Route optimisation decides which driver takes which stops, and in what order. Done well, it reduces mileage, improves on-time performance and gives planners time back. Done badly, it produces routes drivers ignore.
What the software considers
- Delivery addresses and time windows.
- Vehicle capacity, type and restrictions.
- Driver shifts, breaks and start locations.
- Service time at each stop.
- Traffic patterns and historical journey times.
Static planning vs live re-planning
Static planning builds the day’s routes in advance. Live re-planning adjusts during the day when a driver is delayed, a job is added or a customer is not home. Live re-planning depends on good data from drivers’ devices and fast communication with customers.
Why drivers matter
Experienced drivers know things the map does not: loading bays, access codes, the customer who is always out until noon. The best systems capture this knowledge as notes and constraints, so the plan improves over time instead of fighting the people executing it.
A route is only optimal if the driver can actually run it.
Adding prediction
Predictive analytics can flag stops likely to run late before the van leaves the depot, using traffic, weather and delivery history. Planners can then rebalance work or notify customers early.
Choosing an approach
Off-the-shelf route planners suit standard multi-drop work. Couriers with unusual services, mixed fleets or tight integration needs may benefit from a custom planning layer connected to their dispatch and customer systems.
