Use case guide

The Pick-up and Delivery Routing (PDR) model powers automated, optimized, and fair route planning and scheduling across industries, from healthcare logistics to people or parcel transport.

This guide outlines common use cases and shares tips on how to use the Timefold model for each.

Use cases of the Pick-up and Delivery Routing model include:

Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT): dispatch operators to efficiently transport clients.
Courier & express delivery: plan same-day and on-demand deliveries of small parcels, documents, and packages.

1. Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT)

1.1. Typical use case

NEMT operators use the Pick-up and Delivery Routing model to dispatch drivers to efficiently transport clients (passengers, members, or patients) between places such as doctor or specialist appointments, dialysis centers, mental health services, etc. while reducing miles driven, improving on-time performance, and ensuring passenger comfort.

1.2. Key challenges

Ensuring on-time arrivals and drop-offs.
Respecting client privacy and preferences.
Complying with healthcare regulations and ensuring the safety of employees.
Reducing unnecessary trips between rides.
Respecting employees' preferences.

1.3. How to interpret model terms

Model term	How it applies to this use case
Driver	The driver and their transport vehicle responsible for transporting clients.
Driver shift	A driver’s operating window (for example, 7:00–15:00).
Job	Transportation of a client/patient from one place to another (e.g. home to hospital or medical centre).
Stop	A pick-up or drop-off location for a job.

Model term

How it applies to this use case

Driver

The driver and their transport vehicle responsible for transporting clients.

Driver shift

A driver’s operating window (for example, 7:00–15:00).

Job

Transportation of a client/patient from one place to another (e.g. home to hospital or medical centre).

Stop

A pick-up or drop-off location for a job.

1.4. How to address common scheduling problems

Problem	Solve it with
You must assign clients to compatible vehicles (e.g. wheelchair-accessible vehicles).	Use tags to match drivers with jobs.
You must assign clients to drivers with the right skills (e.g. language, certifications).	Use required skills to match drivers with jobs.
You must not exceed a vehicle’s capacity.	Define (multiple types of) vehicle capacities and how much capacity a client requires (e.g. depending on whether client requires wheelchair).
You need to minimize travel time.	Use route optimization objectives.
You need to meet strict pick-up and drop-off time windows.	Add time window constraints to ensure punctuality.
You want to prevent clients from being in transit for too long.	Define a global or per-job maximum time burdens.
You want to protect client privacy and specify if clients can be transported together.	Define whether jobs can be pooled or not, or prohibit certain job combinations.
A client prefers or requires continuity by being transported by a familiar driver.	Restrict the job to specific drivers or apply driver-job preferences to encourage continuity.
You want to dynamically reassign work when a patient calls in and needs to be picked up.	Implement real-time replanning.

Problem

Solve it with

You must assign clients to compatible vehicles (e.g. wheelchair-accessible vehicles).

Use tags to match drivers with jobs.

You must assign clients to drivers with the right skills (e.g. language, certifications).

Use required skills to match drivers with jobs.

You must not exceed a vehicle’s capacity.

Define (multiple types of) vehicle capacities and how much capacity a client requires (e.g. depending on whether client requires wheelchair).

You need to minimize travel time.

Use route optimization objectives.

You need to meet strict pick-up and drop-off time windows.

Add time window constraints to ensure punctuality.

You want to prevent clients from being in transit for too long.

Define a global or per-job maximum time burdens.

You want to protect client privacy and specify if clients can be transported together.

Define whether jobs can be pooled or not, or prohibit certain job combinations.

A client prefers or requires continuity by being transported by a familiar driver.

Restrict the job to specific drivers or apply driver-job preferences to encourage continuity.

You want to dynamically reassign work when a patient calls in and needs to be picked up.

Implement real-time replanning.

2. Courier & express delivery

2.1. Typical use case

Courier and express delivery operators use the Pick-up and Delivery Routing model to efficiently plan same-day and on-demand deliveries of small parcels, documents, and packages. Typical operations involve dynamically assigning pick-up and delivery jobs to a fleet of couriers. The model helps reduce driving time, improve on-time delivery performance, and maximize courier utilization while respecting strict service-level agreements (SLAs).

2.2. Key challenges

Meeting tight pick-up and delivery time windows driven by customer expectations and SLAs.
Efficiently assigning many small shipments to a limited fleet of couriers.
Reducing total driving time.
Handling capacity constraints when couriers carry multiple parcels simultaneously.
Adapting to fluctuating demand throughout the day.

2.3. How to interpret model terms

Model term	How it applies to this use case
Driver	A courier and their vehicle such as a van, bike, or car, with limited carrying capacity.
Driver shift	A courier’s working period, including start location, and end location.
Job	A shipment consisting of (but not limited to) one pick-up and one delivery location.
Stop	The location where a parcel or document is collected from a customer or business, or must be delivered.

Model term

How it applies to this use case

Driver

A courier and their vehicle such as a van, bike, or car, with limited carrying capacity.

Driver shift

A courier’s working period, including start location, and end location.

Job

A shipment consisting of (but not limited to) one pick-up and one delivery location.

Stop

The location where a parcel or document is collected from a customer or business, or must be delivered.

2.4. How to address common scheduling problems

Problem	Solve it with
You must ensure each parcel is picked up before it is delivered by the same courier.	Use pick-up and delivery stops as pairs.
You must meet strict time windows, especially for pick-up stops.	Add time window constraints constraints to pick-up and delivery locations.
You must not exceed a courier’s carrying capacity.	Define capacity limits and specify how much capacity each job requires.
You want to prioritize urgent or premium shipments.	Assign priorities to critical jobs.
You need to meet strict SLAs.	Define visit SLAs to reduce risk.
You want to minimize total driving time or distance.	Use route optimization objectives.
You want to adapt routes when new delivery requests arrive during the day.	Implement real-time replanning.

Problem

Solve it with

You must ensure each parcel is picked up before it is delivered by the same courier.

Use pick-up and delivery stops as pairs.

You must meet strict time windows, especially for pick-up stops.

Add time window constraints constraints to pick-up and delivery locations.

You must not exceed a courier’s carrying capacity.

Define capacity limits and specify how much capacity each job requires.

You want to prioritize urgent or premium shipments.

Assign priorities to critical jobs.

You need to meet strict SLAs.

Define visit SLAs to reduce risk.

You want to minimize total driving time or distance.

Use route optimization objectives.

You want to adapt routes when new delivery requests arrive during the day.

Implement real-time replanning.