Page 69 - DCAP608_REAL TIME SYSTEMS

Real Time Systems

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Case Study AVL, Routing and Scheduling

ntelligent AVL provides a Web-based view of real-time information on delivery
arrivals at distribution centres or hubs, enabling dispatchers to adapt routes quickly
Iand efficiently according to exceptions. The AVL Service also features a wireless
application that uses Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) locating capabilities to provide
real-time data on driver progress against established route plans and enable on-the-spot
decision making to meet customer commitments.
Wawa Improves Delivery Operations with Intelligent AVL Service from Descartes

Philadelphia-based convenience store chain Wawa, Inc. has a history that spans more than
two centuries. Originally a textile supplier in the 1800s, by the turn of the century it began
operations as a provider of home delivery services for milk products. In 1964 the opening
of the first Wawa Food Markets marked the beginning of the Wawa chain, a provider of
fresh produce, ready-to-go salads and deli products to customers in five states.
Today the Wawa family includes more than 1,500 convenience stores and 13,000 associates
and wholesale customers (schools, hospitals and nursing homes) across five states. Wawa
offers a large selection of food items that includes its award-winning freshly brewed
coffee, and Wawa branded dairy products, juices and iced tea beverages.
Wawa uses a private fleet to manage deliveries for its direct distribution operations (all
other delivery functions are managed by third party providers). Its fleet includes 40 twenty-
foot trucks, 65 tractors and 80 trailers. Store deliveries range from two to four times a
week on a fixed schedule depending on location, with a two-hour time window allowance.
A Limited View to a Growing Network

As a high end convenience store chain, Wawa has unique delivery challenges. For example,
deliveries cannot be made between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.; and drivers must also reach their
destinations within two-hour time windows. Over the years, Wawa has relied on various
feature-rich elements of the Descartes Routing and Scheduling solution to streamline its
delivery operations. Wawa first began using basic mapping functions provided by
Descartes, and before long, extended its implementation to include automated master
route planning, followed by integration with its warehouse management system to
automatically generate order charges based on routes and sequences.
Through each implementation phase, Wawa has achieved significant results. For example,
by simply optimizing its route planning functions, Wawa was able to reallocate eight
trucks to wholesale deliveries, providing significant cost savings on the direct distribution
side of the business.
As its delivery network grew however, it became a constant challenge for Wawa to ensure
that deliveries were reaching their destinations within designated time windows. Wawa
knew that it needed to find more efficient ways to track its drivers, allocate resources and
optimize capacity utilization to maintain margins and reduce fuel costs without
compromising quality of service.
“As a high-end convenience store and producer with a distribution network that spans
five states, having up-to-the-minute information on driver and fleet activities is critical to
maintaining high levels of customer service,” said Don Kane, Distribution Manager at
Wawa.
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