How To Plan Multi-Stop Routes Using Route Optimization Software

Planning a multi-stop route using Google Maps is limited, as you can only add up to 10 stops and must manually arrange them in the desired order. Google Maps does not optimize routes based on cost, time, or operational constraints, which makes it less suitable for delivery or field service businesses. Efficient route planning requires accounting for key business rules and customer variables such as vehicle capacity, traffic, weather, driver availability, and delivery time windows. This guide explains how route optimization software solves complex routing challenges and helps you generate the most efficient multi-stop routes in seconds. Learn how to plan optimized delivery routes that save time, reduce costs, and improve fleet performance.

Route Optimization Business Rules & Customer Variables

Here are some of the many variables that you need to account for to plan multi-stop routes efficiently:

• Your fleet vehicles’ capacity (maximum weight, cubic volume, number of items on board, etc.)
• Traffic restrictions, such as congestions, rush hours, and near real-time traffic conditions
• Weather conditions such as heavy rain, slippery roads, hail, blizzard, storm, etc.
• Availability of your drivers and vehicles
• Customer availability hours (customer time windows)
• Avoid or include left turns, right turns, highways, tolls, etc.

Multiple Stops Routing Example

Imagine you have 100 customers that need to be serviced in a single day. Each customer has specific visitation hours, your vehicles have different loading capacities, and you have a limited number of drivers. Add to that weather and traffic unpredictability. Now, you need to create several multi-stop routes while factoring in all the variables mentioned previously. You need to ensure that:

• Your fleet resources are used at their full capacity;
• Your stops are sequenced in the most cost-efficient and time-effective way possible;
• You respect the road restrictions applicable to your vehicles;
• You minimize wait time between stops.

As you can see, planning a multi-stop route is a very complex combinatorial problem that is nearly impossible to solve manually. Route planning automatically finds the solution for both the Vehicle Route Problem (VRP) and the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP).

That’s why you need route optimization software or a fastest delivery routing software: to compute through millions of possible multi-stop routes and generate only the most feasible versions in a couple of seconds.

Multi-Stop Route Planning Software

Route planning software or a multiple stop route planner helps field service companies and delivery businesses to make the most out of their fleet and teams by automating the multi-stop route planning process. Route planning software processes hundreds of thousands of addresses and outputs the most cost-efficient multi-stop routes in a couple of minutes, helping businesses reduce fuel expenses and payroll costs.

Multi-Stop Route Optimization Benefits

With the fastest route dispatch software – also known as a delivery route planner – you will be able to utilize your fleet and team at their full capacity. Multi-stop route optimization will help you:

• Sequence your multiple stops into the most optimal order
• Cut operating costs (including payroll and fuel expenses)
• Streamline your supply chain
• Get more visibility into your entire infrastructure
• Keep your customer happy
• Deliver more packages with fewer fleet resources
• Factor in unpredictable weather, traffic, and other variables when creating routes

Begin your 7-day test drive and try the free routing app trial!

Last Updated: October 31, 2020July 31, 2025