Choosing the Optimal Route for a Delivery Vehicle in X Express Company Using Clarke and Wright Algorithm

Choosing the optimal route in transport is a daily challenge for all companies in the world that deal with the transport of goods. Routing is the selection of the optimal path in the network of roads on which vehicles should move, i.e., defining the most appropriate and fastest mode of transport from the starting point to the endpoint. X express company in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 16 distribution centers, currently has over 350 delivery vehicles equipped with GPS devices. Drivers of vehicles are faced daily with the selection of the optimal route so that all shipments are delivered as soon as possible, with minimal transport costs and so that all customer requirements are met. The most commonly used algorithm for solving vehicle routing problems is the Savings Algorithm or the Clark and Wright algorithm. Along with the use of the Clark-Wright algorithm, this chapter presents the routing of a delivery vehicle with predefined locations for the shipments in the delivery area of the distribution center Banja Luka. For all 27 delivery locations, the distance from the central warehouse and possible savings were defined, after which the connection was made and the final optimal route was determined. The obtained results were compared with the actual mileage of the delivery vehicle, where the functionality and significance of the Clark-Wright algorithm were proven.