Streamline your delivery fleet with HGV route planning software for more efficient operations
In the dynamic world of supply chains and logistics, efficiency and accuracy are paramount.
HGV Route Planning Software can be a game-changer for businesses, empowering them with a fast way to optimise deliveries made by their fleet, helping them to reduce costs, enhance customer satisfaction and become more efficient.
The Power of HGV Route Planning Software
Descartes’ HGV Route Planning Software is a proven solution that will streamline the planning and optimisation of delivery routes for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) or lighter commercial vehicles.
It empowers fleet managers, operations directors, planners and HGV drivers with the ability to navigate intricate road networks with ease, identifying the most suitable routes that adhere to the regulations for HGVs and avoiding costly delays.
Leveraging cutting-edge algorithms and real-time data and combining it with machine learning, Descartes’ HGV Route Planning Software calculates the most efficient routes, factoring in various elements such as vehicle size, weight and height.
The software then takes into account traffic flows and time of day, delivery schedules, and customer requirements, while specifically considering factors unique to HGVs, such as avoidance of ULEZ zones and low bridges, to minimise the risk of fines or delays.
Essential Features of HGV Route Planning Software
When selecting HGV Route Planning Software, consider these key features that can significantly enhance your logistics operations:
Real-time Traffic Updates
Stay ahead of the curve with real-time traffic updates, enabling your vehicles to avoid congestion, accidents, and road closures, ultimately saving time and reducing delivery delays.
Customisable Route Options
Tailor your route optimisation to your specific needs. Prioritise factors such shortest, fastest or most economical route while avoiding toll roads and low bridges to ensure your HGVs are always taking the most optimal routes.
GPS Tracking Integration
Gain complete visibility of each vehicle’s location in your fleet and its progress by seamlessly integrating your HGV Route Planning Software with telematics and GPS tracking systems. This enables the decisions to be made based on live data, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Type of vehicle
Input the dimensions of your vehicle and select whether your HGV is either a fixed or an articulated vehicle for every vehicle in your fleet. This information will then have an impact on the selection of ideal routes and the restrictions imposed, such as for low bridges, turning circles and weights.
Fuel Efficiency Optimisation
Reduce fuel costs and your carbon footprint by optimising delivery schedules and routes for fuel efficiency, this is not always the shortest route. HGV Route Planning Software will suggest routes that minimise fuel consumption, and reduce emissions of CO2 and diesel particulates, contributing to both environmental sustainability and cost savings.
Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Compatibility
Embrace sustainability with software that is already compatible with both diesel-fuelled and electric or hydrogen fuelled vehicles. Optimise your routes for different vehicle types and reduce your carbon footprint.
Manual Adjustments for Flexibility
While automated route planning is efficient, unforeseen circumstances may arise. The HGV Route Planning Software will empower your planners to make manual adjustments as needed, ensuring flexibility and adaptability.
Benefit from Increased Efficiency
HGV Route Planning Software offers a multitude of benefits that can enhance your operations and give you a competitive edge:
Improved ETA Accuracy
Enhance customer experience and build trust in your services with accurate estimated time of arrivals (ETAs). The ability to generate optimised delivery routes that consider real traffic flows, time of day, road conditions, and stop sequences, enables estimated delivery times to become more accurate.
Reduced Delivery Window Times
Having accurate delivery ETAs means that the delivery window provided to the customer for their delivery can now be reduced. Smaller time windows for a delivery improves customer satisfaction as they can better plan their day and the handling of their deliveries efficiently.
Minimised Fuel Costs
Identifying the most fuel-efficient routes and providing real-time traffic updates will minimise unnecessary fuel consumption, save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and make your operations more environmentally friendly.
Maximised Delivery Capacity
Accurate routes, optimised delivery times and the ability to account for expected stop times means that less slack needs to be included in daily routes. This typically means that an additional delivery or two can be included on a route. If this is applied over the whole fleet every day this can result in a huge delivery capacity increase without the need for additional drivers or vehicles.
Streamlined Dispatch Operations
Simplify dispatch operations with automated features. Easily assign deliveries to vehicles and routes to drivers, track their progress live in the planning software, and receive real-time updates on any route deviations or delays. Streamline daily operations, reduce manual errors, and improve overall efficiency.
Selecting the Ideal Solution for Your HGV Fleet
When choosing HGV Route Planning Software, consider these crucial factors:
Integration with Existing Systems
It is best to ensure there is a seamless integration with your existing systems, such as ERP software, to eliminate manual data entry, save time, and reduce errors. Also, check which telematics solutions can be integrated to provide an overview in your planning software.
Scalability for Future Growth
Select software that can accommodate your future growth as your business expands. Avoid outgrowing the software and ensure adaptability to changing needs.
The Supplier
Was the software developed in-house so that there is sufficient technical knowledge for your project? Are future upgrades being worked on? Is the supplier financially sound and will they be around in 5+ years' time?
Comprehensive Customer Support and Training
Choose a provider that offers ongoing support and training resources to maximise not only the software's features and capabilities but also to ensure you use it in the most beneficial way.
Compatibility with Different Fuel Types
Optimise routes for different vehicle types and reduce your carbon footprint with software that handles both diesel-fuelled and electric or hydrogen vehicles.
Flexibility for Manual Adjustments
Empower your planners to make manual adjustments when necessary, ensuring flexibility to optimise routes based on specific requirements or unforeseen circumstances.
Automated notifications
Can automated customer notifications and delivery tracking for your customers be easily integrated to further improve customer service, satisfaction and reduce the number of inbound calls from customers? Can emails or SMS messages be sent at selected points during the delivery process?
Machine Learning
Does the HGV Route Planner have the ability to learn through experience? For example, if a delivery at a certain location always takes longer than normal, then it can be automatically programmed in for future deliveries to the same place, resulting in accurate delivery schedules that include that location.
Reporting
Can the results and actual delivery times be reviewed and analysed? The ability to review data and compare actual to planned is an important part of improving your HGV fleet efficiency.
Contact a HGV Routing Expert
By carefully considering the above factors, you can select the HGV Route Planning Software that best aligns with your business needs and goals, helping you streamline operations, reduce costs, and deliver exceptional customer service.
Descartes HGV Route Planning Software satisfies all of the above factors. Talk with an industry expert and discover how it can make big improvements to your fleet deliveries.
