Engine Modes (Updated)
The Engine Mode Module allows configuration of optimization behavior across different algorithms, including Driver-Load Matching, LTL Consolidation, and Partial Consolidation. Each Engine Mode defines a unique set of rules, thresholds, and penalties that govern how the system generates and ranks recommendations. Users can customize modes for specific planning strategies and assign those modes to use cases such as “Next Trip Only,” “Next 3 Trips,” or any LTL/Partial Consolidation scenario.
Table of Contents
Key Use Cases
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Customize optimization rules for different driver fleets or planning strategies
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Fine-tune planning logic to prioritize cost, coverage, time windows, or efficiency
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Enable/disable constraints such as state preference, relay, or preload
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Limit distance, time, or gap conditions between trips or loads
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Apply penalties for lateness, unassigned trips, or target violations
Navigation Overview
Access the Engine Mode module under Settings > Engine Mode.
From the left panel, you can view and select modes categorized under:
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Driver-Load Matching
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LTL Consolidation
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Partial Consolidation
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System Default
Click on any mode to view or edit its configuration. You can also Duplicate a load from the action button next to the name in the panel
Engine Mode Types
Driver-Load Matching
Used for recommending individual trips or multi-trip tours to drivers. Examples include:
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Default Mode: General-purpose logic across all driver types
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Next Trip Only: Assign a single additional trip per driver
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Next 3 Trips: Plan a tour of up to 3 sequential trips
- Critical Freight: Parameters can impose a larger penalty for critical planning
- Dedicated Fleets: Utilize Driver-Load Matching rules to align revenue code and fleet exclusively
- Local Drivers: Can be planned separately to allow extended parameters specific to local drivers or can be planned in conjuction with other driver types
- Anything you can imagine...
Load Combination
LTL Consolidation
Optimizes grouping of multiple LTL loads into a single trip or manifest, subject to time, stop, and capacity constraints. LTL Consolidation utilizes origin and destination pool points to create a Manfiest plan that includes multiple legs/lanes and an implied first and final mile distribution.
Partial Consolidation
Optimizes grouping of partial loads, allowing more flexible combinations with soft constraints on commodity, region, or stop count to create a multi-stop tour manifest. Partial consolidation is meant to include 2-5 loads to complete a single trip trailer consolidation.
Mode Management
You can:
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Create a new mode: Click the “+” button and select the algorithm
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Copy from an existing mode: Use “Copy Parameters From” when adding
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Edit: Click into any mode and choose “Edit”
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Duplicate or Delete: Use the 3-dot menu on each mode
Absolutely. Below is a detailed elaboration of Engine Mode Parameters, organized into categories with Name, Description, and Example Values.
ENGINE MODE PARAMETERS
Driver-Load Matching - Planning Window
|
Name |
Description |
Example Values |
|---|---|---|
|
Priority Assignment Window |
Timeframe (in hours) where the engine prioritizes driver-trip assignments. |
48 hours (Local, Regional) |
|
Extended Assignment Window |
Additional hours beyond the priority window to make assignments. |
48 hours |
Driver-Load Matching - Trip/Tour Constraints
|
Name |
Description |
Example Values |
|---|---|---|
|
Allow Trip Assignment Replanning |
Whether previously assigned trips can be reassigned during optimization. |
Yes / No |
|
