Effectively Planning a Delivery Route While Saving Gas and Money

Planning a delivery route using a route planner or a multiple stops route planner can save gas, money and time. The headache of pulling out a map and a calculator to figure out the best possible route is now relieved by GPS-guided software and mobile apps capable of making changes almost instantly.

The Need to Plan

Without planning the best ways to make a series of deliveries, a service or individual can waste valuable time, gas and money. Even following the straightest line between two points can result in inefficiency, depending on the type of delivery being made.

Weight inside the vehicle will cause more fuel to be used, meaning that the heaviest deliveries should take precedence over lighter loads. Planning ahead in some cases is done at the beginning of each day before leaving the loading area.

Using Standard Methods

The standard methods of planning a route once involved using a map and calculating per mile the best route. While some are skilled at this method and can work out a route in a few minutes, most people will find this an arduous task.

Using Software to Effective Plan a Route

  Route planner software can be a valuable tool for someone in management, especially if several routes need to be planned. Whether such planning should be done per day, on a weekly basis or several times a year, such software can help in decision making for a business. For example, this type of tool can aid a manager in deciding how to arrange or split routes for the optimum delivery times with the lowest use of fuel.

Several software options even take information from the vehicle’s GPS system to guide planning. Planning a Trip or Organizing a Delivery Route Mobile apps loaded on a cell phone or tablet can help a driver instantly.

A multiple stops route planner app sometimes used by travelers can show the best path to take. Some of these apps can even show a driver where traffic is slow or roads are closed and offer alternatives. Some apps allow for real-time scheduling, offering the possibility of making pick-up stops and having these instantly added to the route.

Free Planning Alternatives

Free planning alternatives for organizing an improved means of delivery can also be effective. With some of these free Internet options, though, it is cautioned anyone taking these suggestions be sure that the maps used by the service are up to date

The advantages of a multi-drops route planner: Because delivering newspapers isn't what it used to be

Remember the days when delivering newspapers was a simple business? You would employ a small fleet of eager teenagers, and they would take to the streets, ensuring that no customer was ever without a paper. Back then, it seemed as though route planning was simple. However, now that so many aspects of newspaper delivery have become digital, it might seem as though it's time to upgrade your route planning as well. 

For just a moment, consider your carriers and what they go through on a day to day basis. You may have many carriers who deliver newspapers to rural areas, and they use their vehicles to do it. Some of them probably start early in the morning, and they do their best to get their routes completed quickly. However, when their routes aren't well-planned, they may find themselves back-tracking, or even getting lost on roads that are unfamiliar to them. 

A multi-drops route planner is the an excellent tool for your newspaper company because your delivery staff will have access to the best possible routes for their morning deliveries. How often do you have carriers complain about the way their routes are planned? For them, it can be a hassle to have to figure out the best routes, which means really good newspaper carriers are more likely to quit.

In the same way that you probably implemented an electronic payment option for your newspaper customers years ago, it's time to make some changes to the way you plan your carrier's routes as well. You'll end up with happier carriers who understand exactly what they need to do each day, and you'll spend less time working on replacing carriers who don't have the time to spend working on their own routes. 

If you would like more information about our online multi-drops route planner, we would love to talk with you. Please contact us today.