributions (PODS) for Hurricane Ike and Use of Geographical Information System Data For Emergency Management Points of Distribution Analysis With POD Locator 2.0 were published in the Journal of Emergency Management. These manuscripts described the use of the University of Houston POD Locator software to determine the location of Points of Distribution under emergency conditions. This software achieved a 46 percent improvement in POD loca-tions in comparison to those actually selected during the event. However, a limitation of those research efforts was the absence of the potential effects of flood waters as experienced in the Houston Harris County area during Hurri-cane Harvey in 2017. This research effort focuses on the effects of flood water in determining the location of different PODs under these conditions in comparison to the PODs identified by Hurricane Harvey. The results indicate a sta-tistically significant difference at an alpha level of 0.05 between using and not using flood data when determining the location of PODs. The use of flood data also yielded a 46.5 percent in travel distance reduction over the actual 26 POD locations chosen in Ike.

A discrete cross aisle design model for order-picking warehouses

In this paper, we develop new warehouse designs that provide a reduction in travel distance for the order-picking operation, which is the most costly operation and the one most closely associated with order delivery time. For this purpose, we propose a new layout problem called “discrete cross aisle warehouse design”. In this problem, a linear middle cross aisle is divided into segments called tunnels on each picking aisle. In order to calculate average tour length for the proposed design problem, we develop an efficient algorithm that solves the order-picking problem optimally. A harmony search algorithm is used to find optimal tunnel positions that minimize the average tour length under a randomized storage policy by searching the space of all possible designs. A numerical study shows that, for small size order lists, the best-found solutions have similar layouts to the traditional two-block designs. As the number of locations to be visited increases, tunnel positions move away from the center of the warehouse and construct a segregated tunnels on the layout. Compared to the traditional two-block layouts, new, tunnel-based designs provide savings of up to 7% average savings in order-picking tour length.

Digital Financial Services Go a Long Way: Transaction Costs and Financial Inclusion

Debit cards reduce the travel distance to access bank accounts and can increase financial inclusion. We show that in Mexico, cash transfer beneficiaries who already received their transfers in bank accounts and subsequently received debit cards reduce their median distance to access the account from 4.8 to 1.3 kilometers and report being less likely to forgo important activities (childcare, work) to withdraw their transfer. Using account level data, we find a strong negative correlation between the reduction in travel distance and financial activity: beneficiaries facing the largest reductions in distance increase both their number of withdrawals and their savings balances.

Understanding the effects of taxi ride-sharing — A case study of Singapore

This paper studies the effects of ride-sharing among those calling on taxis in Singapore for similar origin and destination pairs at nearly the same time of day. It proposes a simple yet practical framework for taxi ride-sharing and scheduling, to reduce waiting times and travel times during peak demand periods. The solution method helps taxi users save money while helping taxi drivers serve multiple requests per day, thus increasing their earnings. A comprehensive simulation study is conducted, based on real taxi booking data for the city of Singapore, to evaluate the effect of various factors of the ride-sharing practice, e.g., waiting time, extra travel time, and taxi fare reduction. The results demonstrate that ride-sharing could serve 20%–25% more taxi booking requests and reduce traveler waiting time during peak hours. It also indicates that there is a reduction in travel distance of approximately 2–3km per taxi trip on average, which is approximately 20%–30% of the average ride distance.

Solid waste collection/transport optimization and vegetation land cover estimation using Geographic Information System (GIS): A case study of a proposed smart-city

Population growth at an interminable rate is depleting resources uncontrollably. Researchers are concentrating on sustainable development mainly in urban areas where the growth rate is higher than any other regions. In addition to the development of new technologies for reducing the rate of natural resources usage, technologies are being developed to recover the resources from waste. In this perspective, solid waste management with proper collection and transportation techniques facilitates the waste managers to segregate and extract the required resources for recovery. GIS and remote sensing approaches come to the aid of managing this solid waste through its generation stage to the dumping stage. Using a proposed smart city, Vellore in India as a case study, this paper discusses possible collection methods for solid waste management in India, and presents methods for optimal collection and transportation of waste using GIS techniques through network analysis. The optimal waste collection and transportation routes derived from our analysis result in 59.12% reduction in travel distance along the routine collection road network followed. In addition, this study proposes possible transfer station locations based on various design factors like open land availability, ease of access from all the composting units/dustbin locations, transfer means by tractor trailers, and sanitation and environmental requirements. This study also reveals the vegetation cover changes at a depletion rate of 2100square meters area in and around dumping sites.

