Inbound Truck Scheduling for Workload Balancing in Cross-Docking Terminals

Younghoo Noh, Seokchan Lee, Jeongyoon Hong, Jeongeum Kim and Sung Won Cho ()
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Younghoo Noh: Department of Industrial Engineering, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Republic of Korea
Seokchan Lee: Department of Industrial Engineering, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Republic of Korea
Jeongyoon Hong: Department of Industrial Engineering, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Republic of Korea
Jeongeum Kim: Department of Management Engineering, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Republic of Korea
Sung Won Cho: Department of Industrial Engineering, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Republic of Korea

Mathematics, 2025, vol. 13, issue 15, 1-19

Abstract: The rapid growth of e-commerce and advances in information and communication technologies have placed increasing pressure on last-mile delivery companies to enhance operational productivity. As investments in logistics infrastructure require long-term planning, maximizing the efficiency of existing terminal operations has become a critical priority. This study proposes a mathematical model for inbound truck scheduling that simultaneously minimizes truck waiting times and balances workload across temporary inventory storage located at outbound chutes in cross-docking terminals. The model incorporates a dynamic rescheduling strategy that updates the assignment of inbound trucks in real time, based on the latest terminal conditions. Numerical experiments, based on real operational data, demonstrate that the proposed approach significantly outperforms conventional strategies such as First-In First-Out (FIFO) and Random assignment in terms of both load balancing and truck turnaround efficiency. In particular, the proposed model improves workload balance by approximately 10% and 12% compared to the FIFO and Random strategies, respectively, and it reduces average truck waiting time by 17% and 18%, thereby contributing to more efficient workflow and alleviating bottlenecks. The findings highlight the practical potential of the proposed strategy for improving the responsiveness and efficiency of parcel distribution centers operating under fixed infrastructure constraints. Future research may extend the proposed approach by incorporating realistic operational factors, such as cargo heterogeneity, uncertain arrivals, and terminal shutdowns due to limited chute storage.

Keywords: parcel distribution center; cross-docking terminals; inbound truck scheduling; temporary inventory storage; workload balancing; dynamic rescheduling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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