Top 5 Routing Planning Apps to Crush Last Mile Delivery

With eCommerce growing exponentially, customers expect lightning-fast shipments, transparent tracking, and hassle-free experiences. But juggling routes, drivers, and traffic can make or break your eCommerce game. Hence, using an app optimized for last mile delivery can provide more accurate ETAs, reduce miles driven, and facilitate on-time arrival. 

As eCommerce skyrockets, the pressure for seamless last mile deliveries intensifies. It is crucial to note that FarEye’s last mile survey revealed that 84% of customers will not shop with a retailer again due to a poor last mile experience. Thus, utilizing tailored routing planning apps becomes crucial to effectively deal with these challenges.

Read on to find out the top five apps to achieve last mile delivery success.

Route Planning App: Explained

A route planning app is a specialized software that lets drivers, couriers, and delivery personnel plan the most effective routes for deliveries. It uses sophisticated algorithms to optimize delivery routes, taking into account factors like traffic patterns, driver availability, vehicle capacity, and even weather conditions. 

This software generates routes that maximize productivity and are tailored to last-mile delivery requirements by taking into account factors like the number of parcels, stop duration, vehicle capacity, road networks, and real-time traffic. 

But with the eCommerce landscape constantly evolving, coordinating complex last mile logistics manually becomes ineffective. Therefore, the eCommerce companies need specialized solutions that cater to their unique needs.

Best Delivery Route Planning Apps for eCommerce Companies

With route optimization being crucial for businesses, utilizing an app specifically designed for route planning and optimization offers significant advantages over manual planning. Here are the top-notch route planning apps for last mile deliveries in eCommerce:

1. Upper

Upper stands out as a premier multi-stop route planning and optimization app, lauded for its advanced routing algorithm that simplifies intricate route mapping. It remains a top choice among delivery companies for its ability to derive the most efficient routes while factoring in crucial elements like time windows, service time, driving preferences, and stop priorities.

Moreover, Upper seamlessly facilitates route planning, scheduling, route optimization, proof of delivery collection, and customer notification. Its intuitive design and robust features position Upper as the comprehensive solution for businesses aiming to elevate their route planning capabilities and delivery performance.

So, are you ready to experience the power of Upper for yourself? View on PlayStore and download the app today to see how it can optimize your routes and boost your delivery game! 

Top features

• Upper offers customizable route optimization based on your preferences—whether prioritizing distance or time—tailored to your specific delivery requirements
• Simplify route planning with quick address validation and instant alerts for incorrect or duplicate addresses within your delivery stops list
• Prioritize urgent deliveries and optimize routes accordingly, ensuring time-sensitive deliveries reach their destinations promptly
• Gain accurate Estimated Time of Arrivals (ETAs) and automate delivery updates to recipients, ensuring seamless transparency throughout the delivery process
• Access comprehensive stop summaries providing detailed information on completed stops, scheduled routes, empowering better route management and analysis
• Collect proof of delivery through photo documentation, notes, and digital signatures, ensuring accurate records for every delivery.

Pricing: Champions Plan: $19.99/month

2. DynoRoute

DynoRoute is an iOS application for delivery route optimization with the goal of improving routing efficiency. To strategically reduce route durations, the software takes into account distance, time windows, traffic, and constraints. Last-mile delivery times can be cut by up to 20% and fuel costs reduced by eliminating backtracking and precisely arranging stops.

Flexible pay-as-you-go pricing from DynoRoute lets you only pay for what you use, so there are no binding contracts. DynoRoute optimizes day-to-day delivery routes by dynamically adapting to traffic conditions, customizing settings, and optimization algorithms that minimize mileage while maximizing productivity.

Top features

• It simplifies route planning through an intuitive interface design enabling drivers to quickly map out routes
• Businesses can configure route settings to match specialized hauling requirements, cargo types and customer needs
• Turn-by-turn directions integrate seamlessly into Google Maps, Waze and other leading navigation apps for in-route guidance
• The software allows creating customized delivery notes for each destination to provide drivers special handling details
• Routing reports reveal efficiency insights at the stop-level to guide data-based optimizations.

Pricing: $7.99 for 500 credits

3. MapQuest

MapQuest is a free route planner app, offering a set of route planning features. It is the best option for businesses dealing with a small number of deliveries (up to 26 stops). MapQuest provides real-time traffic updates, helping users avoid congested areas and select alternative routes to save time. This app is free to use but is only compatible with iOS devices.

