Vehicle Routing Problems (VRPs) belong to the core topics in Operations Research. Indeed, the application of VRP optimization algorithms allows businesses to streamline their fleet operations, leading to reduced transportation costs, improved delivery schedules, and increased overall operational efficiency. By minimizing route distances and optimizing vehicle utilization, organizations can achieve a competitive edge in the market, ensuring timely and cost-effective product deliveries. The societal implications of VRP optimization are also substantial, particularly in the context of urban transportation and public services.
In this course, we start with a quick overview of classical methods for VRP and discuss modern metaheuristic approaches. Afterwards, we examine selected cutting-edge optimization algorithms for VRP in-depth, including their performance and a critical assessment of their building blocks. We conclude with a review of selected applications of VRP, such as the waste collection.