An asexual genetic algorithm for the general single vehicle routing problem

This article proposes an optimization algorithm for the general vehicle routing problem. The algorithm uses mutation based genetic algorithms (GAs) (or asexual GAs). The algorithm is general, in that it can handle various types of the vehicle routing problem; namely, the traveling salesman problem, the single vehicle pick-up and delivery problem, and the single vehicle pick-up and delivery problem with time windows. The algorithm is fast and gives optimal/near-optimal solutions with minimal computation effort. The algorithm is simple and easy to implement. Results from forty-six problems (most of which are obtained from existing sources) are also presented.