Assembled Cognoscenti just wondering if there is a gap in the software
market;
especially the smart phone "app" market
The problem identified seems to be a variant of the 'traveling salesman
problem' TSP;
which is old and presumably has multiple algorithmic solutions and
software implementations.
Problem is how to distribute packages to multiple addresses,
whilst minimising travel time, and waiting time for deliverer and
deliveree !
Tentatively an algorithm might go something like this;
1/ Sort addresses into an order which minimises delivery time and
explicitly returns travel times
(This seems quite 'do-able' as a TSP application augmented with GPS
functionality)
2/ Minimising waiting times might be accomplished by: ,
-ringing first drop-off address[1] and offer drop-off time based on 1/
if no response or time not acceptable ,
-drop the address off the list and resort list ( repeat1/);
if time is acceptable suitably increment drop-off time for
address [2]
- ring second drop-off address [2] and offer drop-off time ;
3/ repeat until address list or deliverer is exhausted ( :-))
4/ add yesterdays dropped addresses to new addresses , next day
The reason I know , no such software is used by at least one courier
company,
is they told me contact numbers for their drivers is purely voluntary !
regards Rohan McLeod
