Steps to Planning the Most Efficient Routes with a Route Planner

Want to plan 50+ stops for multiple drivers but google is not letting you do that? Why not try a route planner tool for optimized route planning? 

Two major sectors in the supply chain desperately need a route planner to make their journeys as smooth and short as possible—the first and last mile. Effective route planning makes it easy to manage and map out ten to twenty halts simultaneously. Not only mapping but optimizing them ensures the shortest traveling time from point A to B to C.

Most importantly, route planning with a route planner is necessary not only for big businesses but also for small businesses. This allows them to conserve their resources and win over customer satisfaction and client retention.

Here is an article showing how easy and efficient it is to plan trips and routes using a route planner tool. There are also three prime reasons why using a route planning system is best instead of relying on free tools like Google Maps.

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What is the Route Planning Process with a Route Planner?

Route planning is the process of planning and optimizing trips and halts to get the most value out of your fleet vehicles. When you plan your delivery routes ahead of time, you can make better decisions about the stop order and staff utilization. You may also consider special requirements, like a customer-requested delivery time.

This process requires considering elements other than time and distance, such as time frame restrictions, types of paths or roads, traffic patterns, and vehicle and driver requirements.

So how do you do it? Typically, the procedure entails compiling information on every mode of transportation and routing choice while accounting for the needs of each particular stop. After that, you can evaluate this data and provide a variety of potential routes to managers and drivers using advanced fleet routing software. This sounds and looks tough, especially when done manually using archaic software.

Let’s see how route planner tool are simplifying and elevating this process.

How to Plan the Most Efficient Routes

Here are effective route-planning examples that you can plan with the help of the tools:

How to Plan a Single Destination Route

First Mile

In the first mile, having a single destination route is common. And having an efficient route planner like TrackoBit makes the job far easier. Here is how you can map out the route for fleet trips on the software:

• Define the starting point and final destination.
• Open TrackoBit and feed in the data.
• Do not forget to mark resting points and gas stations for refuelling.
• The route and other important trip details get shared over the driver app.

Final Mile

Single destination is uncommon in the final mile but is not so uncalled for as it depends on the business model. Quick commerce businesses assign routes with a single destination to riders to deliver food, groceries, or time and temperature-sensitive goods and use a combination of technology and algorithms. To help with this route planning, TrackoMile can be of great assistance:

• After the customer has placed the order and the customer of the company’s system has acknowledged it, the software gets to work.
• TrackoMile checks for the availability of delivery riders near the establishment.
• The system assigns orders to drivers based on the flush method, first come, first serve, round robin, order volume, etc.; it leverages algorithms to do this.
• The software’s route optimization solution calculates the shortest and most efficient path for the rider. It considers 120+ factors, such as real-time traffic updates, road conditions, and other variables, reducing delivery time.
• The assigned trip is shared with the riders on their rider app. The ETA and tracking link are also shared with the customers.

How to Plan a Route with Multiple Stops

First Mile

The first mile, too, can have multiple stops. This is common in FTL and LTL shipping. TrackoBit is not only accommodating but takes a step further and assists fleet managers in planning an efficient multi-stop delivery route for their fleet.

• Define the starting and ending points.
• Input multiple stops for delivery
• Arrange them to make the routes efficient and reduce delivery time.
• Decide their halt duration to get alerts when overstayed.
• Share the trip information using the driver app.

Last Mile

Generally, last-mile deliveries involve multiple stops, and managing and arranging these stops optimally can be exceedingly tough to reduce the riders’ on-road time. This is why using a route planning solution like TrackoMile is important. It does the job well in seconds.

• Enter the starting point.
• Input the addresses: simply upload the Excel sheet of delivery stops to the software or fetch the addresses from the CRM or LMS software via API.
• The route planning software optimizes and arranges the stops into multiple trips within seconds.
• Assign trips with all the details to the riders on their respective rider app.

With TrackoMile, you can add up to 100+ halts, and it considers 120+ factors before suggesting the most efficient route.

How to Plan a Route with Multiple Stops and Time Constraints

There are many different ways to get from point A to point B to point C. It is more complicated as you add more stops and specific time constraints for each stop, such as:

• Driver shifts and breaks
• Delivery/service time windows
• Vehicle load time

You can use online route planner like Google Maps or MapQuest to plan multiple stops, but neither option allows you to plan for more than one driver at a time. Both planners also have low maximum destination limits (9 for Google Maps and 26 for MapQuest).

Fortunately, TrackoMile can optimize common constraints like driver breaks, load capacity, or delivery time windows.

What if you need to build a route with more than 30 stops? This is a fairly common use case for small and large businesses operating in the delivery industries. For that, you have route planner systems TrackoMile and TrackoBit, which easily integrate almost 100+ halts or stops.

Reasons to Go for a Route Planning Software like TrackoBit and TrackoMile

• Unlimited stops: Most map tools, like Google Maps or MapQuest, have fairly low caps on how many stops you can make, which is inconvenient for business operators with larger routes. But with TrackoMile and TrackoBit, you can plan 100+ halts and geofence them over time.
• Plan multiple trips: With Google maps you fin yourself planning a singular trip or route. But with the route planner system you can plan multiple trips for different drips simultaneously.
• Instant route optimization: Using tools like Excel and Google Maps means you won’t have access to advanced route optimization functions like automated planning, time window management, or driver workload balancing. TrackoMile optimizes halts in seconds after considering 120+ factors. This helps ensure deliveries are made on time and with less resource consumption.
• Lack of real-time adjustment capabilities: Things can happen quickly on the road, but with a manual route planning system, you won’t be able to factor in last-minute route additions or vehicle breakdowns on the fly. However, with a route planner like TrackoMile, you get access to real-time data, and it reroutes itself in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Conclusion

• If you want to plan a single destination route, TrackoBit has your back!
• If you want to plan multiple halt routes with optimization, TrackoMile is your go-to solution!
• If you want to integrate more than 100+ halts while also conjuring driver breaks and other constraints, TrackoBit and TrackoMile are more than capable.

A proper route planning system can make your job far easier as it automates the tedious process. Both require efficient route planning for timely delivery, whether the first or last mile. Make it possible with the right tools. Also, not just route planning, this software comes with an entire suite of solutions, like real-time tracking and alerts, to enhance the efficacy of the operations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is efficient route planning crucial for businesses?

  Businesses need to design their routes efficiently, which improves resource utilization, lowers operating expenses, increases customer happiness, and optimizes delivery timetables. By streamlining their routes and cutting down on travel time, businesses can benefit from greater productivity, better customer service, and more profitability.

• What aspects should you consider when planning efficient routes?

  When devising effective routes, you should consider variables including distance, current traffic conditions, scheduling, client preferences, road closures, and possible detours. GPS navigation devices and route optimization software are essential for accessing real-time traffic data and making wise selections.

• Can efficient route planning contribute to a reduction in vehicle maintenance costs?

  Effective route planning can certainly lower the cost of vehicle maintenance by reducing vehicle wear and tear. Optimized routes minimize kilometers traveled, lowering the need for regular maintenance procedures like tire rotations, brake inspections, and oil changes.

• Are there any specific considerations to bear in mind when planning routes in urban areas?

  Planning routes in metropolitan areas does, in fact, require more thought. Considerations include restricted zones, pedestrian areas, parking availability, one-way streets, traffic congestion, and delivery time constraints. It's critical to use navigation apps that provide urban-specific information and to stay current on city regulations.