Automatically the Right Vehicle for Every Shipment
At De Graaf Logistics, quality and reliability are top priorities. As a specialist in urban distribution across the Benelux, the company has significantly enhanced both factors by adopting PTV OptiFlow.
The system automatically generates an optimised route plan every evening, reducing the number of vehicles required and the distance travelled. This ensures reliable deliveries for customers and manageable, efficient routes for drivers.
De Graaf Logistics
De Graaf Logistics operates a fleet of 75 vehicles from its Oosterhout location, including delivery vans, BE-combinations, box trucks, city trailers, and tractor-trailer combinations. The first electric vehicles are on order, as they will soon be necessary for deliveries in city centres.
“We are increasingly focusing on urban and regional distribution,” explains Tim de Haan, Transport Manager at the logistics provider based in Oosterhout. “Together with other family-owned businesses, we form the DHB network for pallet shipments and TeamTrans for parcel shipments. This provides us with multiple depots close to major cities with zero-emission zones, giving us a strong position for city centre deliveries. An electric vehicle, after all, is not meant for long-distance transport.”
Manual Adjustments
The growing number of shipments to city centres and residential areas presents a complex challenge that De Graaf Logistics’ planners must tackle daily. “It is our responsibility to deploy the right vehicle at the right location and time. We all know the issues that arise when a vehicle larger than a box truck enters a residential area.”
Since 2012, the planning department had been using semi-automated route planning software, Route Optimiser ST from PTV, for fine-meshed distribution. This system included various features that planners relied on, such as defining which vehicle types were permitted in specific city centres, neighbourhoods, or geographic zones at designated times. These features helped prevent trucks with trailers from mistakenly entering residential areas or city streets outside delivery windows.
However, despite these features, the step-by-step planning method still took at least three hours to finalise the schedule—often requiring manual intervention from the planner. Even then, there was still room for improvement.
The New Planning Approach
From Semi-Automated to Fully Automated Planning
The breakthrough came when De Haan discovered PTV OptiFlow, a cloud-based route planning system powered by advanced algorithms. In December 2023, De Graaf Logistics tested the system using two days’ worth of data. “After the first day, we were immediately impressed. Even without any adjustments to match our operations, the initial results seemed almost too good to be true,” says De Haan. “After further testing, we asked two highly experienced and critical planners to challenge the system. But they too were impressed. That’s when we knew PTV OptiFlow was the system to move us forward.”
PTV OptiFlow transformed the semi-automated process into a fully automated one. With a single click, all vehicles are planned simultaneously. “The key difference from our previous system is its greater computing power and more advanced algorithms,” explains Jochem Snaauw, a distribution engineer involved in the implementation. “The visual clarity is also a big advantage—if a shipment cannot be scheduled, it is immediately visible. PTV OptiFlow also offers valuable predictive features. For instance, it recognises traffic patterns—such as longer congestion at the Gorinchem bridge on Tuesdays than on Mondays.
“That’s crucial information because we need a highly reliable schedule. If a delivery is even slightly delayed, we immediately receive calls from customers waiting for their shipment,” says Snaauw.
Business Case
Despite the strong operational benefits, De Graaf Logistics carefully examined the business case.
The cost structure of PTV OptiFlow differs from the previous system: instead of a one-off purchase with a small annual fee, the new system operates on a recurring fee per vehicle per month. Without cost savings, this could significantly increase overall costs.
After discussions with senior management and PTV, De Haan and Snaauw developed a solid business case.
The system not only reduces costs by minimising the number of vehicles used and total kilometres driven, but also through additional efficiencies, such as:
- Less reliance on planner expertise, reducing operational bottlenecks
- Shorter planning time, allowing the cross-dock centre to start loading earlier
- More flexibility for experienced and new drivers, accommodating their individual preferences
Planning Time Cut to 1.5 Hours
De Graaf Logistics began implementing PTV OptiFlow in January, and by February, the system was fully operational. “We worked hard to have it up and running before our peak season from April to October,” says De Haan. They had prepared a fallback scenario in case of issues, but they never needed it—the system delivered from day one. Since using PTV OptiFlow, the planning team has had no complaints. The assistant planner, who previously supported the head planner, can now complete the planning alone—with minimal effort.
“Previously, planning started at 9:00 PM and often wasn’t finished until 1:00 AM. Now, it takes just 1.5 hours, with most of that time spent on preparation. The actual scheduling process takes only 15 minutes,” explains Snaauw.
Operational Efficiency Gains
With planning ready by 10:30 PM, the cross-dock team can start earlier. “Previously, there was no time to pre-load box trucks—drivers had to do it themselves before heading out. Now, the cross-dock team takes care of loading, eliminating inefficiencies and reducing costs,” Snaauw adds.
Work-Life Balance & Driver Satisfaction
PTV OptiFlow has also improved driver satisfaction. “The current generation of drivers expects a better work-life balance. In the past, long shifts were the norm, but today we need more flexibility. Some drivers prefer four long workdays, while others prefer five shorter ones,” says De Haan.
“We haven’t fully explored this potential yet,” adds Snaauw. “In some cases, it would be more efficient for a driver to start at 9 AM or 11 AM instead of 6:30 AM. By analysing more data, we can identify patterns and forecast these needs.”
The role of planners has also evolved. The evening planner now finishes by 10:30 PM instead of 1:30 AM, leaving time to relax at home. During the day, planners now focus on monitoring and optimisation rather than just scheduling routes.
“We have many customers with afternoon pick-ups, which impact overall efficiency. Optimising this process is a key focus for the future,” says De Haan.
Challenges & Future Expansion
While fully automated planning brings major benefits, it also comes with challenges.
“If the system is not properly set up, planning errors will occur. All necessary data must be included, ensuring PTV OptiFlow can accurately schedule shipments. Data quality is key—for every delivery address, we must know which vehicle type is required and within which time window.” Without this, the system could schedule the wrong vehicle at the wrong time, causing failed deliveries. Given the successful implementation, De Graaf Logistics plans to expand PTV OptiFlow to other locations and transport partners across the Benelux.
“This will allow us to scale our operations while managing growing complexity. It also enables more efficient and cost-effective deliveries within zero-emission zones,” concludes De Haan.
