22 September 2008
Monash University researchers are working with Constraint Technologies, a company that provides optimisation software to the transport, travel and logistics sector, to develop a software system that will transform the way transport companies roster staff.
The $1.24M project will deliver major savings to public and private organisations in the airline, trucking, rail and public transport industries by streamlining their approach to 'crewing'.
Transportation crewing is a complex process that involves rostering staff with the right skills, in the right place over the right time periods. Crewing also involves ensuring rosters meet safety criteria and industry regulations.
The disruption caused by crewing difficulties is estimated to account for more than 25 per cent of a company's operational crew costs.
The research team from the Faculty of Information Technology will combine artificial intelligence, operational research, and data mining -- a sophisticated search technique that sorts relevant information from large amounts of data -- to build a software tool that can quickly and easily generate staff rosters that satisfy all transportation crewing requirements.
Monash IT Professor Mark Wallace said a method for fast development of efficient solutions would enable organisations to more efficiently manage and roster their staff.
"Crewing costs are critical to the financial viability of companies. An increase in crewing costs of only a few per cent can make an enterprise unviable," Professor Wallace said.
"There is also often a lot of wastage. Crew schedules can leave people being paid to do nothing in places they don't want to be and if anything changes on the day, for example, if a flight is delayed and the rostered crew reaches their allowed duty time, passengers have to sit in the plane and wait until a substitute crew arrives.
"This software will allow companies to prepare efficient, legal, fair and robust rosters which can be modified flexibly on the day of operation."
Professor Wallace said better management of staff could also benefit consumers financially.
"Since transportation underpins most manufacturing and commerce, costs in crewing have a flow-on effect to all goods and services," Professor Wallace said.
"Improvements in operational reliability and costs through better transportation crewing will have great economic benefit."
The research will focus on the airline industry initially, before examining rail, shipping, bus and trucking. Researchers expect the approach will eventually apply to industries such as mining, production and construction, as well as large government departments including health, defence and education.
For interviews with Professor Mark Wallace or Constraint Technologies, contact Shaunnagh O'Loughlin, Media Communications on +61 3 9903 4843 or +61 448 574 148.
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