Driver Breaks – Optimize Routes and Insert Route Breaks

Route4Me’s Driver Breaks Add-On enables you to easily insert breaks into your optimized last-mile routes to reduce driver fatigue, add truck stops, comply with local state regulations, etc. With Route4Me, you can automatically insert breaks after a specific elapsed driving time, total on-duty route time, or the number of stops. For example, truck drivers can have route breaks after a certain driving time, field workers can have breaks after servicing a specific number of locations, etc. In this guide, you can learn how to optimize routes with Driver Breaks and insert Driver Breaks into already planned routes.

 

 

Optimize Routes with Driver Breaks – Driver Break Types

First, go to “Routes” and then select “Plan New Route” in the navigation menu. Next, select the preferred route data import method: Interactive Map Editor, Copy-and-Paste, Upload a File, or Import Data.

Select the preferred route stops and addresses import method for planning routes with Driver Breaks.

 

Next, instead of using an Optimization Profile, click the “Skip” button to manually adjust your optimization settings. Additionally, learn more about creating, managing, and using Route4Me’s Optimization Profiles.

Skip selecting an optimization profile to manually adjust route optimization settings for inserting Driver Breaks into routes.

 

After that, go to the “Optimization” tab, where you can customize your route optimization settings. To use Driver Breaks, enable the “Multiple Drivers” optimization so that the system can plan multiple routes. Additionally, you can add other route optimization constraints, such as Weight Optimization Constraint, Pieces Optimization Constraint, Cube Optimization Constraint, Revenue Optimization Constraint, etc. Moreover, you can use any other route settings and constraints.

Select Multiple Drivers Route optimization type to insert Driver Breaks into optimized routes.

 

After selecting the “Multiple Drivers” optimization type and specifying the preferred optimization settings, go to the “Driver Breaks” tab. Next, enable the Driver Breaks feature by switching on the “Insert Breaks” toggle. After that, specify the preferred Break Duration in the respective field. Next, select the preferred Break Type in the respective drop-down list. Below, you can find descriptions of the available Driver Break Types.

Select Driver Breaks insertion and optimization type to insert Driver Breaks after a specific route time or a number of route stops.

Country RegionCountry Code
After Elapsed Service & Travel TimeInsert a Driver Break into each optimized route after the specified Total Route Time. In detail, the Total Route Time comprises the route’s Total Travel Time plus Total Service Time. Accordingly, a Driver Break is inserted after the specified Total Route Time elapses. For example, if you specify 5 hours, a Driver Break will be inserted into each optimized route after the route stop that is planned to be visited after the 5th hour of the route’s Total Route Time (Total Travel Time + Total Service Time).
After Elapsed Travel TimeInsert a Driver Break into each optimized route after the specified Total Route Travel Time. For example, if you specify 5 hours, a Driver Break will be inserted into each optimized route after the route stop that is planned to be visited after the 5th hour of the route’s Total Travel Time.
After Specified Number of StopsInsert a Driver Break into each optimized route after the specified number of route stops. For example, if you specify 5 stops, a Driver Break will be inserted into each route after the route’s 5th stop.

 

Depending on the number of added or imported addresses and specified route optimization constraints, Route4Me can optimize one or multiple routes. When the system optimizes multiple routes, they are automatically opened on Route4Me’s Routes Map. Accordingly, Route4Me automatically inserts one Driver Brake into each planned route based on the specified settings. On the Routes Map, Driver Break stops are displayed with the break or coffee mug icon.

Driver Breaks are displayed as a break icon on optimized routes in Route4Me's Routes Map.

 

When the system optimizes a single route, this route is automatically opened in Route4Me’s Route Editor. Additionally, you can open any route in Route4Me’s Route Editor, even if the system optimized multiple routes. In detail, Route4Me automatically inserts one Driver Brake into each planned route based on the specified settings. Each Driver Brake is added as an additional route stop and has the same address as the route stop after which it is inserted.

Driver Breaks are inserted into optimized last-mile routes as a Break Stop Type with the address of the previous route stop.

 

Insert Driver Breaks into Planned and Optimized Routes

Furthermore, you can insert new and additional Driver Breaks into already planned and optimized routes. To do so, in your Routes List or Routes Map, select one or multiple preferred routes. After that, click “Edit” in the toolbar and then select “Insert Breaks” from the menu.

Insert Driver Breaks into planned and optimized routes.

 

Next, specify the preferred Break Duration, select Break Type, and then add other break settings. To remove all already added Driver Breaks and replace them with new Driver Breaks based on the new settings, check the “Replace all existing breaks” box. If you want to keep the already added Driver Breaks and add additional new Driver Breaks, leave this box unchecked.

Driver Breaks settings for inserting breaks into planned and optimized last-mile routes.

 

Accordingly, if you leave the “Replace all existing breaks” box unchecked, the system will add additional Driver Breaks to the routes without removing the previously added breaks.

There can be multiple Driver Breaks inserted into a single route and displayed on the Routes Maps with route break icons.

 

Dispatch Routes to Mobile Route Planner Apps for Drivers

Furthermore, you can easily dispatch routes with Driver Breaks to telematics vehicles and Route4Me’s Mobile Route Planning apps for drivers. Accordingly, to dispatch a route to a driver, assign the driver to the route. Similarly, to dispatch a route to a vehicle, assign the vehicle to the route.

Dispatch optimized routes with Driver Breaks to drivers using Route4Me's Mobile Route Planning Driver Apps.

 

Once the route is dispatched to a driver, the driver can instantly access the route using Route4Me’s iPhone Route Planning App or Android Route Planning App. Specifically, after assigning a user to the route, this route becomes available on the user’s account in real-time, and the user can start, navigate and complete the route using Route4Me’s Mobile App. Accordingly, Driver Breaks have the “BREAK” alias and are displayed so in the Route Editor and RouteMe’s Mobile Apps.

Drivers can open dispatched routes with Driver Breaks using Route4Me's Route Planning Driver apps.

 

 

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About Route4Me

Route4Me has over 40,000 customers globally. Route4Me's Android and iPhone mobile apps have been downloaded over 2 million times since 2009. Extremely easy-to-use, Route4Me's apps create optimized routes, synchronize routes to mobile devices, enable communication with drivers and customers, offer turn-by-turn directions, delivery confirmation, and more. Behind the scenes, Route4Me's operational optimization platform combines high-performance algorithms with data science, machine learning, and big data to plan, optimize, and analyze routes of almost any size in real-time.