Multi-stage truck assignment system and method

A method for providing dispatch assignments to a plurality of vehicles in an environment including a plurality of sources and a plurality of processing sites, the method comprising:

• obtaining current information about the environment;
• obtaining information about optimal criteria;
• determining, based on the current environment and optimal criteria information, a production plan;
• determining a plurality of possible dispatch assignments for each vehicle based on the production plan;
• determining costs associated with each possible dispatch assignment;
• and
• selecting from among the possible dispatch assignments, for each of the plurality of vehicles, a dispatch assignment based on a consideration of a cooperative assignment of multiple vehicles within the plurality of vehicles.

A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method for providing dispatch assignments to a plurality of vehicles in an environment including a plurality of sources and a plurality of processing sites, the method comprising:

• obtaining current information about the environment;
• obtaining information about optimal criteria;
• determining, based on the current environment and optimal criteria information, a production plan;
• determining a plurality of possible dispatch assignments for each vehicle based on the production plan;
• determining costs associated with each possible dispatch assignment;
• and selecting from among the possible dispatch assignments, for each of the plurality of vehicles, a dispatch assignment based on a consideration of a cooperative assignment of multiple vehicles within the plurality of vehicles.

A system for providing dispatch assignments within an environment, the system comprising:

• a plurality of vehicles;
• a plurality of sources;
• a plurality of processing sites;
• and
• a base computer, wherein the base computer is configured to provide dispatch information to the plurality of vehicles based upon anticipated future environment conditions.

A method for providing dispatch assignments to a plurality of vehicles in an environment including a plurality of sources and a plurality of processing sites, the method comprising:

• obtaining current information about the environment;
• obtaining anticipated future information about the environment;
• obtaining information about optimal criteria;
• determining, based on the current environment and optimal criteria information, a production plan;
• determining a plurality of possible dispatch assignments for each vehicle based on the production plan;
• determining costs associated with each possible dispatch assignment;
• and
• selecting from among the possible dispatch assignments, for each of the plurality of vehicles, a dispatch assignment based on the production plan and anticipated future environment conditions.

A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method for providing dispatch assignments to a plurality of vehicles in an environment including a plurality of sources and a plurality of processing sites, the method comprising:

• obtaining current information about the environment;
• obtaining anticipated future information about the environment;
• obtaining information about optimal criteria;
• determining, based on the current environment and optimal criteria information, a production plan;
• determining a plurality of possible dispatch assignments for each vehicle based on the production plan;
• determining costs associated with each possible dispatch assignment;
• and
• selecting from among the possible dispatch assignments, for each of the plurality of vehicles, a dispatch assignment based on the production plan and anticipated future environment conditions.