Vehicle Routing and Scheduling – The Next Generation
After almost three decades there has at last been a major innovation in computerised vehicle scheduling and routing. UK company DPS International, has produced an internet based ASP scheduling service which can be used from any computer, anywhere at anytime.
(PRWEB) April 28, 2005 -- Many companies have benefited from cost and
resource savings by using computerised vehicle routing and scheduling over the
last three decades. However, for several reasons, the majority of companies have
not yet taken up this fundamental aid to transport efficiency.
UK
company, DPS International, has now created and released the next generation of
routing systems – an internet or intranet based system – which overcomes the
reluctance which these companies have shown to employing such a system. This
radical new offering is logixcentral
www.logixcentral.com).
Paul Palmer, Chairman of DPS
International (www.dps-int.com) – a company he founded almost a quarter of a
century ago to develop transport planning and operational systems - is convinced
that logixcentral will overcome the perceived problems of companies who have
shied away from routing systems in the past.
Mr Palmer said “Most
providers of scheduling and routing software have been putting their
developments into peripheral issues around their solutions. The underlying
algorithms have been established for some time and effort has been concentrated
on making systems more user friendly, improving mapping capabilities and
tweaking parameters. The time has now arrived for a major review of solutions in
the lights of some companies’ reluctance to accept solutions which have a proven
track record of resource reduction.
“The main reluctance is caused by two
issues. Firstly, for smaller companies the cost of an in-house system is
perceived as too high; secondly, larger companies found the need to buy multiple
licences could be expensive from some companies, while at the same time this
approach caused lack of flexibility because some solution suppliers also
controlled access with dongles and security keys. These issues are completely
overcome by logixcentral” Mr Palmer said.
“We are providing an ASP
(Application Service Provider) service so that the smaller companies, including
those with a small number of vehicles, can now access logixcentral via the
internet and use the system on a pay-as-you go basis. There is no need for an
in-house system and no need for a licence. Because logixcentral is based on our
long established market leading LogiX family of routing and scheduling products,
the customer can expect a rapid return on investment.”
The same product
used in a different way can also solve the issues raised by large companies with
a need for multiple copies. “For these companies, such as logistics service
providers and 3PLs with many accounts to manage nationally and even
internationally, the obvious solution is for logixcentral to sit on their own
intranet. We will reach an agreement for the number of user accounts and these
can be accessed from anywhere in the company – not tied to one or a few depots”
he said.
But there is a further application for an intranet version which
could assist very small vehicle operators. “There are several trade federations
representing a large number of small operators, sometimes with just a handful of
vehicles. We are talking to some of them to enable them to take logixcentral
onto their federation intranet and offer a commercial service directly to their
members. This way everyone benefits, but in particular the very small operator,
for whom this sort of technology was always beyond their reach, will
win.”
“As far as we are aware we are the only company providing the full
range of options for vehicle scheduling and routing” he added. “The choice we
offer includes a range of applications for planning and scheduling, including
mapping software for most major industrial countries. The solutions are
available as an in-house licence, an ASP pay as you go offering, a corporate
intranet version and as a service through trade federations.”
For further
information please contact:
Denis O’Sullivan
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/4/prweb234158.htm