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Volume 4, Issue 4, 2025
Open Access
Research article
Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process for Optimizing the Selection of Electric Vehicles in Urban Courier Services
Sreten Simović ,
jelena šaković-jovanović ,
tijana ivanišević ,
aleksandar trifunović
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Available online: 09-18-2025

Abstract

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The accelerating growth of urban populations, rapid city expansion, and inadequacies in transportation infrastructure have exacerbated traffic congestion and environmental burdens in metropolitan areas. These challenges have intensified the demand for sustainable mobility strategies, with electric vehicles emerging as a central component of urban decarbonization and efficiency initiatives. In this study, a structured multi-criteria decision-making framework was established to determine the most suitable electric vehicle for courier services. The framework was developed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), which enables the systematic evaluation of both criteria and sub-criteria and provides a robust mechanism for prioritizing alternatives. To enhance reliability, the model was implemented and validated using Expert Choice software, allowing for consistency testing and sensitivity analysis. Three categories of electric vehicles—electric cars, electric scooters, and electric bicycles—were assessed against a comprehensive set of decision factors encompassing economic, operational, environmental, and infrastructural dimensions. The resulting preference weights indicated that electric cars (0.387) represent the most suitable option for courier services under the evaluated conditions, followed closely by electric scooters (0.316) and electric bicycles (0.297). The ranking highlights the relative advantages of electric cars in balancing load capacity, operational flexibility, and environmental impact, while also reflecting the growing feasibility of scooters and bicycles for last-mile delivery. By offering a transparent and replicable approach to alternative vehicle selection, this research contributes to the optimization of courier logistics and the promotion of environmentally responsible transportation systems in congested urban environments. The methodological framework developed in this study may be adapted for broader applications in sustainable transport planning and fleet management, supporting policy-makers and practitioners in achieving urban sustainability objectives.

Abstract

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The optimization of project schedules in the presence of uncertainty remains a critical challenge in project management. This study proposes a hybrid methodology that combines Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) with Integer Linear Programming (ILP) to optimize project crashing strategies under conditions of schedule risk. The approach was applied to a real-world telecommunications infrastructure project, which involved the construction of 50 towers within a stringent contractual deadline. MCS was employed to model the uncertainty in activity durations and assess the likelihood of on-time project completion, while ILP was used to determine the most cost-effective crashing strategy. The findings indicate that, without any mitigation measures, the probability of completing the project within the planned 68-day schedule was a mere 3%. However, upon implementing risk response measures, this probability increased to 21%. A comparative analysis demonstrated that delay penalties increase at a much higher rate than crashing costs, highlighting the significant financial benefits of early intervention. This study illustrates that the integration of probabilistic risk analysis with optimization techniques not only enhances schedule reliability but also minimizes cost overruns, providing a robust decision-making framework for complex projects. By leveraging the combination of MCS and ILP, the proposed methodology supports the development of more resilient and economically efficient project plans, particularly in projects characterized by high uncertainty and time-sensitive constraints.

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