How does delivery frequency change the container pool?

More frequent delivery cuts store stock, but since containers are not filled to the brim on every trip, the number dispatched can rise. The pool is daily containers times cycle time.

10 July 2026Updated 28 September 2026

Short answer

As delivery becomes more frequent, store stock falls, but because containers are not filled completely on every trip the daily dispatch count can rise and the pool grows. The pool is containers dispatched per day times one container's full cycle (route, wait at store, empty return, washing). A shorter cycle can offset the growth.

The pool comes from containers dispatched per day multiplied by one container's full cycle time. Both change with frequency: containers are not completely full on each trip, so the daily count rises, while a container that waits less at the store shortens the cycle.

Example: 100 cartons a day, 24 per container, 3-day cycle	Containers/day	Pool
1 delivery a day (100 cartons)	5	15
2 deliveries a day (50 each)	6	18

For the same carton volume, containers dispatched go from 5 to 6, and if the cycle does not shorten the pool grows by a fifth. The decision should therefore show the store-stock gain in one table with route fill, empty collection and washing load, for current and proposed frequency over the same demand period.