PlanOp is a transport network optimization and modelling software for planning high quality, cost-effective national distribution networks for postal and courier companies, integrators and forwarders, and other logistics organizations. Using operations research techniques, PlanOp helps organizations with transport scheduling decisions to provide immediate and cost effective outcomes.

The logistical transport challenge is to improve a complex system with conflicting demands

The difficult task of structuring and running a complex transport network is often complicated by the conflicting demands of minimizing cost and maximizing service levels. Additionally, logistics organizations must continually improve their efficiency by enhancing and changing their transport networks which are operationally sensitive to variation, are complex and difficult to understand, analyze and change.

Cost and service remain the critical factor for many logistics networks. Product, volume, mode of transport, supply-demand profiles and schedules need to be continually adjusted to achieve the best cost and service outcomes. Other variables such as the weather, volume surges, traffic congestion or self imposed operational changes add even more complexity. To manage these criticalities, postal organisations must be able to:

• design complex transport networks
• make strategic decisions about network structure and options
• develop a detailed and realistic network model and data repository
• plan and execute efficient vehicle and crew operations.

A logistics optimization system

Jeppesen developed PlanOp to provide logistics organizations with these capabilities. PlanOp is a transport network optimization software system used for planning high-quality, cost-effective transport networks. It combines the automatic optimization of both air and surface networks (taking account of the available vehicle types) and their characteristics while observing the constraints imposed by service standards, curfews and other rules.

The system gathers together details of vehicle types and travel times, locations and sorting schedules, product types and service standards into the one comprehensive network model and allows easy access to visual diagrams and reports based on that information. The system is suitable for both small and large scale networks and has been tailored to the specific requirements of postal and courier operations.

PlanOp has a number of optimization engines that are deployed within a data manipulation and visualization framework to provide a range of network optimization capabilities. These major engines include:

• Network Flow Optimizser
• Vehicle Routing Optimizer
• Vehicle and Crew Schedule Optimizer
• Hub Selection Optimizer

PlanOp allows for:

• multi modal network optimization and design
• network aggregation (network design with a contracted fleet)
• hub selection optimization
• driver duties optimization
• containerization
• compare and merge facility for comparing and resolving differences between plans
• animation and simulation capability
• variations by time of day for timings and overrides (e.g. by location) of costs and capacities
• extensive legality checking of data
• inbuilt SQL-like query language
• key performance indicators (KPIs) for the network
• travel time calculation using street map data

Benefits

With a combination of optimization tools, graphic and data displays, PlanOp helps the transport planner work towards best practice while exploring potential alternatives to improve economies for the organization. PlanOp can be customized to meet specific requirements and delivers:

• a more efficient network design
• reduced distribution costs
• reduced planning time scales
• the ability to model, quantify, analyze and communicate network options
• a more robust network design
• improved network knowledge (network data encapsulation)
• optimized vehicle fleet size and mix
• the ability to develop contingency plans