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Capstone Projects

Building Synthetic Density for Last-Mile Delivery

Program: Data Science Master's
Host Company: FedEx Ground
Location: Brookfield, Wisconsin (onsite)
Student: Ashley DeLacy

One of the most expensive aspects when delivering a package is what is known as the last-mile. This is the last leg of the delivery process where numerous stops have to be made to individual addresses, often with only a single package being delivered at a time. This project’s purpose is to explore building density in that last-mile by “holding” packages in delivery windows, which will be done by instructing customers on when to fulfill shipments. Not only will building density decrease costs, but it will decrease the client’s environmental footprint and allow them to provide better rates for their customers, strengthening relationships. Overall, this project has four main objectives: to understand the business context around different customers when determining their potential delivery windows, to analyze the effect this delivery window will have on match rates and density, to explore the benefits of a cloud platform in terms of feasibility and repeatability of this analysis, and to identify future advancements.