Logistics has always been one of the most error-prone and expensive parts of the business. Getting your products from your warehouses to your customers on time and on a budget is a challenge. Highly time-sensitive, this aspect of business requires efficient driving skills, proper route planning, and taking into account all the things that can go wrong or hinder the delivery. From traffic and weather to unexpected vehicle breakdowns and stops, you need to plan for a lot of things in order for any delivery to go smoothly, which can be a tedious and time-consuming task, and not to mention prone to mistakes.
This is where Route Optimization IT tools come in. These apps and software, using your historical data, current traffic and weather conditions, and expected number of stops by a driver, generate the perfect route plan for any journey and tell you the best route that you can take in order to deliver your goods in a given time window and budget.
Many businesses realize the benefits of using route optimization software instead of crunching the numbers themselves and are turning to some of the top route optimization software in the industry. And given below are some of the top route optimization software for 2022.
Key Takeaways:
1. Opti-Time
There is no better route optimization software for large industries than Opti-Time. It is loaded with features such as real-time and batch route optimization, asset tracking, and automated territory balancing; Opti-time suits the needs of many different types of businesses.
Opti-Time is a routing and scheduling tool that helps create schedules for drivers, technicians, and other staff, along with suggesting the best route for any delivery. With the Cloud technology serving as its backbone, Opti-Time can handle vast amounts of data and allow users to hook-up third-party tools to make the solution more robust.
Opti-Time makes real-time asset tracking and management easier with the help of its mobile app. It is available for both Android and iOS platforms and makes sure that you are using your assets optimally and economically. Opti-Time works on a monthly subscription basis with a free version also available with limited features.
Image Source
2. MyRoute Online
For the lovers of Google Maps and its ease to any trip, MyRouteOnline is for you. This route planning software can take addresses from an excel sheet and turn them into route plans, which can then be shared with the drivers or other staff members.
The route creation process allows users to create a route according to their requirements like fastest routes, maximum stops, etc., and tweak the route until they find the perfect balance between cost and effort. Like Google Maps, it provides turn-by-turn directions to the drivers and allows its users to export route plans as an excel spreadsheet, reload a route, and print a route on a large map. MyRouteOnline works on a paid subscription basis but also has a free version with limited features. You can also get a free trial version to help you make up your mind.
3. Team Road Warrior
An American-made route planning and fleet management software, Team RoadWarrior is a blessing for insurance agents, courier agents, and small business owners. It helps teams cut down their on-road time and ETAs, thus saving them cost and effort. The users can track the real-time progress of deliveries and make changes to the route plan whenever they need to meet their goals.
It is a lighter route optimization software as compared to all the other software listed in this article. It has a web app from where you can create, tweak, and dispatch routes to your drivers, and it has mobile apps on Android and iOS platforms that provide almost all the features of the web app.
4. WorkWave Route Manager
Route Manager from WorkWave is a cloud-based software that allows users to track deliveries and assets, optimize routes, and manage staff and helps them in staying connected. It allows businesses to fine-tune delivery routes according to time windows and customer preferences, thus bringing down ETAs and delivery costs.
Built with customer service at the centre, it allows users to create optimal route planning and accept last-minute orders. With the help of the Route Manager mobile app, consignment drivers and other staff members can sync real-time updates and data with the backend, and while GPS tracking is enabled, Route Manager allows users to track drivers and staff and also get the proof of delivery at the last mile.
Image Source
5. Tour Solver
A cloud-based fleet management software, Tour Solver, comes from the Opti-Time: Geo concept makers. This multi-stop route planner allows businesses from different industries to manage and optimize their delivery routes, milage tracking, employee management, and resource dispatching.
Tour Solver has been built to serve businesses of all sizes and types. Furthermore, it allows companies to run simulations for their deliveries and helps them assess the cost, mileage, and ETAs and further cut down costs by fine-tuning their route planning.
This software also comes as an Android application and enables a user to export schedules and itineraries in different publishing formats and share them with co-workers via various platforms.
Tour Solver works on a monthly subscription basis.
Conclusion
Route optimization IT solutions are a booming market. According to research, it is expected to reach $5.07 billion by 2023. This figure clearly tells us that this industry is on the cusp of becoming one of the fastest-growing sectors in our recent history. Developers are working hard to bring better and more customer-centric route optimization and fleet management tools to the market. These tools allow businesses to cut down ETAs for their deliveries by coming up with the shortest, fastest, and easiest route to the destination, thus enhancing vehicle utilization.
These tools plan routes in a way that, in a single drive, many deliveries can be made, which also increases staff productivity and utilization. The cost is naturally reduced since these route plans are made to allow vehicles to give better mileage. After taking traffic, weather, and stop into consideration, a customized route plan is generated for every delivery, and thus you make sure that you save time, money, and resources on every run.
These tools have greatly improved the logistics aspect of every business. Using these IT tools, companies can make themselves more efficient and productive and generate greater profits. So, use the route optimization tools mentioned above and see those profits piling on your desk.
Matellio specializes in developing efficient logistics solutions for your business. Our team of developers has wide expertise in next-gen technologies that helps them in developing custom solutions for your business growth. Our flexible engagement models help you keep your budget under control. Get in touch with our experts over a 30-min consultation call!
