Optimization of Rental Systems: Queuing Loss Theory for the Optimization of Cargo Vehicle Rental Systems

Logistics providers typically own large fleets of transportation vehicles such as rail cars or trucks. These fleets do not only determine to a large extent the service level the company can offer, but also make up a large part of total costs. Proper management of the fleet is therefore a crucial factor for these companies. In this book the author presents planning approaches that address the optimal management of vehicle fleets. Firstly, methods for determining the mixture of vehicle types and the optimal size of a fleet are developed. Secondly, approaches for supporting new service models such as customer segmentation are derived. Potential readership includes scholars and graduate students who are interested in the field of fleet planning and practitioners from logistics companies looking for new planning approaches.