Any current contractor using route optimization software?

Cflfdx

Member
Found a few like routific, road warrior, etc.

Would like contractors and drivers perspectives on if those things are actually worth the money.

For ex on routific they claim to have saved a ground contractor 17% on his operating expenses.

In before dont become one of fat freddys slaves...
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
Every contractor in our building uses GroundCloud. It’s absolutely amazing. I even use it when I’m running a route I know just so I don’t have to think.

Worth it? Absolutely. In every possible way.
 

It will be fine

Well-Known Member
Found a few like routific, road warrior, etc.

Would like contractors and drivers perspectives on if those things are actually worth the money.

For ex on routific they claim to have saved a ground contractor 17% on his operating expenses.

In before dont become one of fat freddys slaves...
GroundCloud is great. It won’t save you 17% unless your current setup is absolute trash. You need to use it as a tool. The routing can get a new hire to about 80% optimal in a week or 2. The rest comes after they stop using the routing and route themselves with the aide of GroundCloud. It’s only as good as the info you feed it. If you zone every route to adjust for traffic patterns and business hours it’s really helpful. It lets your drivers reroute on the fly when something goes wrong.

The app does a lot more than routing too, which is why it’s the clear winner for me. Safety messaging, pre/post trip checklists, hours tracking, maintenance reports, productivity reports. My VEDR cameras should be here soon and they tie into the app as well. It makes the follow up training captive, drivers have to do it before they get to their route.
 

FedGT

Well-Known Member
I used route4me for my guys before I sold. Was extremely helpful especially on heavy residential routes. Very much worth the investment at that time. They have increased prices so much that with all the additional features groundcloud hai think that one May be hard to beat.
 

OrioN

double tap o da horn dooshbag
You need Orion.....

Sup?

yea, with our older Star iv scanners going to the recycling bin in a few months; most of the drivers will be forced into using other methods.

newer Star V scanners will only highlight one stop at a time, not giving the driver with no area knowledge the big picture

I would love to have ground cloud, but those things plus monthly fees are a drain for subcontractors? never experienced them first-hand yet...

being a cover/swing right now, & if i can't find the data cable to upload all the stops for the day to my Garmin GPS... i'll just make my own trip plan & enter groups of 10 stops / up to a page of the printed manifest & line up the stops accordingly & repeat as needed
 
Sup?

yea, with our older Star iv scanners going to the recycling bin in a few months; most of the drivers will be forced into using other methods.

newer Star V scanners will only highlight one stop at a time, not giving the driver with no area knowledge the big picture

I would love to have ground cloud, but those things plus monthly fees are a drain for subcontractors? never experienced them first-hand yet...

being a cover/swing right now, & if i can't find the data cable to upload all the stops for the day to my Garmin GPS... i'll just make my own trip plan & enter groups of 10 stops / up to a page of the printed manifest & line up the stops accordingly & repeat as needed
I honestly do not understand why they want the drivers to rely on technology without having actual knowledge .

You have to constantly make adjustments through out the day to changing conditions, so that you don't have service failures.
 

It will be fine

Well-Known Member
I honestly do not understand why they want the drivers to rely on technology without having actual knowledge .

You have to constantly make adjustments through out the day to changing conditions, so that you don't have service failures.
Drivers are basically stupid and replaceable. You set up tech to get them most of the way to productive quickly. The area knowledge is nice but with a decent setup you can by just fine without it. I’ve hired people that would be unemployable without GroundCloud. They don’t turn out great with it but at least they can get a day’s work done.
 
Drivers are basically stupid and replaceable. You set up tech to get them most of the way to productive quickly. The area knowledge is nice but with a decent setup you can by just fine without it. I’ve hired people that would be unemployable without GroundCloud. They don’t turn out great with it but at least they can get a day’s work done.
Do you have any commit time packages to deliver? It makes a big difference in your day.
If you get to a business after 5 and it's closed is it considered missed?
 

It will be fine

Well-Known Member
Do you have any commit time packages to deliver? It makes a big difference in your day.
If you get to a business after 5 and it's closed is it considered missed?
Yes and yes. I have my routes set to deliver the businesses first and res last so if new guys are running late they can do res after pickups. Good drivers don’t follow that sequence and run res at the same time as businesses. My routes are tight enough that it doesn’t create that much backtracking even if they follow it exactly.
 

OrioN

double tap o da horn dooshbag
I honestly do not understand why they want the drivers to rely on technology without having actual knowledge .

You have to constantly make adjustments through out the day to changing conditions, so that you don't have service failures.

i had area knowledge at my old route & was totally stress free daily, even during peak plus i only had a handful of businesses and one daily pickup with a 1100 -2100 window

being a swing/cover at a new terminal & jumping in a different vehicle everyday will now be reliant of the BC or people like iwbf to set up the routes properly so that driver will not fail service.

based on the competition offering better pay than some subcontractors, they have to adapt to the revolving door of drivers that comes in and see that the pay doesn't justify the hassle
 
i had area knowledge at my old route & was totally stress free daily, even during peak plus i only had a handful of businesses and one daily pickup with a 1100 -2100 window

being a swing/cover at a new terminal & jumping in a different vehicle everyday will now be reliant of the BC or people like iwbf to set up the routes properly so that driver will not fail service.

based on the competition offering better pay than some subcontractors, they have to adapt to the revolving door of drivers that comes in and see that the pay doesn't justify the hassle
I think eventually some of these contractors are going to have to pay a little more. Especially if unemployment stays low.
 

OrioN

double tap o da horn dooshbag
they're being squeezed enough as it is with 7 days/week now... it'll be as if they're now similar to Amazon's DSPs

ps, i'm done super early because i'm organized & at least this new terminal have the SiD sections down to ~10 stops per #

so 1000's are just a group of ten to a dozen stops

2000's are lined up next and i bang them out... repeat until my last section of the day @ 20,000

haven't seen a rural area yet with my new BC <shrugs>
 
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