Improving Transport Logistics by Aligning Long Combination Vehicles via Mobile Hub & Spoke Systems

Peter C. Schuur and Christopher N. Kellersmann
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Peter C. Schuur: Department of Industrial Engineering and Business Information Systems (IEBIS), University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
Christopher N. Kellersmann: Klasmann-Deilmann GmbH, Bol Peat GmbH, 49744 Geeste, Germany

Logistics, 2022, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: Background: The purpose of this paper is to develop a generic transport system for same-day delivery that is suitable for matching long-distance bulk distribution with local distribution. Methods: The innovative concepts of this research entail the introduction of mobile hub (MH) networks in combination with long combination vehicles (LCVs). LCVs are trucks with an additional loading capacity of 50% compared to standard trucks. Mobile hubs allow switching trailers at any suitable location at any time. They increase flexibility and yield savings in time and costs. On top of that, they reduce the number of driver hours needed. In our LCV-MH concept, standard trucks are initially—at their home base—combined to LCVs, which drive a considerable distance, but are eventually, at a mobile hub in the vicinity of the customers, broken down again into standard trucks heading for the customers. Results: We illustrate the practical relevance of our ideas by a case study based upon actual and accurate data from practice. Here, we compare the LCV-MH concept with the strategy of using only LCVs. Conclusions: Next to yielding considerable cost savings, the LCV-MH concept makes it easier to generate routes that comply with the EU transport rules.

Keywords: long combination vehicle; hub and spoke network; mobile hub; transport system; long-distance bulk distribution; local distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L8 L80 L81 L86 L87 L9 L90 L91 L92 L93 L98 L99 M1 M10 M11 M16 M19 R4 R40 R41 R49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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