UrbanDispatcher 2.0

Phase 1 - “Pipeline”

Phase 1 of the UrbanDispatcher 2.0 project consists of designing a client component that is integrated with the client’s technology (i.e.: a distribution center). Our challenge is to design a system that can anticipate the client’s needs as the job changes.  At the beginning of the day, the different orders are few and easily routed by a human.  As the day progresses, the orders for product increase and the logistical challenge becomes overwhelming. Usually, companies choose to allocate delivery responsibility to a single carrier or split the responsibility between a local carrier and an inter-city carrier

Meeting the shipping demands of large companies requires a broad scope of information including the capacities of the fleets in the local market, the fleets of neighbouring markets as well as the inter-line carriers that can connect them. Some courier companies have been designed to meet all of the needs of their clients by providing oversized fleets to accommodate heavy volume periods, however, in order to stay profitable and to stay prepared the cost of maintaining these fleets is incorporated into their daily rates. This is not economical.

The “Pipeline” system designed by Urban Dispatch will take advantage of existing ground fleets by communicating with the central UrbanDispatcher system.  Understanding the traffic flows and communicating with the shippers can help them organize large volumes of shipments to be ready for pick-up by different courier companies.  This will give the shipper a greater level of control over their shipments as well as access to new types of services and lower costs.

One of the challenges in this phase is to design a system that will monitor the clients shipping patterns and recommend improved routes to the UrbanDispatcher system as it is designed to monitor the overall performance of packages in the system. Pipeline will specifically serve the needs of the account it is assigned to because it operates independently of the main systems. In effect, it will build relationships between specific carriers and the shipper that will benefit both parties. The shipper and the carriers will become accustomed to each other and efficiencies will be evident.

Phase 2 - “QuantumShip”

Not all companies delivering for Urban Dispatch are required to operate using the UrbanDispatcher software. It would be difficult to convince UPS or FedEx to switch for their existing platforms simply because it improves our control over shipments within our system. These companies are however prepared to allow us to integrate with their systems of order entry and tracking. Phase 2 deals with this issue.

Our challenge is to provide local and international service to all clients in all cities. Companies using UrbanDispatcher receive the trip information directly in their dispatch queue and deal with it accordingly. Companies not using our software are dispatched pickup requests using a component that can effectively communicate pickup requests to the correct branch of each international carrier as well as integrate their waybill(s) with our own so that when packages are prepared for shipping they have that correct accompanying documents. Additionally, tracking information for each shipment must be provided and associated to the Urban Dispatch tracking number. This consolidation of tracking numbers is much less confusing to customers and when communicating with carriers only one number in necessary, even with large carriers.

Phase 4 – “ViRUS (Vehicle Routing Urban Solution)”

ViRUS will eliminate more than 70% of the clerical functions performed by dispatchers and will include heuristical algorithms that will store information about the types of decisions made by a dispatcher. Over time, through analysis and interpretation of the data, the system will make recommendations to the dispatcher on how to route vehicles in his control eventually taking over completely.

Vehicle Routing Problems, also known as VRP, are a key class of problems to be solved in the co-ordination and utilization of large fleets. It is relatively simple to solve a routing problem for a single vehicle. It is much more complex and computationally intensive to solve routing problems for a large fleet where many combinations and alternatives are possible.

Vehicle Routing Problems can be closely associated with Vehicle Scheduling Problems, where it is useful to know how long it will take to get from Point A to Point B when determining a schedule.

Computational intelligence is necessary to replace the human component currently needed to manage the above problems. Girba Technologies will be a key associate in this project as they are mostly post-doctoral math grads from S.F.U. and have worked with Mr. Brooks on similar projects. The technology will remain the property of Urban Dispatch although a license will be granted to Girba for further enhancements.