Optimising Logistics Operations

The challenge

A freight and distribution operator was missing delivery windows despite running a large, well-maintained fleet. Routes had been designed years earlier, customer requirements had changed since, and planners compensated for the mismatch with overtime and last-minute reallocations.

The approach

The operations team started with the data it already held: vehicle telematics, loading times and delivery confirmations. Analysing them together showed that much of the lateness was created before vehicles left the terminal, through staggered loading, late order cut-offs and dock congestion.

Improvements were therefore made in sequence. Order cut-offs were realigned with loading capacity, dock slots were scheduled rather than first-come, and routes were re-planned against current customer locations and time windows. Drivers and shift leads were involved in testing the new routes before they went live.

What changed

Departures became more predictable, which in turn made arrival times more reliable. Planners spent less of each shift firefighting, and customer service teams could give delivery commitments with greater confidence.

Lessons for practitioners

On-time performance is often won or lost at the dock, not on the road. Before redesigning a network, look at what happens in the hours before a vehicle departs, and involve the people who load and drive in any change to how the day is planned.