The optimisation engine offers several modes of operation that influence how routes are composed.
Each mode focuses on a particular objective (cost, distance, vehicle load, etc.) to meet your operational priorities.
Where to set the optimisation mode?
The optimisation mode is set on the sector page, in the Optimisation Settings section.
The choice of mode impacts the calculation of all routes generated for this sector.
Optimisation modes
Reduce total cost
The engine searches for the route solution that minimises all configured costs (mileage costs, fixed vehicle costs, hourly costs, etc.).
Routes will be composed to have the lowest overall expense. This may involve using fewer vehicles or faster journeys, even if it's not the fewest kilometres possible.
The more precise the costs configured at the vehicle and agent level, the better the quality of the result.
Reduce kilometres
The algorithm prioritises minimising the total distance travelled by all vehicles.
Routes will be constructed by favouring the shortest possible journeys. The impact is a reduction in fuel consumption and vehicle wear, but the total time or number of vehicles used might not be the lowest.
Reduce the number of vehicles
The main objective is to reduce the number of vehicles needed to complete all missions as much as possible.
The vehicles used will be loaded to their maximum capacity and working time to absorb as many visits as possible. This often leads to longer routes and potentially more costly in kilometres, but saves on fixed vehicle and driver costs.
Balance cost between vehicles
The engine seeks to distribute the workload (and thus the associated cost) as evenly as possible among the vehicles used.
Routes will be composed so that the cost of each vehicle is close to the others. The impact is better equity in the financial burden attributed to each resource (vehicle/driver).
Balance kilometres between vehicles
The algorithm aims for the distance travelled by each vehicle used to be as similar as possible.
Routes will have a relatively uniform kilometre length for all vehicles. This promotes fairness in the physical workload of vehicles and drivers, even if the total solution is not the shortest.
Geographical clustering
This optimisation mode constructs geographically dense and coherent routes.
At the heart of its algorithm, the engine tends to create compact routes: it constantly seeks to minimise the area or geographical extent covered by each vehicle. The system thus favours routes where delivery points are very close to each other, creating natural and logical groupings.
Other settings
Force planning of all missions
This setting defines that optimisation will plan all missions, even if this is not compatible with respecting constraints (schedules, capacity, working time...).
- Optimisation attempts to limit unmet constraints.
- If the composed routes contain one or more unmet constraints, these will be visually represented in red in the interface.
FAQ
When to choose one mode over another?
Total cost: to reduce overall expenditure.
Kilometres: to minimise distance and consumption.
Number of vehicles: to limit the fleet used.
Balance cost or kilometres: to distribute the load fairly.
Geographical clustering: to facilitate readability and coherence of routes.
Can the optimisation mode be changed after generating the routes?
Yes, the mode can be modified in the sector settings. It is recommended to re-run the optimisation after any change to recalculate the routes.
Is it possible to combine multiple optimisation modes?
No. Only one main mode can be selected per sector.
To combine multiple objectives, you need to adjust the costs and parameters of vehicles and missions, which allows you to indirectly influence the result.