As an adjunct to its retail business, Medic Drugs fills prescriptions for outlying nursing homes, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and retirement homes. Part of this service is to deliver the prescription order to the customer site. Station wagons having a capacity of 63 cartons are used for delivery. Customer locations are geocoded by a linear grid overlay with a map-scaling factor of 4.6 per coordinate unit. Customer data for a typical delivery day is given in Table 7-8. The 0,0 coordinates on the grid are in the southwest corner.

Deliveries may begin as early a 8 A.M. (drivers leave depot) and drivers are to return to the base pharmacy by 6 P.M. Average driving speed is 30 miles per hour. Drivers are allowed a one-hour lunch break after 12 noon. Most customers may receive their deliveries between 9 A.M. and 5 P.M., although there are a few exceptions. The base pharmacy is located at X = 13.7, Y = 21.2. If a driver returns early to the base pharmacy, the station wagon may be reloaded and sent on a second route.
a. Design a dispatch route plan that will minimize total distance traveled.
b. Can any routes be assigned to the same station wagon to reduce the total number of drivers and vehicles needed to service the customers? If not, is there anything that might be done to accomplish this?

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Table 7-8 Customer Data for Medic Drugs Crington House Cu Euclid Mao uter Ma Fairmant 194 34 13 16.5200 194 235 AM S AM PM Heather Hill Hill Haven Homstoad Ger Inn Connen ludson Parlk Amer Laksho 5PM AM5pM 54 1118 ila Care C Madiaon Village Manor Hou Meadow ek Mr Medicae NMaror Ceer OEstended Ca Ouk Park Ohio Pythian Park Re 13423 184 228 219 12 232128 AM 10后 17322 hery Ridge Pne Valle Koyal View Manor 14. 183 29 105 185 11 18 tAugastine Mr Singletin wart Lodge own Habl AM A35PM AM sbtaala Aistin Wood Cle Colden A VilaSante An Wadswort Wicklitfe Cntry 107 71302 11 1030AM 130M AM Westhaver roadheld M D2