Telemedicine broadening access to care for complex cases

BackgroundSurgical and nonsurgical specialists are highly centralized, making access to high-quality care difficult for many Americans. We explored the feasibility, benefits, preliminary outcomes, and patient satisfaction with a new type of health visit, in which a surgical oncologist used video telecommunication to manage and treat complex cancer diseases, including patients with severe comorbidities. Materials and methodsPatients visited local VA medical centers throughout Florida to engage in video telecommunication visits with a centralized surgical oncologist in Miami, who directed their oncology treatment. The average length of stay and rate of unplanned readmission were calculated within each organ. The total mileage saved was calculated by subtracting the distance between the patient's home address and the local VA from the distance between the patient's home address and the Miami VA. Travel costs were determined by the VA's reimbursement of $0.415/mile for health-related travel and reimbursement of $150.00 for an overnight hotel stay. A Likert scale with both positively and negatively keyed questions was used to assess patient satisfaction. ResultsIn 24 mo, seven unplanned readmissions occurred among 195 operations. Patients experienced an 80.7% reduction in travel distance and saved a total of 213,007.58 miles by visiting their local VA instead of the Miami VA. Survey results indicate that 86% of patients believed that the telemedicine program made medical care more accessible. ConclusionsThe Specialist-Directed Telemedicine Model can save patients substantial time and money by not traveling to centralized areas, while delivering greater continuity of care and patient satisfaction.

Degree of target utilization influences the location of movement endpoint distributions

According to dominant theories of motor control, speed and accuracy are optimized when, on the average, movement endpoints are located at the target center and when the variability of the movement endpoint distributions is matched to the width of the target (viz., Meyer, Abrams, Kornblum, Wright, & Smith, 1988). The current study tested those predictions. According to the speed-accuracy trade-off, expanding the range of variability to the amount permitted by the limits of the target boundaries allows for maximization of movement speed while centering the distribution on the target center prevents movement errors that would have occurred had the distribution been off center. Here, participants (N=20) were required to generate 100 consecutive targeted hand movements under each of 15 unique conditions: There were three movement amplitude requirements (80, 160, 320mm) and within each there were five target widths (5, 10, 20, 40, 80mm). According to the results, it was only at the smaller target widths (5, 10mm) that movement endpoint distributions were centered on the target center and the range of movement endpoint variability matched the range specified by the target boundaries. As target width increased (20, 40, 80mm), participants increasingly undershot the target center and the range of movement endpoint variability increasingly underestimated the variability permitted by the target region. The degree of target center undershooting was strongly predicted by the difference between the size of the target and the amount of movement endpoint variability, i.e., the amount of unused space in the target. The results suggest that participants have precise knowledge of their variability relative to that permitted by the target, and they use that knowledge to systematically reduce the travel distance to targets. The reduction in travel distance across the larger target widths might have resulted in greater cost savings than those associated with increases in speed.

A mathematical model and a solving procedure for multi-depot vehicle routing problem with fuzzy time window and heterogeneous vehicle

One of the most important and yet complex decision-making problems in the area of transportation programming issues is vehicle routing problem. There are various exact, heuristic, and metaheuristic methods presented for solving different vehicle routing problems. In this manuscript, a mathematical model and a new heuristic solution method are proposed for solving multi-depot vehicle routing problem with time windows and different types of vehicles. In this problem, depots must serve customers between their fuzzy time windows with vehicles having different capacities, velocities, and costs. For this purpose, the mathematical model for multi-depot routing problem is developed to consider the mentioned circumstances. The objectives of this model is travel distance reduction and customers’ service level increscent which leads to cost and service time reduction. For complexity of this problem and much computational time of exact solutions of developed model, a heuristic approach is proposed. This systematic approach has some steps as: customer clustering, routing, vehicle type determination, scheduling, and routes improvement using simulated annealing and customer service level improvement. The efficiency of the proposed method is analyzed by a case study in ISACO Co. Results show that the method is efficient and applicable in industries.

Data mining based storage assignment heuristics for travel distance reduction

AbstractAmong the warehousing activities in distribution centres, order picking is the most time‐consuming and labour‐intensive. As a result, order picking may become a bottleneck preventing distribution centres from maximizing the effectiveness of their warehousing activities. Although storage location assignment (or product allocation) is a tactical decision, it is especially influential on the effectiveness of order picking. In previous studies, most storage assignment approaches considered the order frequency of individual products rather than that of product groups, which often are purchased together. This paper proposes a new association measure, weighted support count (WSC), based on association rule mining, to represent both the intensity and nature of the relationships between products in a distribution centre. This paper presents two storage assignment heuristics, the modified class‐based heuristic (MCBH) and the association seed based heuristic (ASBH), designed to facilitate efficient order picking by applying WSC. The real‐world data set of a grocery distribution centre is used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approaches. From the computational results, MCBH cuts at most 4% from the travel distance for order picking per month, as compared with the traditional class‐based approach. Meanwhile, ASBH achieves at most a 13% reduction in travel distance.