Patent ID: 7949612

Claim:
A method for optimizing hauling productivity for a plurality of log trucks picking up a plurality of log loads from a plurality of log loaders and hauling said plurality of log loads to a plurality of mills, comprising the steps of: a. providing a computer running an optimizer program; b. providing a log load input device to each of said plurality of log loaders, each of said log load input devices including i. means for inputting load data about each of said plurality of log loads, said load data including a desired trailer configuration type, location where a log load is to be picked up, destination for said log load, and a time when said log load will be available to be picked up, ii. means for wirelessly transmitting said load data to said computer running said optimizer program; c. entering said load data into said log load input device; d. transmitting said load data from said log load input device to said computer; e. providing a load request input device to each of said log trucks, each of said load request input devices including i. means for inputting status data about a log truck, said status data including present location of said log truck, and a time when said log truck will be available to pick up one of said plurality of log loads, ii. means for wirelessly transmitting said status data to said computer running said optimizer program; f. entering said status data into said load request input device; g. transmitting said status data from said load request input device to said computer; h. using said optimizer program running on said computer to create a load queue containing all of said load data and a truck queue containing all of said status data; i. assigning said log trucks corresponding to said status data to said log loads corresponding to said load data in order to minimize unloaded travel of said log trucks, thereby creating log truck assignments whereby each of said trucks is assigned to one of said log loads; and j. transmitting said log truck assignments from said computer to said log load input devices and said load request input devices.