Delivery operations information system with daily workload management feature and methods of use

• US 20060184404A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Scott, Gale R., Fisher, Charles V.
• Application Number:
  US11/207,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184404A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources available to deliver them. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the delivery operation information system tracks quantities of articles, schedules their distribution, and schedules and tracks the work force that distributes the articles.

Claims

1. A method for daily management of the delivery of articles over routes comprising:

developing a first database that identifies routes for delivery of articles;

developing a second database that identifies the volume of articles to be delivered along each route;

developing a third database that identifies a set of carriers and said carriers'"'"' availability and workload capacity, wherein workload capacity comprises a total number of available work hours for that carrier;

determining an estimated work time for completing said identified routes;

providing display screens selectively showing said data from said first, second, and third databases;

assigning carriers to routes;

determining a variance between said estimated work time for completing said identified routes and the available work hours for the carrier or carriers assigned to each route; and

adjusting the assignment of carriers such that said variance for each of said routes approaches zero.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of determining which carrier has requested to work overtime.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of assigning is performed such that each carrier requesting overtime works for more than eight hours.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning is performed such that each carrier works for approximately eight hours.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated work time includes total office time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated work time includes route time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated work time is determined by the volume of articles to be delivered.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting comprises changing a carrier'"'"'s start time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting comprises changing at least one segment of the route.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting comprises assigning another carrier to assist on a route.

11. A system for daily management of the delivery of articles over routes comprising:

a first database that identifies routes for delivery of articles;

a second database that identifies the volume of articles to be delivered along each route;

a third database that identifies a set of carriers and said carriers'"'"' availability and workload capacity, wherein workload capacity comprises a total number of available work hours for that carrier;

a component for determining an estimated work time for completing said identified routes;

a display screen for selectively showing said data from said first, second, and third databases;

a component for assigning carriers to routes;

a component for determining a variance between said estimated work time for completing said identified routes and the available work hours for the carrier or carriers assigned to each route; and

a component for adjusting the assignment of carriers such that said variance for each of said route approaches zero.

12. The system of claim 11, further including a component for determining which carrier has requested to work overtime.

13. The system of claim 12, further being configured to assign such that each carrier requesting overtime works for more than eight hours.

14. The system of claim 11, further being configured to assign such that each carrier works for approximately eight hours.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the estimated work time includes total office time.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the estimated work time includes route time.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the estimated work time is determined by the volume of articles to be delivered.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the component for adjusting is configured to change a carrier'"'"'s start time.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the component for adjusting is configured to change at least one segment of the route.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the component for adjusting is configured to assign another carrier to assist on a route.