Classification Framework for Vehicle Routing Problems

The vehicle routing problem (VRP) is a combinatorial optimization problem that involves finding optimal routes traveled by a fleet of vehicles to serve a set of customers. Ever since it was introduced, the literature on VRP has expanded exponentially and it has become quite disjointed and disparate. Given the huge number of the VRP's field of application and disciplined, examining the VRP literature has become hard. The aim of this work is to trace the routes of the evolution of VRP variants over the years. We aim to present a systematic literature review based on 285 papers, using a bibliometric analysis, and a classification framework. This work would enhance a systematic identification of gaps in the literature and as a result, lead to future research agenda and highlight scopes of improvements in several VRP areas.