The Situation
Looking to create competitive advantage and meet the increasing demands of their clients, Opturion was commissioned by Allied Express to build a dispatch optimiser to enable better allocation decisions and optimise operational efficiencies. The resulting increase in efficiency has been instrumental to improving service delivery by decreasing late deliveries by circa 20%, leading to an enhanced customer satisfaction and operational performance
Client Background
Allied Express (now part of Freightways) is a leading courier and taxi truck company. Operating a fleet of more than 1,100 vehicles across Australia, it provides contract 3PL, distribution, taxi truck and courier services.
Client Challenges
The courier and taxi truck industry has become increasingly competitive. Customers are continuously demanding faster response and shorter delivery times Meaning organisations need to be nimble to stay competitive. Each time a new order arrives it must be scheduled for pick-up and delivery; and allocated to an appropriate vehicle.
In this dynamic environment, it is difficult for a human allocator to make the right decision every time, potentially resulting in inaccuracies, inefficiencies, and late deliveries. Particularly when multiple variables need to be considered such as load planning, routing, and scheduling.
Project Background
Opturion provided a dispatch optimiser based on its proven Dynamic Transport Optimiser
(DTO).
DTO is an accurate and adaptable alternative to conventional methods of optimisation. Through AI, high-level modelling and hybrid constraint solving, the platform yields routing solutions that are up to 50% closer to optimum compared to traditional optimisers.
What’s more, the system integrates with existing Allied tracking and transport management software, ensuring smooth implementation and minimal operational disruption.
Each time a new order arrives the TO determines where all the vehicles are, what they are doing, and what has been allocated.
This an often be a complex task, needing to account for the variations in several types of deliveries, truck suitability and capacity, driver working hours and subsequent compliance.
Opturion’s DTO takes into consideration all the elements, inclusive of strategic, tactical, and operational contexts to deliver the optimum outputs.
The Results
The AI driven dispatch optimiser has proven critical to improving on-time pick-up and delivery.
Allied receives premium rates for faster deliveries, and these customers expect premium
service.
Analysis has shown that late deliveries have decreased by some 20% since the system was commissioned, resulting in a superior customer experience, and increased operational efficiencies.
The system has been in operation for five years. Last year Allied was acquired by Freightways, who has shown an interest in similar applications across the group.
