Understanding Route Profiles

RouteDog's Route Profiles provide a customisable and automated solution for routing optimisation and time calculation tasks. This document outlines the key features and settings available in Route Profiles, allowing users to tailor routing profiles to suit their specific needs.

Profile Settings

Profile Name

A user-friendly name for the routing profile.

Use Case: multiple separate profiles have been created for different types of deliveries, like "Express Deliveries" for urgent shipments and "Standard Deliveries" for routine shipments, making it easier to manage and assign routes.


Routing Mode

Determines the order in which routes are calculated.

Best: Compares the furthest and closest points.
Furthest: Begins the route from the furthest address.
Closest: Starts the route from the closest address.
First Address: Uses the first address in the manifest as the home point.

Use Case:
Best - this option will  give you the best results for general deliveries.

Closest First - Useful for couriers who start their day from a central office and will deliver moving outwards.

Furthest First - Beneficial for couriers who finish their trip at a driver hub and will deliver moving inwards.

First Address - Suitable for routes that are being imported in a specific order.


Time Calculation Type

Decides how travel times are calculated.

Actual: Uses the routing engine for precise timings.
Estimated: Provides estimated times for large volumes of addresses.

Use Case:
Actual - Essential for businesses like food delivery services where accurate, real-time route planning is critical to ensure timely deliveries.

Estimated -  Helpful for postal services planning delivery routes for large volumes of mail where precise timing is less critical.


Journey Type

Determine where the route will start and finish.

Route Only: Routes will start at the first address and end at the last
Home To Home: Routes will include a round trip starting and finishing at the home address
Start to Home: Routes will start at the first address and end at home
Home To Finish: Routes with start at home and end at the last address

Use Case:
Route Only - This option is ideal for point-to-point delivery services, like inter-city courier services, where the journey begins at the first pickup location and ends at the final delivery point without returning to the starting point.

Home To Home - Perfect for couriers who begin their day from a driver hub, make multiple deliveries throughout the day, and then return to the hub.

Start to Home - Ideal for delivery drivers who start at the first delivery location, make several stops throughout the day, and end back at home.

Home To Finish - Ideal for delivery drivers who leave from their home, make several stops throughout the day, and end at the final stop without needing to return to a central office or depot. This option can be particularly useful for those who stay overnight at the location of their last stop.


Timing Settings

Determine the drop-off and delivery windows for your drivers.

Window (Minutes) : Specifies the delivery window in minutes, both before and after the predicted time of arrival.
Drop Time (Seconds) : Sets a default drop time in seconds to account for loading/unloading times.
Time Ratio : A ratio to apply to timings, e.g., 1.1 (110%) increases timings by 10%.
Start Time & Finish Time : Sets the default start time for routes using this profile.

Use Case:
Window (Minutes) - Useful when providing customers with an estimated time of arrival.

Drop Time (Seconds) - Critical for logistics companies to estimate total route times, including loading and unloading times at each stop, like a furniture delivery service.

Time Ratio - Helps adjust predicted timings by a set percentage, useful for rush hour delivery routes where standard travel times are expected to increase.

Start Time - Vital for planning routes with a fixed beginning and end that start at the same time each day. PTA & ETA Times times will be calculated based on the start time of the route.


Route Options

Reverse This Route After Optimisation: Reverses the route order post-optimization.
Auto Optimise Route: Automatically optimizes newly created routes.
Display Restrictions: Shows restrictive roads on a route.
Auto Calculate Times: Automatically calculates travel times if the route is optimized.

Use cases:
Reverse This Route After Optimisation - This feature is particularly useful for delivery services that need to deliver to the furthest address first. This tool can produce better results that the 'furthest' routing mode.

Auto Optimise Route - Ideal for dynamic environments like courier services, where new routes are constantly coming in. This feature ensures that each new route, is automatically optimised for maximum efficiency.

Display Restrictions - Crucial for heavy vehicle logistics like trucking companies. This option can display roads with weight limits, height restrictions, or other limitations, helping drivers avoid routes that are unsuitable for their vehicle, thus preventing delays and legal issues.

Auto Calculate Times - Essential for businesses that schedule deliveries, helping to maintain accurate schedules and improve customer satisfaction.
Each tool option offers specific benefits and can be tailored to a variety of routing and logistical needs, enhancing accuracy in route planning and execution.

Creating an effective route profile is essential for streamlining the routing process. By selecting the appropriate settings, users can optimise their routes for various scenarios. RouteDog allows the creation of multiple profiles to cater to different routing requirements.