The implementation of route optimization depends on the type of business providing the work to be scheduled, the business system providing this work, and the level of human intervention desired by the customer.
In its simplest form, it can be work data being pushed from the business system at a specific time of day, processed by an optimizing algorithm and then pushed to a tracking system. All this can be done with no human interaction at all.
In a more complicated form, the work data can be pulled from the business system when desired, the work data can be reviewed, vehicles can be added or removed, and then the work and vehicles are processed by the optimizing algorithm. The user can then make manual adjustments to the assignments, and then, finally, the vehicles and their work assignments can be sent to a tracking system. At this point, vehicle loading reports and vehicle manifest reports may be produced.
If the tracking system can provide vehicle GPS positions via an API, a comparison of projected drive and work times may be compared to the actual times.
The Type of Business
Not every business with a fleet of vehicles and work to be done can benefit from route optimization.
Businesses that have fixed routes where work from each of their customers is assigned to a specific worker do not need route optimization on a daily basis. Examples of these type of routes include route sales, school bus routes, and refuse pickup.
Delivery Businesses
Route optimization is very beneficial to businesses that make deliveries to a different set of customers each day. Examples of these businesses include furniture and appliance stores, specialty industrial and other supply companies, and meat, seafood, and produce wholesalers.
Service Businesses
Some service businesses are very similar to delivery businesses in that they assign work that will not be changed during the workday.
Other service businesses will start by assigning an initial work list and need to be able to add work during the day or to change the work assignments as urgent work is added.
The optimization algorithm may be used to make the initial assignments, but the ability to add or change work assignments requires additional platform tracking features described below.
Acquiring the Work Data from a Business System
The data needed for route optimization always comes from an external business system.
There are three ways to move the data from the business system to the optimization platform.
Pushed From the Business System
If the business system can be configured to send work data to another system, an API on the platform can be used for data transfer.
Pulled From the Business System
If the business system cannot send data to the platform, but does have an API to provide work data, an interface can be developed by the team to read the work data.
Read from a File
If the work data cannot be pushed to the platform or pulled from the business system, most business systems can write an Excel type spreadsheet with the work data. The Job Upload feature in the platform is then used to upload the work data.
Preprocessing
Some customers may want to review the work data before it is sent to the optimizing algorithm.
During this time, vehicles may be added to, or removed from, the list of vehicles normally used for daily work. In addition, work may be added to, or removed from, the work list provided earlier.
Also, at this time, the user may decide to manually create a route, taking work from the work list and assigning it to a specific vehicle.
Optimization
After all manual changes have been made, the optimization algorithm is used to assign work to specific vehicles.
Postprocessing
After the assignments have been made, the user may unassign work or move work to a different vehicle, if desired.
Dispatching
When all work is assigned as desired, the list of assignments to each vehicle may be printed or transmitted as a loading report or manifest.
If an different platform is used for tracking, the assignment data is transmitted to that platform using that platform’s API.
Tracking
Tracking may be performed on either this platform or on another platform.
When the tracking is done on this platform, the status of each vehicle is available and the track of each vehicle may be displayed on a map.
When this platform is used for a service business, new work may be created and work assignments may be moved from one vehicle to another.