Route Planning & Optimisation

Optimise composite routes of transport orders efficiently

The Route Planning & Optimisation module allows you to merge multiple orders, from different customers and / or products (services) into one transport order, a composite route. To merge orders, you can use the location map. With the location map, you can display the locations of several orders at once on a map at a glance.

Besides merging and efficiently planning transport orders via the location map, you can also generate optimal routes of orders. Route optimisation considers the loading and unloading addresses and the times you are expected here. In addition, you can also set a service time, the average time you need for a stop.

The most important features of the Route Planning & Optimisation module:

Show orders on location map
Merging multiple orders into a single transport orders (composite route)
Creating seperate pick-up and/or delivery routes when combining orders into one transport order
Creating optimal routes for (composite) orders
Choice of vehicle profiles for car, van, truck of bike
Up to date insight into route status and ETA and ATA per stop
Sign-off information available in original orders and composite routes with Drivers App ^*1
View, share or invoice purchase rates of composite routes ^*2

^*Feature available with ^*1Premium Plus package and ^*2 Purchase module of EasyTrans Software.

Additional modules

ROUTE PLANNING & OPTIMISATION

The Route Planning & Optimisation module is active in the live demo of the Transport Management System EasyTrans! Test it yourself!

LIVE DEMO

Creating composite routes

This module allows you to combine multiple orders – of different customers and/or products (services) – into one transport order. To do this, you can use the location map to quickly see where the stops/destinations of multiple orders are located, making planning easier. You can then optimise this composite route and schedule it to a driver or external carrier. Afterwards, it is of course possible to share the order details with the planned carrier, by emailing a transport order, for example. When merging, there is also the option to create a separate loading and/or unloading route from the selected orders.

From a composite route, you can easily go on to the original orders. This is because composite routes remain linked to the original orders. In addition, composite routes can be edited afterwards. So an extra transport order comes in? Or a composite route turns out not to be possible? No problem! Then simply modify the composite route as you wish.

Purchase costs

Composite routes are used for planning. A separate product (service) can be created for composite routes. When creating a composite route, the new order is then created on this product. This makes it easier to recognise composite routes or filter them in the order overview.

Especially when using the Purchase module, a separate product is of great value. With the Purchase module of EasyTrans Software, you can track and monitor the costs and revenues of transport orders. You can record purchase rates, if required with specific rates per carrier, so you can immediately see what the composite route costs. In addition, you can easily share the agreed prices with scheduled carriers. You can use the Purchase module to create purchase or self-billing invoices, allowing you to check whether declared amounts are correct.

Optimising routes

The Route Planning & Optimisation module allows you to generate an optimal route from a transport order with multiple destinations. To calculate an optimal route, EasyTrans Software uses external optimisation software, from SmartRoute and RouteXL. The connection with the external parties is part of the module. So there are no additional costs to use these services.

Route optimisation takes into account loading and unloading addresses, as well as the times you are expected. In addition, you can also set a service time. Service time stands for the average time you need for a stop. After optimisation, the total travel time and distance is displayed in the order. In addition, for each destination you will see the calculated travel time from the previous destination and the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA). A time window margin can also be entered. When showing the estimated time of arrival (ETA) on the Track & Trace page, a margin is then added before and after the calculated ETA.
Once a destination is signed off via the Drivers App or via planning, the Actual Time of Arrival (ATA) will appear in the order. The ETA of the following destinations is also updated to this time, also on the Track & Trace page.

Optimised routes with up to 25 destinations can be displayed on a map via Google Maps. For optimised routes with more than 25 destinations, you can consult the location map. This location map shows all destinations of the order.

Carrier Portal

From the Premium Plus package, the Carrier Portal/Drivers App is part of the Transport Management System EasyTrans. Real-time forwarding (planning) and receiving (carrier) of new transport orders is part of a Carrier Portal. The carrier can sign off orders on the road using the Drivers App. The driver navigates to the destination(s) using the Drivers App. The recipient signs for receipt on the screen and this digital signature, along with other important sign-off information, is sent directly to the planning department.

Do you send a composite route as a transport order via the Carrier Portal? The driver receives only the composite route. But, because composite routes are linked to the original orders, sign-off information is (also) logged back to the original orders.

Because pick-up and/or delivery times are always registered with the Drivers App, the calculated ETA at destinations is immediately optimized and adjusted to the most current status.
Planners and customers are therefore always kept informed of the status of the transport order. In addition, the necessary information for a delivery confirmation and/or sales invoice is always available with the original order.

Support

EasyTrans is very easy to use but of course there may be questions. EasyTrans Software offers excellent support at no extra cost. How a person wishes to receive support can be very personal. Therefore, EasyTrans Software provides support in a variety of ways!

There are several manuals on how to set up and use the packages and modules. We have answers to frequently asked questions. Is your question not answered? Or do you prefer telephone contact? Then of course our support employees are standing by!