Apparatus and method for grouping vehicles for cooperative driving

A method for cooperative sharing of an aerodynamic load between across a fleet of vehicles, comprising:

• inputting vehicle information, driver information, and load information;
• determining, using a processor, schedules for optimizing tandem utilization;
• and
• controlling the vehicles in tandem positions to effect a drafting of a first vehicle by a second vehicle in a slipstream of the first vehicle in accordance with the determined schedules.

A computer readable medium containing program instructions for cooperative sharing of an aerodynamic load between across a fleet of vehicles, wherein execution of the program instructions by one or more processors of a computer system causes the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

• interpreting one or more fleet delivery requirements, assets, drivers, and vehicle descriptions;
• determining a travel schedule with respect to a first vehicle and a second vehicle that enables the first vehicle and the second vehicle to travel in tandem for a least a portion of a route in response to the interpretation of the one or more fleet delivery requirements, assets, drivers, and vehicle descriptions;
• and
• providing a fleet delivery schedule to the first vehicle and the second vehicle in response to the determination of the travel schedule.