Applications of the vehicle routing problem with trailers and transshipments

The vehicle routing problem with trailers and transshipments (VRPTT) is a recent and challenging extension of the well-known vehicle routing problem. The VRPTT constitutes an archetypal representative of the class of vehicle routing problems with multiple synchronization constraints (VRPMSs). In addition to the usual task covering constraints, VRPMSs require further synchronization between vehicles, concerning spatial, temporal, and load aspects. VRPMSs possess considerable practical relevance, but limited coverage in the scientific literature. The purpose of the present paper is to describe how several important types of VRPMSs, such as multi-echelon location-routing problems and simultaneous vehicle and crew routing problems, can be modelled as VRPTTs.