Relax Rules for More Recommendations |
Temporarily loosens constraints if no recommendations are found. |
Yes / No |
|
Enable Relay Recommendations |
Allows engine to recommend driver relays to cover long hauls. |
Yes / No |
|
Maximum Gap Between Trips |
Max time gap allowed between consecutive trips in a tour. |
72 hours |
|
Critical Trip Gap Limit |
Max allowed delay between priority trips. |
48 hours |
|
Maximum Miles Per Tour |
Max total miles (deadhead + loaded) in a tour. |
3,960 miles |
|
Trip Start Delay Limit |
Max delay (from PTA) for the first stop in a trip. |
4 hours |
|
Post-Start Delay Limit |
Max delay allowed at later stops in the trip. |
2 hours |
Driver-Load Matching - Geographic Constraints
|
Name |
Description |
Example Values |
|---|---|---|
|
Maximum Deadhead Distance to Origin |
Max miles a driver can travel to reach a trip’s origin. |
20% of total miles, capped at 300 mi |
|
Maximum Deadhead Distance from Destination |
Max miles to next trip or time-off location. |
300 miles |
|
Maximum Distance from Domicile |
Max distance from driver’s home base to be considered for a trip. |
250 mi (Local), 700 mi (Regional), 3,000 mi (OTR) |
|
Maximum Trips Per Tour |
Max number of trips allowed in one continuous tour. |
4 |
|
Maximum Duration Per Tour |
Max number of hours in a driver’s tour. |
72 hours |
|
Unconfirmed Pickup Appointment Extension |
Hours added to flexibility window for soft appointments. |
24 hours |
Driver-Load Matching - Penalty Settings
|
Name |
Description |
Example Values |
|---|---|---|
|
Penalty for Unassigned Priority Window |
Cost for leaving trips unassigned within the priority window. |
1 |
|
Hourly Delay Penalty |
Penalty per hour of delay beyond scheduled arrival. |
$100/hour |
|
Weekly Target Deficit Penalty |
Penalty if weekly mileage, earnings, or revenue targets are not met. |
Revenue: 0.5, Mileage: 2 $/mi, Earnings: 1 |
|
Enable Driver Seniority Priority |
Whether seniority (e.g., hire date) affects assignment logic. |
Yes / No |
|
Driver Seniority Scaling Factor |
Weight (1–5) applied to seniority-based ranking. |
1 |
|
Enforce Driver State Preference |
Whether driver state preference is enforced (hard constraint). |
Yes |
|
Penalty for State Preference Violation |
Cost of violating state preference when treated as soft constraint. |
100 |
|
Enable Non-Preferred Driver-Load Matching |
Allows ignoring preferred pairing if better option exists. |
No |
Load Combination – LTL / Partial
LTL and Partial load consolidation work through a differnt algorithm. The biggest difference is LTL consolidation utilizes Origin and Destination Sort locations to allow full consolidation, line haul, and deconsolidation manifests. Partial Load consolidation is modeled as Trailer Consolidation so that 2-5 partial loads can be consolidated into one multi-stop Truckload.
Engine Mode Parameters – LTL Consolidation
|
Name |
Description |
Example Values |
|---|---|---|
|
Trailer Capacity Limits |
Max allowable capacity of a trailer in terms of weight, volume, and pallets. |
45,000 lbs, 3,000 ft³, 31 pallets |
|
Default Load Capacity |
Fallback capacity for loads when trailer-specific data is unavailable. |
15,000 lbs, 1,000 ft³, 10 pallets |
|
Maximum Days per Manifest |
Maximum duration (in days) allowed to complete all stops in a manifest. |
5 days |
|
Maximum Wait Time at Stops |
Max time a driver can dwell at a stop while waiting for service. |
24 hours |
|
Enable Load Count Limit per Manifest |
Enables a hard cap on number of loads in a manifest. |
No |
|
Maximum Legs per Manifest |
Max number of distinct stops (legs) allowed per manifest. |
3 |
|
Enable Circuitry Limit for Manifest |
Enforces a ratio of total mileage to straight-line distance. |
Yes |
|
Maximum Circuitry Limit Ratio |
Max ratio of manifest mileage to straight-line mileage. |
1.6 |
|
Cost per Mile |
The cost used by the optimization engine per mile when scoring solutions. |
$3 / mile |
|
Adhere to Location Operating Hours |
Whether to honor site hours for pickups/deliveries. |
No |
|
Use Cubic Feet for Volume |
If true, volume is evaluated in cubic feet (vs. pallet count). |
Yes |
Engine Mode Parameters – Partial Load Consolidation
|
Name |
Description |
Example Values |
|---|---|---|
|
Trailer Capacity Limits |
Maximum trailer capacity for weight, volume, and pallets. |
45,000 lbs, 3,000 ft³, 31 pallets |
|
