Improving the efficiency of last‐mile package deliveries using hybrid driver helpers

Abstract

An approach widely used by parcel delivery companies to deal with increased shipping volumes, especially during peak seasons, is the use of temporary workers called driver helpers. There are two types of driver helpers: (1) dependent helpers (DH) who work alongside drivers to deliver packages on daily routes, and (2) independent helpers (IDH) who do not travel with the drivers but rather work alone at their assigned locations. The standard practice is for each helper to be used as either a DH or an IDH, but not both. This article introduces the concepts of multitasking to the parcel delivery literature by proposing a new type of helper called the hybrid helper, which allows parcel carriers to utilize each helper as both a DH and an IDH in the same route. The hybrid‐helper concept has several advantages over the existing DH or IDH concepts, including (1) reducing the transfer time of IDHs between locations, (2) allowing multiple delivery points to be serviced concurrently, and (3) increasing the daily work time of each helper. We develop a mathematical model that allows a vehicle to visit the same node more than once to enable IDH operations at selected nodes by a DH. Both numerical and field experiments show that our model outperforms other methods. Our results provide implications to practitioners on effective ways of utilizing helpers and suggest the need for future research to consider helpers in a broader context.

Do a non-core worker's procedural justice concerns influence their engagement in helping behavior? A multi-method study

“…For example, non-core “water spiders” monitor and replenish inventory to help the production line avoid delays and interruptions. Other relevant examples are illustrated in Table 1, such as less-than-truckload drivers who have the central responsibility or “core role” of providing same-day transportation services but rely on non-core “driver helpers” for assistance with loading and unloading freight (e.g., Lu et al ., 2022). In the context of food service, prep cooks serve as non-core “material replenishers” in the kitchen and are responsible for restocking line cooks' stations with inventory, while non-core bussers provide support to servers in the delivery, replenishment, and clearing of food and beverages at customer tables.…”