Purpose of the lesson

Use stock information, replenishment plans, customer-order schedules, vehicle capacity and route allocations to prepare an achievable transport and distribution schedule.

Practical outcome

By the end of this lesson, you must be able to:

• Confirm stock availability.
• Verify the stock-replenishment plan.
• Identify stock shortages and their effect on deliveries.
• Convert customer-order schedules into transport-route plans.
• Compare required loads with available transport capacity.
• Identify route and capacity constraints.
• Revise the transport plan when constraints occur.

1. Gather the required information

Obtain:

• Customer-order schedule
• Customer delivery addresses
• Requested delivery dates and time windows
• SKU and quantity information
• Stock-on-hand report
• Stock allocated to other orders
• Replenishment schedule
• Vehicle register
• Vehicle load capacities
• Driver availability
• Existing route allocations
• Loading and dispatch capacity
• Transport lead times
• Road, access and delivery restrictions

Confirm that all information covers the same planning period.

2. Confirm stock availability

Check whether sufficient stock is available for every scheduled customer order.

Use:

Available stock = Stock on hand − Reserved stock − Damaged or unavailable stock

Then calculate:

Projected stock balance = Available stock + Planned receipts − Scheduled demand

Example:

• Stock on hand: 1,200 units
• Reserved stock: 200 units
• Damaged stock: 50 units
• Planned receipts: 300 units
• Scheduled demand: 1,100 units

Available stock = 1,200 − 200 − 50 = 950 units

Projected balance = 950 + 300 − 1,100 = 150 units

A negative balance indicates a shortage.

Stock-availability template

3. Verify the replenishment plan

For each planned receipt, confirm:

• SKU and quantity
• Supplier or production source
• Expected receipt date and time
• Current order status
• Lead time
• Delivery reliability
• Quality-inspection requirements
• Whether the stock will be available before dispatch

Do not allocate planned stock to a customer delivery unless the expected receipt date supports the loading and dispatch schedule.

Classify each receipt as:

• Confirmed
• At risk
• Delayed
• Cancelled
• Received

4. Assess the effect of stock shortages

When you identify a shortage:

1. Identify the affected SKU.
2. Calculate the shortage quantity.
3. Identify affected customer orders.
4. Check customer priority and delivery commitments.
5. Determine when replenishment will become available.
6. Evaluate possible corrective actions.
7. update the customer-order and transport schedules.
8. Communicate the change to authorised stakeholders.

Possible corrective actions include:

• Expedite replenishment.
• Transfer stock from another warehouse.
• Substitute an approved product.
• Split the customer delivery.
• Reallocate stock according to approved priorities.
• Change the dispatch date.
• Agree on a revised delivery date.

Record the effect of each decision on cost, service and other customers.

Shortage-impact register

5. Confirm transport requirements

Convert each customer order into a transport requirement.

Record:

• Customer and destination
• Delivery date and time window
• Product and quantity
• Weight
• Volume
• Number of pallets or containers
• Handling requirements
• Vehicle requirements
• Loading location
• Estimated travel and unloading time

Use the controlling capacity measure. A vehicle may have enough weight capacity but insufficient floor space or volume.

6. Confirm available transport capacity

Prepare a vehicle-capacity register.

Check:

• Vehicle roadworthiness
• Licence and permit requirements
• Driver availability
• Maintenance schedules
• Fuel availability
• Product compatibility
• Temperature-control requirements
• Customer-site access restrictions
• Operating and driving-time restrictions

7. Calculate vehicle utilisation

Use:

Weight utilisation = Planned load weight ÷ Vehicle weight capacity × 100

If a truck with an 8,000 kg capacity carries 6,400 kg:

Weight utilisation = 6,400 ÷ 8,000 × 100 = 80%

Also calculate volume or pallet utilisation where relevant.

Pallet utilisation = Pallets loaded ÷ Vehicle pallet capacity × 100

The vehicle must remain within every applicable capacity and safety limit.

