Glossary
Savings algorithm
The savings algorithm (Clarke and Wright, 1964) builds vehicle routes by repeatedly joining the pair of stops whose combination saves the most distance compared with serving each from the depot alone.
Last updated By Porch Routes
It starts with one out-and-back trip per stop, calculates the saving from merging every pair, and merges greedily from the largest saving down while the constraints allow. It is fast and produces good starting routes, which is why it remains the classic construction step before a local-search improvement.
Porch Routes does not build its routes with the savings algorithm. It inserts each stop where it costs least, then improves the routes. The word “savings” on a finished plan means miles, time and fuel against a baseline, so the two are worth telling apart.
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