Skip to main content

Understanding route optimisation

Understand the ways that you can optimise routes in the NowGo dashboard, using the Solver, Sequencing, Quick Assign, and Smart Assign tools.

Updated over 3 weeks ago

NowGo offers powerful tools to help you optimise your delivery routes, using job, vehicle, and shift details to streamline your operations. The dispatch dashboard acts as a central hub where these components converge. The NowGo solver is an engine that works in the background to organise your planned routes, update and optimise throughout the day, and help you allocate jobs to the best driver. Dispatchers can monitor progress, make adjustments, and ensure smooth execution of deliveries throughout the day.

A screenshot of the NowGo dispatch dashboard, showing routes for several different drivers, in different colours

This article explains the key components of NowGo's route optimisation system and how they work together to maximise efficiency.


Route optimisation tools

There are several route optimisation tools:

Solver

This is the brains behind NowGo's route optimisation. It uses advanced algorithms to allocate jobs across all your available drivers and calculate the most efficient routes, while taking into account various factors including:

  • Ensuring deliveries occur within specified time frames

  • Optimising loads to maximise vehicle use

  • Assigning routes based on driver schedules and working hours

  • Minimising overall distance traveled and time spent on the road

Running a solve is typically performed daily by dispatchers to generate optimised routes for the next day's deliveries. It's a powerful tool for planning ahead and ensuring your drivers are set up for success.

This is intended for larger scale route optimisation. It calculates the various possible route combinations based on the job information for the day, and finds an optimised solution.

For more information about running a solve, see the Solving routes article.

Quick assign

You can use quick assign to quickly add new jobs to existing routes. When you select an unassigned job in the dashboard or in planning mode, quick assign suggests shifts to assign it to, where the job can be inserted in the current run order. It provides information about the expected ETA, and how the additional stop will change the shift. You can choose to accept quick assign suggestions, or consider additional factors by going to smart assign for more calculations.

For more information about quick assign, see the Quick assign article.

Smart assign

Smart assign automates the process of assigning jobs to appropriate shifts, and updating the run order if it makes sense to do so. Smart assign considers factors like:

  • How long the job would take to complete, in addition to already assigned work

  • Selecting a vehicle with the appropriate attributes

  • Selecting a vehicle with enough spare capacity

Smart assign is a tool that allows you to automatically assign jobs to shifts without entering planning mode.

This feature is accessible in dispatch when jobs are selected, and you can use it to assign jobs across all shifts, or a selection of shifts. If some selected jobs are already assigned, you can leave them as they are, or choose to reassign them to a more appropriate shift. You can also insert jobs between existing stops, or allow shifts to be reordered for a better result.

For more information about using smart assign, see the Smart assigning jobs article.

Sequencer

Sequencing only works for stops that are assigned to a shift. When stops are assigned to a shift, drivers or dispatchers can use the sequence option to reorder the stops in a more appropriate order based on their details, time windows, and stop locations.

For more information about sequencing, see the Sequencing stops article.


Route optimisation for dispatchers

A typical day for a dispatcher using NowGo's route optimisation tools might look like this:

Daily planning:

  • Generate optimised routes using the solver for the next day's deliveries based on the latest information about orders, drivers, and constraints.

  • Examine the suggested routes and make any desired adjustments by hand, or by using smart assign. This might involve re-ordering stops, assigning specific drivers to certain routes, or accommodating special requests.

  • Dispatch runs to drivers' mobile app.

Ongoing management:

  • Handle new orders and stops as they come in, using quick assign and smart assign to assign them to the best driver and shift.

  • You can use the sequencer to reorder stops as needed, and keep an eye on driver progress and any potential delays. You can also allow drivers to sequence their own stops throughout the day.

  • Make real-time adjustments to routes to accommodate unexpected events like traffic congestion, driver unavailability, or customer requests.

Did this answer your question?