8. Allocate customers to routes

Group customers into practical routes by considering:

• Geographic location
• Delivery sequence
• Required delivery windows
• Vehicle capacity
• Road conditions
• Distance and travel time
• Customer unloading time
• Depot operating hours
• Product compatibility
• Vehicle-access restrictions
• Return-load opportunities

A route must be achievable within the available operating period.

Route-planning template

9. Determine the delivery sequence

Sequence deliveries to meet customer commitments while reducing unnecessary distance and delays.

Consider:

1. Priority customers
2. Fixed delivery appointments
3. Vehicle-access times
4. Geographic proximity
5. Product-handling requirements
6. Unloading duration
7. Traffic and road conditions
8. Vehicle return time

For deliveries from Johannesburg to customers in Pretoria and Polokwane, consider whether combining them on one route remains practical after accounting for delivery windows, distance and vehicle capacity.

10. Compare route demand with capacity

For each route, compare:

Do not approve a route that exceeds a legal, safety, vehicle or operational limit.

11. Identify transport constraints

Record constraints such as:

• Insufficient vehicle capacity
• Vehicle breakdowns
• Driver shortages
• Conflicting delivery windows
• Excessive route duration
• Restricted customer access
• Stock becoming available after dispatch
• Incompatible products
• Loading-bay congestion
• Road closures or infrastructure disruptions
• Long-distance delivery requirements
• Unexpected increases in customer demand

Constraint register

12. Revise the route plan

When the original plan is not achievable:

1. Confirm the constraint.
2. Identify affected customers and orders.
3. Determine alternative routes or resources.
4. assess cost, time, capacity and service effects.
5. Select an authorised solution.
6. revise the route schedule.
7. Communicate the change.
8. Monitor the revised plan.

Possible revisions include:

• Reallocate customers between routes.
• Change the delivery sequence.
• Use another available vehicle.
• Appoint an approved third-party transporter.
• Split a load.
• Consolidate compatible loads.
• Reschedule a delivery.
• Expedite stock.
• Transfer stock from another location.

Maintain the original plan and revised version as evidence of the decision.

13. Prepare the final transport schedule

Include:

Obtain the required operational approval before releasing the schedule.

14. Monitor the schedule

During execution:

• Confirm loading completion.
• Record the departure time.
• Track route progress.
• Record arrival and departure at each customer.
• Monitor delivery exceptions.
• Communicate delays.
• Obtain proof of delivery.
• Record undelivered or returned stock.
• Compare actual performance with the plan.
• Update relevant systems and records.

Use results such as on-time delivery, vehicle utilisation and transport cost per unit to improve future schedules.

Practical task

You are provided with a case study containing stock availability, replenishment information, transport capacity, customer-order schedules and existing customer-route allocations.

Complete the following:

1. Confirm available stock by SKU.
2. Verify the stock-replenishment plan.
3. Identify shortages.
4. Determine how each shortage affects customer deliveries.
5. Convert customer-order schedules into a transport-route plan.
6. Assign customers, vehicles and drivers to routes.
7. Calculate capacity utilisation.
8. Identify transport-capacity and route constraints.
9. Revise the route plan to resolve identified constraints.
10. Submit the final achievable transport schedule.

Required evidence

Include the following in your Portfolio of Evidence:

• Source customer-order schedule
• Stock-availability report
• Verified replenishment plan
• Stock-availability calculations
• Shortage-impact register
• Vehicle and driver capacity register
• Initial transport-route plan
• Capacity-utilisation calculations
• Constraint register
• Revised and approved route plan
• Evidence of schedule monitoring or review
• Learner declaration of authenticity

Competence checklist

Lesson Summary

To prepare a transport and distribution schedule, confirm stock and planned replenishment before allocating customer orders to routes. Translate each order into weight, volume, pallet, timing and handling requirements, and compare these requirements with available vehicles and drivers. Identify shortages, capacity limitations and route conflicts, then revise the plan using authorised alternatives. Finalise an achievable schedule, obtain approval and retain the calculations, constraints, revisions and monitoring records as practical evidence.