How route optimisation across fleets significantly improves productivity
Route planning may be just planning the delivery from point A to point B, but Route Optimization is the process of planning the most cost-effective routes, overcoming challenges like time, manpower, communication, resources and technology.
Strategies for Route Optimization
The latest route optimization strategies are made by solutions that tap on real-time and historical data to find the best routes. Many challenges and issues are faced by organisations in supply chain, last mile delivery, school buses, taxis and limousine services, besides a number of transport based enterprises. Managers working here must keep costs down and satisfy customers by juggling with delivery and driver schedules, with vehicle availability, to map multi-stop routes very time-efficiently.
Fleet managers usually use one of the following strategies for route optimization.
Static Route Optimization
Static route optimization is seen used by mostly conventional companies but is better than a manual process. This strategy works best for long haul fleets and for fleets making trips on a timetable, over a year or quarter, serving predictable customers and is the least used type of optimization.
Dynamic Route Optimization
This is the newer strategy which adjusts the route plan on a daily basis taking into account historical data, traffic trends, weather events, accidents, etc. It is dynamic, more scalable and flexible. Routes can be altered hours before the delivery or even for shift-to-shift tasks.
Real-time Dynamic Routing
This strategy is most used, is a more effective way to route optimization and substantially current. It is designed for continuous optimization in real-time, evolving new tasks when traffic pattern change, while drivers are on the road.
The Challenges in Planning Routes
To reduce fuel costs
Fuel sensors fixed on fleet vehicles allow fleet managers to monitor fuel consumption and help them to determine current fuel level in all circumstances and when to refill the tank. Fuel sensor integration into our vehicle tracking system obtains reliable and accurate information on current fuel level in the tank and to detect misuse and theft of fuel, using the history page on the dashboard. Trinetra devices also give a general overview on fuel usage by each vehicle.
Large fleets have many drivers and multiple stops along the sane route. Minimize the number of vehicles, the stops and the time spent on road using the FMS software helps to optimize fuel cost as it makes up nearly 60% of operating cost for fleet operators.
Constraints of resources
Resource constraints are a challenge to logistics and transport companies. Fleet managers use route optimization software to balance the constraints to arrive at the most optimal routes to achieve scheduled deliveries, juggling with the number of drivers and vehicles available at the time.
To Minimize Last-Mile Costs
Logistics companies find last-mile delivery costs as a challenge. The larger the fleet the more the challenge and route optimization software cuts down the last mile deliver costs to keep up cost-effectiveness.
To Increase Driver Performance
The route optimization application of the FMS software tracks driver performance, maintains a Driver Scorecard to provide feedback on drivers for their improvement in behavior and performance. It compares driving history of good drivers to achieve better driver efficiency for the fleet company. Route optimization features allow fleet managers to take up new or cancelled delivery or assignment and update drivers too.
The fleet management system (FMS) from Trinetra Wireless is a future-ready software application serving many transporters and logistics companies. It is customizable for various transportation needs, like supply chain and last mile deliveries. It also provides real-time monitoring and data analytics to offer insightful reports as per requirement. This Fleet Management software works as an internet-based FMS software with mobile app integration, video telematics, using GPS and Geofencing technologies.
