Dispatch Truck Demand Graph

Dispatch

Truck Demand Graph

About This Program

The Truck Demand Graph is designed to be a visual aid in projecting the number of trucks required throughout the day to meet the scheduled demand.

Using This Program

The Graph Screen

The blue bar represents the number of firm orders for each time slot. Yellow represents Will Call orders.

Lines are also plotted to represent the home plant capacity (number of trucks assigned to the plant), as well as the current capacity, which may rise or fall as trucks are loaned or borrowed between plants.

This program allows for three individual graphs, allowing the Dispatcher to monitor three separate sets of demand, as well as a consolidated graph, which shows overall demand at all selected plants.

Plant Selection

To determine which plants appear on each tab, begin by selecting the tab desired (in the example to the right, it is Demand Graph 1). To assign plants to this tab, move the mouse over the tab labeled Plants. A menu will slide out allowing the user to select which plants should be shown on the graph.

Graph Settings

The Truck Demand Graph can be customized by the dispatcher.

Projection Hours determines how much of the current day to show. Entering a two in this field will show the graph for the current time through the next two hours.

Slot Length determines the amount of time indicated by each graph bar. In the example above, 60 minute slots were used. Turnaround Time is the amount of preparation time required for a returning truck to be ready for its next load. For example, if a truck is returning at 8:05, it may not be ready to receive its next load for 5 minutes, so a load scheduled to depart at 8:07 couldn’t rely on using that truck, while a load a 8:15 could.

Graph Refresh Rate is how often the Truck Demand Graph is recalculated.

Will Call Color is the color used on the graph to differentiate firm orders from will-call orders.

Diagnostic Data

The graph is plotted based on the projected loads generated from Order Maintenance. By clicking on Options and Show Diagnostics Data, additional tabs will appear allowing the Dispatcher to review the calculated data.

Showing the Diagnostics Data

The demand is determined by adding new orders within the time slot to existing loads already in transit. From this number, deductions are made for trucks returning in time to take another load within the time slot. For each time slot, a total is generated for the following categories: Turnaround is the number of trucks that are returning within a time slot that will be ready to take another load within that time slot. Inbound represents the number of trucks that are returning to the plant, but will not be back in time to take another load within the time slot.

Outbound is the number of new loads that are being dispatched within that slot.

Required is the number of firm orders being dispatched within that slot.

Will Call is the number of will-will orders being dispatched within that slot.

The Depart Data and Return Data contain the data from each load (ordered by departure time and return time, respectively).

The Diagnostics tabs will disappear the next time the Truck Demand Graph is refreshed.

Timeslot Order detail

By double-clicking a graph bar on the Truck Demand Graph, the dispatcher can view all activity within the timeslot. A screen will open with an upper and lower half representing Outbound and On Job orders respectively.

Outbound Loads These are orders that are being dispatched within this time slot. These orders are color-coded to represent how the order is serviced. A white entry means that a new truck is required – there are no returning trucks within this timeslot which can dispatch this order in time. A green entry means that there is a truck returning within this time slot which will be able to take the load and depart on time.

On Job Loads The bottom half represents trucks that are already on jobs, as well as trucks that are returning to the plant. These entries are also color-coded.

A white entry represents a truck that is on a job and is not scheduled to return within this time slot.

A yellow entry indicates an truck that is returning to the plant within this time slot, but will not be back in time to

A green entry is used to show a truck that is returning within this time slot that will be back in time to take another load within this timeslot.