MapQuest is exclusive to the United States and Canada, making its usability less outside of these two nations. It can display nearby restaurants, hotels, gas stations, ATMs, and other places of interest within your vicinity.

Top features

• It offers turn-by-turn voice navigation for walking and driving directions
• Offers the flexibility to choose route options to avoid things like highways and toll roads
• Provides hands-free driving directions with Apple carPlay connectivity
• Real-time traffic updates to help you find alternate ways to your destination
• Allows to favorite and store locations for quick and easy access
• Access to up-to-date satellite imagery for driving directions.

Pricing: Free

4. Google Maps

Google Maps is the undisputed leader in digital mapping and navigation. It is undoubtedly the best solution for planning the fastest route between two given stops. Google Maps helps billions of people across the globe reach their destinations on a daily basis. The undeniable advantage of Google Maps is that it is available free of cost and supports both platforms (web and mobile). 

For ad hoc local deliveries, Google Maps serves as an indispensable co-pilot, helping drivers to avoid congestion and navigate effortlessly. It provides turn-by-turn navigation and real-time traffic updates to ensure that the users are well-informed.  However, the mapping features of Google Maps allow you to plan only ten stops per route.

Top Features

• Google Maps automatically adjusts route based on real-time traffic conditions
• Offers real-time suggestions for alternate routes in case any unexpected event 
• Provides turn-by-turn instructions through intuitive voice commands
• Access and manage your saved locations and share them effortlessly with others
• Allows to easily explore the destination with interactive 360-degree street views
• Download offline maps for areas with limited or no network coverage.

Pricing: Free

5. Droppath Route Planner

Droppath Route Planner is the solution to the complexities of multi-stop deliveries. This app is designed to streamline deliveries, customer visits, and errand runs. It’s not only a useful route planner for deliveries but also the best option for field service technicians and salespeople. Droppath is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. 

The core features include route optimization, real-time tracking, and easy integration with popular navigation apps. The app’s intuitive interface allows for easy destination marking, route history management. With Droppath, users can effortlessly incorporate addresses from various sources, choose their preferred vehicle type for accurate directions. 

Top Features

• Incorporate addresses from diverse sources – contacts, previous routes, current location, or via copy-pasting/importing a CSV file
• Droppath curates the best route from your extensive list of destinations (up to 200 per route), for tailored directs vehicle type can be specified
• Allows organizing data and contact information according to your preferences or visit sequence
• One-tap access to Google Maps or Waze for detailed turn-by-turn navigation
• Save route histories, duplicate or add destinations from previous routes effortlessly.

Pricing: $9.99/month

To sum up, investing in a route planning app is not just about saving time and money. Rather, it is about building a smarter, more efficient, and customer-centric eCommerce operation.

Benefits of Efficient Route Planning

Faster deliveries are just the beginning; efficient route planning offers a cascade of benefits that can propel your business. Here are some of them:

1. Reduced delivery times: Every minute saved on the road is a minute your customers celebrate. Thus, optimized routes turn excited anticipation into instant gratification by saving precious delivery schedule hours.
2. Lower fuel costs: Efficient route planning can let you forget about using too much gas and losing money. With optimized routes, you’ll drive fewer miles, which means you’ll save a lot of money on gas and boost your bottom line.
3. Improved driver efficiency: Efficient routes reduce stress, minimize backtracking, and maximize productivity, keeping your drivers motivated and focused on delivering smiles.
4. Enhanced customer satisfaction: Deliveries on time are only the beginning. Customers become raving fans who keep returning for more as a result of trust and loyalty being built through transparent communication, accurate ETAs, and real-time tracking.
5. Reduced environmental impact: Optimized routes minimize emissions and fuel consumption, making your business a responsible steward of the planet, drawing in eco-conscious clients and aligning with your sustainability goals.
6. Increased operational efficiency: Route planning apps provide valuable insights on driver performance, traffic patterns, and delivery trends, allowing you to optimize your fleet, streamline processes, and make informed decisions for sustainable growth.

Thus businesses can transform their last mile from a logistical nightmare into a competitive advantage with the right route planning app.

Final Thought

To sum up, supply chain optimization is required to meet rising consumer demands. The significance of route planning cannot be overstated as customers continue to demand prompt, precise deliveries. Businesses can therefore take the lead in terms of efficiency and customer satisfaction if they embrace the potential of route planning apps.

Additionally, businesses can enhance their customer journey and optimize deliveries with the help of the right routing application. Therefore, seize the chance, make use of the features of a reliable routing app, and set out on a path that will lead you to unparalleled success in the eCommerce industry.