1988 · 73 citations · 0 references
ManagementOperations ManagementTransportation PlanningTransportTransportationTransportation EngineeringRoutingRouting AlgorithmsTransport LogisticsTransport OperationsTransportation ModelsTransportation ProblemsBackhaul PlanningDelivery ProblemOperations Research ModelsPickup ProblemPickup RoutingRouting ProblemsVehicle RoutingVehicle Routing Problems
The purpose of this paper is to examine the vehicle routing problem with backhauls. Very little has been written about this problem in the operations research literature. To begin, we define the problem and explore the ways in which this problem is related to the standard vehicle routing problem and the general pickup and delivery problem. Next, several first-generation algorithmic procedures are surveyed, and key observations are highlighted. A variety of backhaul situations and their associated modeling assumptions are discussed. Finally, a sampling of real-world practice is described. (Author/TRRL)