Modeling the vehicle routing problem considering bicycles

The vehicle routing problem is a well-known combinatorial optimization problem with many variations and real-life applications. One variation analyzed here has to do with the type of the vehicle being used, in this case bicycles. Many logistics companies have started using bicycles to carry out deliveries in city centers. There are advantages such as bicycles can better cope with congested routes and ensure faster and reliable deliveries, they don’t pollute the environment, and they cost less. In this article we review how to make a simple adaptation on the popular CVRP (capacitated vehicle routing problem) and the VRPTW (vehicle routing problem with time windows) to accommodate the extra effort when climbing hills.