Plan a Route – Android Route Planner App

Route4Me’s Android Multi Stop Route Planner app is designed to make your route planning and logistics operations faster, more efficient, and more profitable. Specifically, you can use our app to plan and optimize delivery driver routes and field service routes, communicate with teams, navigate routes, collect electronic proof of delivery, and much more. Plus, all that can be done remotely, using your smartphone or tablet. Furthermore, Route4Me’s Multi-Stop Route Planner supports real-time data synchronization across mobile and website versions of the route planning software.

Plan a New Route on the Android Multi Stop Route Planner

To plan a new route on your Android Multi Stop Route Planner, go to “My Routes” from the navigation menu. Then, tap on the “Add Route” button at the bottom of the screen. After that, enter the route name in the corresponding field. Next, specify the route settings.

Schedule the Route

With Route4Me’s Android Route Planner app, route scheduling is easy. Namely, you can schedule your delivery or field service route by simply tapping on “Route Schedule“. Next, use the calendar to schedule the route for the preferred date and time.

Select the Optimization Type on the Multi Stop Route Planner

To select the preferred route optimization type, tap on the “Optimization Type” field. Then, select one of the following route optimization options:

• Round Trip: The route starts and ends at the same address or depot;
• Lock Last Destination: The route ends at the current last added or uploaded address;
• End Anywhere: The app automatically chooses the most optimal stop for ending the route;
• Disable Optimization – End Anywhere: The app does not optimize the route and chooses the last added or uploaded address as the end-stop of the route;
• Disable Optimization – Round Trip: The app does not optimize the route and ends the route at the same stop where it starts (the first added or uploaded address).

Select the Route Travel Mode

Similarly, if you want to optimize the route for specific route travel directions, tap on the “Travel Mode” field. Next, select one of the following options:

• Driving: The Multi Stop Route Planner will optimize the route directions for driving.
• Walking: The planned route will include walking roads only.
• Bicycling: The planned route will include only those roads that are permitted for bicycling.

Add Addresses to the Route

Finally, after specifying the route optimization settings, tap on the “Continue” button. Next, tap on the “Add Destination” to start adding addresses and locations to the route.

Use OCR Address Scanner

Route4Me’s Multi Stop Route Planner features a built-in OCR address scanner that allows you to scan and add addresses from printed labels, box labels, etc. To use the OCR address scanner to add addresses to the route, tap on the camera icon. Then, point your camera at the address(es). Once the address is scanned, it is geocoded, and you can select the most suitable address option from the suggested list.

The OCR address scanner is especially useful for delivery driver routes and field service routes because it allows to significantly reduce the time of route data input, avoid errors, and more.

Geocode Addresses and Add as Destinations

You can manually add addresses to the route using the Address Geocoder. Moreover, the geocoder can automatically correct and complete addresses and locations. To manually add an address to the route, input the full or partial address into the “Add Destination” field. Then select one of the suggested geocoded and corrected address options. After that, you can add a contact phone number and an alias to the address.

Finally, to save the address and add more addresses, tap on the “Save & Add New” button. To save the address and finish, tap on the “Save & Close” button.

Add Address Book Contacts as Destinations

You can easily add addresses from your device’s address book into the route. Particularly, to add addresses from your device’s address book, tap on the “Pick Address from Contacts” button. Then, select the preferred contact to add as a route destination. And Route4Me’s Multi Stop Route Planner will automatically geocode and correct the added contact address if needed.

Import Route Data Files from Google Drive, Dropbox, or Android Device

For more convenience and efficiency, you can import route data files into your Multi Stop Route Planner right from your Google Drive, Dropbox, or even your Android device.

To import a route data file from your Google Drive or your Android Device, tap on the Upload CSV or XLS File button. Then select the preferred file in one of the allowed file types. And to upload a route data file from Dropbox, tap on the “Upload Addresses from Dropbox” button.

Learn more about Route4Me’s spreadsheet requirements to upload a properly structured route data file.

Optimize a Route on the Multi Stop Route Planner

Once you’ve added all the necessary addresses and locations, you can optimize them based on the previously specified optimization settings. After adding addresses, tap on the “Optimize” button and then confirm when prompted.

Start and Navigate a Planned Route on the Multi Stop Route Planner

Once the route is optimized, you can start the route on the Multi Stop Route Planner and navigate the route using the in-app voice-guided navigation. Thus, you can easily plan and navigate delivery driver and field service routes from the same app. Also, you can edit the planned route to change its scheduled time and date, add more route destinations, remove route destinations, and much more.

Mobile and Website Multi Stop Route Planner Real-Time Synchronization

Route4Me supports real-time route data synchronization across mobile and computer devices that are running Route4Me’s route planning software. Moreover, whenever drivers and field members progress on their routes or make route changes using Android or iOS Multi Stop Route Planners, all route data and updates can be automatically synced into the Route4Me Web Platform in real-time.

Google Maps Route Planner vs Route4Me Multi Stop Route Planner

On one hand, Google Maps Route Planner is a handy tool for planning a route from point A to point B. However, Google Maps navigation is not used by businesses that need to visit multiple locations because Google Maps do not support route optimization.

Although you can plan a multip stop route using Google Maps, all stops will be manually sequenced. Consequently, you might get longer travel time, longer route distance, higher fuel consumption, etc. Furthermore, Google Maps allow you to plan multi-stop routes with a limit of 10 locations per one route, including your current location as a route stop.

On the other hand, Route4Me’s Route Planner app uses its proprietary optimization engine to optimize addresses for the shortest, fastest, and most cost-efficient sequence of stops. Below you can find an example of manually sequenced addresses on Google Maps and the same set of addresses optimized on Route4Me’s app.

Free Route Planner Unlimited Stops Test Drive

Furthermore, with Route4Me’s Free Route Planner trial, you can use your own business and routing data to see what benefits you will get before investing in a subscription. Just install the Route4Me Android app and get a Free Route Planner Unlimited Stops and Unlimited Tasks test drive right away!