The “traveling salesmen problem” was formulated around
eighty years ago, but still defines the core challenge for
last-mile delivery. Route optimization on the last mile
aims at saving time in the delivery process. Rapid
processing of real-time information supports this goal in
multiple ways. When the delivery vehicle is loaded and
unloaded, a dynamic calculation of the optimal delivery
sequence based on sensor-based detection of shipment
items frees the staff from manual sequencing. On the
road, telematics databases are tapped to automatically
change delivery routes according to current traffic conditions.
And routing intelligence considers the availability
and location information posted by recipients in order
to avoid unsuccessful delivery attempts.