Automatic conveyance system

An automated transport system, comprising:

• transport devices configured to process tasks including a transport task for transporting an item from a loading dock to a rack or transporting the item from the rack to the loading dock;
• and
• a management device configured to manage the transport devices;
• wherein
• the management device is configured to execute a task assignment process and a task optimization process,
• the task assignment process assigns the tasks to the transport devices,
• the task optimization process exchanges the transport tasks when any one of following conditions is satisfied:
• the management device calculates a transport cost for when the transport task assigned in the task assignment process is exchanged between two separate ones of the transport devices, and the calculated transport cost is less than a transport cost of the tasks originally assigned in the task assignment process;
• and
• the management device calculates the transport cost for when the transport task assigned in the task assignment process is exchanged with a pending transport task, and the calculated transport cost is less than the transport cost if the pending transport task were to be assigned to one of the transport devices, and
• the management device executes the task optimization process during a period in which the transport devices are processing the tasks assigned in the task assignment process.