Optimizing Vehicle Routing for Food Distribution Between Counties for Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

Food security remains a critical issue globally, including in advanced countries, and is exacerbated by food waste throughout the supply chain. Food banks, such as the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (CPFB), play a crucial role in alleviating food scarcity by redistributing excess food. This study addresses the challenge of optimizing CPFB's delivery routes to minimize travel distances and truck usage, considering client locations, vehicle capacity, and distribution center locations. The paper introduces a mathematical model to solve the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), aiming to reduce overall travel costs and truck usage. Utilizing VRPSolverEasy for computational analysis, the method's efficiency is demonstrated for both Williamsport and Harrisburg Distribution Centers, revealing significant cost savings and improved operational efficiency. Future research could explore integrating electric vehicles, catering to age-specific nutritional needs, and adapting to seasonal demand fluctuations. This study makes a substantial contribution to enhancing food distribution logistics, which is vital in addressing the widespread issue of food insecurity.

Paper Advisor: Dr. Jose Antonio Ventura Email: jav1@psu.edu

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Work Title Optimizing Vehicle Routing for Food Distribution Between Counties for Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.
Access
Penn State
Creators
  1. Musab Alajaji
Keyword
  1. Vehicle Routing Problem
  2. Food Bank
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Research Paper
Publication Date 2024
Deposited January 09, 2024

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    Description
    • Food security remains a critical issue globally, including in advanced countries, and is exacerbated by food waste throughout the supply chain. Food banks, such as the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (CPFB), play a crucial role in alleviating food scarcity by redistributing excess food. This study addresses the challenge of optimizing CPFB's delivery routes to minimize travel distances and truck usage, considering client locations, vehicle capacity, and distribution center locations. The paper introduces a mathematical model to solve the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), aiming to reduce overall travel costs and truck usage. Utilizing VRPSolverEasy for computational analysis, the method's efficiency is demonstrated for both Williamsport and Harrisburg Distribution Centers, revealing significant cost savings and improved operational efficiency. Future research could explore integrating electric vehicles, catering to age-specific nutritional needs, and adapting to seasonal demand fluctuations. This study makes a substantial contribution to enhancing food distribution logistics, which is vital in addressing the widespread issue of food insecurity.
    • Paper Advisor: Dr. Jose Antonio Ventura
    • Email: jav1@psu.edu
  • Added Creator Musab Alajaji
  • Added Optimizing Vehicle Routing for Food Distribution Between Counties for Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.pdf
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    • https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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