Abstract:Researchers at the University of California, Davis developed a logistics decision-support tool that facilitates the joint routing of pick-ups and deliveries for cooperating entities to reduce environmental impacts and transport costs. The researchers implemented the tool in several hypothetical case studies to better understand the impact of joint routing and zero-emission vehicle policies on transport companies. The tool quantifies the cost and emissions savings from coordinated operations (pick-up and delivery) by estimating reduced fleet requirements and improved utilization factors. Additionally, the tool can consider the technical specifications (e.g., payload, range) and requirements (e.g., charging/fueling) of zero-emission vehicles.