StopHarborHow to plan a day of routes for several drivers.
A practical checklist for owners and office managers who plan routes for two to ten people, whatever tool you use.
1. Get the list into one place
Pull every stop for the day into a single list: recurring work, new jobs, callbacks and anything carried over from yesterday. Each needs a full street address with a ZIP code. Put access details and instructions in a notes column now, not in a separate text later.
2. Mark the real constraints
- Promised appointment times or store hours become windows.
- Jobs only one person can do get pinned to that person.
- Long jobs get realistic minutes on site.
- Anyone starting late, leaving early or starting from home gets noted.
3. Decide how to divide the rest
Even splits are a good default. Use percentages when experience differs, and fixed territories by ZIP when customer relationships matter more than a few extra miles. Avoid over-constraining: every pin and window you add removes options from the optimizer.
4. Optimize and review
Look at the map, not just the numbers. Check for a stop far from the rest of its route, which is usually a bad address, and for routes that cross. Compare finish times across drivers. Adjust one constraint at a time and optimize again.
5. Hand off and close the loop
Give each driver only their route, with notes and navigation. At the end of the day, review skipped stops and notes, fix any address problems in your source list, and carry unfinished work into tomorrow's plan.
Questions
How long should planning take?
With clean data and a route planner, a day for five drivers typically takes minutes. The first day takes longer while addresses and constraints are cleaned up.
Should I optimize for time or miles?
Optimize for time when labor is the bigger cost, which is true for most service businesses. Optimize for miles when mileage reimbursement or fuel dominates.
What is the most common mistake?
Too many hard constraints. Keep windows for promised appointments, not for preferences.