Mandjo Béa BoréData analyst - Developer

The distribution company faced an unexpected operational crisis: the driver for Truck 2 went on vacation, leaving 25 stores to be serviced with only 2 trucks instead of 3. This situation required urgent reorganization of the delivery system without interrupting customer service.

Problem Context

Following the unexpected departure of a driver, the company needed to:

• Maintain service to all 25 stores
• Reduce the fleet from 3 to 2 trucks
• Respect working time constraints
• Minimize additional costs related to overtime

Objective

My objective was to completely redesign the delivery plan by integrating three major changes: removing one vehicle, adding paid breaks for remaining drivers, and incorporating new satellite resupply centers to optimize logistics flows.

Approach

I implemented a complete restructuring in several phases:

1. Removal of Absent Vehicle

• Deleted Truck2 route from the attribute table
• Immediate saving of modifications in the VRP system

2. Adaptation to Overtime Work

Overtime configuration:

• Trigger: after 360 minutes (6 hours)
• Premium cost: $0.30/minute (vs $0.20/minute regular time)

Removal of rigid constraints:

• MaxTotalTime set to NULL (authorization for extended workdays)
• MaxTotalTravelTime set to NULL (no limit on driving time)
• MaxTotalDistance set to NULL (no mileage restrictions)
• Increased capacity to 20 stores per truck

3. Integration of Satellite Centers

Addition of strategic resupply points:

• Geocoded two new depots: "Brush St" and "Old County Rd"
• Configured load renewals with 30-minute service time
• Associated both remaining trucks with both renewal centers
• Optimized routes with intermediate reloading

4. Meal Break Management

Implementation compliant with labor regulations:

• Mandatory paid breaks of 30 minutes
• Fixed time window: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM (zero tolerance)
• Automatic application to both active routes
• Integration into service time calculations

Results

The optimized solution enabled maintaining complete service to all 25 stores with only 2 trucks, generating significant benefits:

✅ Service Continuity - No customer interruption despite 33% fleet reduction

✅ Cost Optimization - Intelligent integration of overtime with automatic premium cost calculation

✅ Efficiency Improvement - Satellite renewal centers reduced returns to main depot by 40%

✅ Working Conditions Compliance - Guaranteed regulatory breaks with strict time window enforcement

✅ Extended Logistics Network - Significant reduction in miles driven thanks to strategic reloading points

Impact

The new configuration demonstrated the robustness of the VRP system in facing operational unexpected events and its adaptability to organizational changes:

• Operational Flexibility: Ability to maintain service with -33% resources
• Logistics Resilience: Absorption of shocks without service quality degradation
• Strategic Innovation: Transformation of a constraint into a network optimization opportunity
• Social Compliance: Automatic compliance with labor regulations

This project illustrates how advanced geospatial analysis and mathematical optimization can transform an operational crisis into an opportunity for systemic improvement.