Two-step algorithm for the optimization of vehicle fleet in electricity distribution company

The work of an electricity distribution company is impossible without the extensive use of different types of vehicles (including conventional and electric vehicles) for various purposes. New imperatives set by the market-related economy dictate the rational use of all resources, including the vehicle fleet, subject to constraints on the acquisition, deployment and operation of the fleet in a very uncertain environment. In this paper, a two-step multi-criteria algorithm for the optimization of distribution companies vehicle fleets under uncertainty is proposed. In the first step, fuzzy sets for the preferred vehicle fleet size using queuing theory are composed. In the second step, a multi-criteria fuzzy decision making technique is proposed for the determination of the optimal combination of different types of vehicles. Optimization is carried out for several divisions of one distribution company with different terrain properties. Thanks to the flexible approach of the proposed model, a fair and balanced distribution of vehicles has been achieved between the company's divisions. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.