Institute of Transportation, MOTC

　　In recent years, the development of computer networks and e-commerce has led to changes in freight transport supply and demand and to an increase in the demand of delivery goods to home, which many freight transport companies are interested in. Generally speaking, the companies are called delivery-goods-to-home carriers (DHC), similar to less-than-truckload carriers. This paper explores the vehicle routing problem of DHC (or vehicle routing problem for home delivery (VRPHD)). Actuality, the VRPHD and traveling salesman problem (TSP) are similar, and the characteristics of VRPHD include pickup-delivery routing, order clustered customers, and real-time needs of certain customers. Therefore, the VRPHD is a dynamic pickup-delivery traveling salesman problem with backhauls (DPDTSPB). In this study, we have developed some models and a heuristics algorithm to solve the VRPHD. The empirical results suggest that the route design proposed in this study fits in well with the characteristics of VRPHD. Furthermore, this study also provides valuable suggestions for future studies and the DHC in Taiwan.