GSW "in the process of evaluating acquisition targets", page-44

Yes, perhaps, but these are deliveries to retail outlets, right? What sort of route optimisation is possible? It’s essentially a defined route with non-changing start and end points and freeway in between.

And the trips are stocking runs, no? Bringing the usual product for the shelves. Multiple runs in day are likely due to orders too large for a single truck run or perhaps special orders for equipment not kept in store stock (rarely ordered tractor pumps, for example). Regardless, Galveston has 50k people and two AutoZone stores. Unless this Texas town is the car parts capital of the universe it’s very unlikely that autozone makes 21 delivery runs a week to Galveston.

It seems that route and load optimisation has the most value in situations where there is high variability in load and delivery points. Neither of which you would tend to have in retail store supply but are very common for online order delivery. That’s why I’m wondering what I’m missing in the NAW deal. It just doesn’t seem like there is a lot of opportunity for GSW to improve delivery in the NAW partner’s business model.