To overcome the unbalanced profit allocation problem among distribution centers in multi-center vehicle routing optimization process, the logistics service provider is introduced as a coordinator to promote a cooperative alliance among the distribution centers (DCs). Firstly, a mathematical model is established to minimize the total cost of the multi-center joint distribution network. Secondly, the initial routes are generated based on customer clustering approach, and a Genetic-Algorithm-Particle Swarm Optimization (GA-PSO) hybrid algorithm is utilized to optimize the initial routes. And then, MCRS (Minimum Cost-Remaining Saving), Shapley value method, the proportion minimum core method, the weak minimum core method and the minimum core method are used to solve the multi-center profit allocation model, and the alliance stability approach is used to select the optimal profit allocation strategy. Finally, the strictly monotonic path (SMP) method is applied and the profit maximization of logistics service provider is taken as the goal to study the formation process of alliance cooperation sequence and the existent form of multiple alliances. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by an example. The results show that the method is helpful to promote the formation of alliance among distribution centers, and the method can also be used in the formation, split and network optimization of logistics transportation network cooperation alliance based on multi-center vehicle routing problem.
