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