Default Load Capacity |
Default fallback when trailer-specific capacity is not available. |
15,000 lbs, 1,000 ft³, 10 pallets |
|
Maximum Days per Manifest |
Maximum duration (in days) for completing the full manifest. |
5 days |
|
Maximize Consolidated Loads |
Prioritizes load count in a manifest over minimizing cost. |
No |
|
Maximum Partial Loads per Manifest |
Maximum partial loads allowed in a single manifest (excludes first/last shipper limits). |
3 |
|
Enable Partial Load’s Stop Count Limit per Manifest |
Enables a limit on the number of distinct stops. |
No |
|
Maximum Wait Time at Stops |
Maximum dwell time at any stop in the trip. |
24 hours |
|
Enable Load Count Limit per Manifest |
Enables a max number of loads allowed in one manifest. |
No |
|
Maximum Legs per Manifest |
Maximum number of stops/legs per manifest. |
3 |
|
Minimum Distance Savings for Load Combination |
Minimum route savings (in miles) needed to justify consolidation. |
100 miles |
|
Maximum Distance Ratio for Load Combination |
Max ratio of consolidated mileage to direct mileage. |
0.9 |
|
Pickup & Delivery Proximity |
Max distance between pickup and dropoff for a partial load. |
1,000,000 miles (default unconstrained) |
|
Enable Circuitry Limit for Manifest |
Enables routing efficiency constraint using Circuitry Ratio. |
Yes |
|
Maximum Circuitry Limit Ratio |
Max allowed ratio of manifest mileage to straight-line mileage. |
1.6 |
|
Cost per Mile |
Value used by engine to calculate cost of candidate manifests. |
$3 / mile |
|
Adhere to Location Operating Hours |
If enabled, only selects loads that comply with location time windows. |
No |
|
Use Cubic Feet for Volume |
If true, uses cubic feet instead of pallet count for volume handling. |
Yes |
Let me know if you’d like a comparison table between LTL and Partial Load settings, or if you’re ready to proceed to the Rate Matrix module next.
Data Dictionary
|
Name |
Description |
Data Type |
|---|---|---|
|
Engine Mode Name |
Custom name for a saved configuration |
String |
|
Algorithm |
Driver-Load Matching, LTL Consolidation, or Partial Consolidation |
Enum |
|
Priority Assignment Window |
Time in hours (per driver type) for assigning trips |
Number |
|
Extended Assignment Window |
Time in hours to continue suggesting trips past priority window |
Number |
|
Max Gap Between Trips |
Maximum hours between back-to-back trips in a tour |
Number |
|
Critical Trip Gap Limit |
Hours allowed for “must-assign” trips |
Number |
|
Max Miles Per Tour |
Max total miles (loaded + deadhead) in a single tour |
Number |
|
Max Trips Per Tour |
Max number of trips per driver tour |
Integer |
|
Max Duration Per Tour |
Max total time allowed in a tour (hours) |
Number |
|
Deadhead Distance to Origin |
Max miles allowed to travel from driver location to origin |
Number / Ratio |
|
Deadhead Distance from Destination |
Max miles allowed to next trip or time-off location |
Number |
|
Max Distance from Domicile |
Max miles from home base for assignment |
Number |
|
Unconfirmed Pickup Extension |
Extra hours allowed beyond pickup appointment |
Number |
|
Penalty for Unassigned Window |
Cost applied when a trip remains unassigned in a planning window |
Currency |
|
Hourly Delay Penalty |
Cost per hour for arrival delays |
Currency |
|
Weekly Target Deficit Penalty |
Penalties for failing to meet goals (revenue, miles, earnings) |
Currency / Unit |
|
Enable Driver Seniority |
Use seniority as a factor in assignments |
Boolean |
|
Driver Seniority Factor |
Scaling impact of seniority (1-5) |
Integer |
|
Enforce State Preference |
Enforce driver state rules strictly |
Boolean |
|
Penalty for State Violation |
Penalty if state preference is broken |
Currency |
|
Enable Non-Preferred Matching |
Allow override of driver preferences if needed |
Boolean |
|
Trailer Capacity Limits |
Max trailer volume, weight, pallets |
Number |
|
Max Days per Manifest |
Time window for multi-day manifest |
Integer |
|
Max Legs per Manifest |
Max stops allowed for LTL trip |
Integer |
|
Wait Time at Stops |
Max dwell time per stop |
Number |
|
Min Distance Savings |
Required savings to justify a consolidation |
Number |
|
Circuitry Limit Ratio |
Ratio of route vs. straight-line mileage |
Decimal |
|
Cost Per Mile |
Optimization cost used for route scoring |
Currency |
|
Use Cubic Feet for Volume |
Enables use of cu ft vs pallet count |
Boolean |