The Best Multi Stop Route Planner for Businesses

It doesn’t matter whether you’re planning a road trip or a delivery route, being able to plan for multiple stops along the way is a must. The problem is that not all multi stop route planners are created equal. Some lack important features, while others are built primarily for businesses of a certain size. You need a route planner that can tell you what is the most efficient route for multiple locations.

While it can seem daunting to pick a route planner—since there are so many different options on the market—it gets easier to choose once you narrow down your specific pain points and use cases. It also helps to be informed about the other multiple stops route planners that are currently available on the market. If you’re wanting to learn about multiple stop route planners, then you’ve come to the right place. 

To jump ahead to a specific section, browse to one of the headers below:

• What Is the Best Free Route Planner for Multiple Stops?
• The Best Multi Stop Route Planner for Business

What Is the Best Free Route Planner for Multiple Stops?

Each use case for a multi stop route planner can vary significantly. If you’re a recreational user that just needs to make a handful of stops or wants to plan a simple road trip, you probably won’t need many of the advanced features that specialized route planning software can offer. You might try a route planner multiple stops online free solution.

On the other hand, if you’re a business operator looking to plan a route with multiple stops and optimize that route for the shortest distance traveled, the most fuel efficiency, the most stops completed, and the highest level of customer satisfaction, then you’ll likely benefit more from route planning software that has been purpose-built for business users. 

Will Google Maps route planner do multiple stops for free?

Google Maps is one of the most popular apps in the world, but it’s ultimately more of a mapping app than it is a route planner. That’s because while you can plan a multi destination trip on Google Maps for free, there is a limit of only ten stops. That might be enough stops for a road trip, but it’s restrictive for a logistics business that needs to plan more elaborate routes and manage multiple drivers.

Also, Google Maps lacks some key route planning features that businesses typically need, like bulk address inputting and more specific route optimization capabilities. There is also no real time tracking or driver management options, which is important to note if you manage a fleet of two or more drivers. 

So, while Google Maps might be a feasible stop-gap measure for a small business just starting out, it’s not ideal for businesses looking to grow and maximize the efficiency of their operations.

Can MapQuest optimize multiple stops for free?

The multi stop route planner MapQuest provides does allow for free use. Similar to other free tools, there is a stop limit and MapQuest’s is 26 stops. Where MapQuest differs somewhat from other free mapping apps is that it does offer a slightly more comprehensive route planning tool. 

One of the biggest features of MapQuest is the option to import addresses in bulk by copying and pasting addresses into the planner or uploading a spreadsheet. This can save a lot of time compared to manually entering one address after another. 

It also offers some route optimization features like the ability to optimize for the shortest time or shortest distance. When you’re planning a route with MapQuest, you can also choose to avoid tolls, ferries, highways, seasonal roads, and country borders.

If you’re looking for a free route planner with unlimited stops, you might be looking for a long time. Even if you can make the limited number of stops work, the lack of other features like multi-driver management, time window requirements, or real time tracking often become deal breakers for many businesses.

The Best Multi Stop Route Planner for Business

A business is going to use a route planner in a very different way than a recreational user. If you run a business, you’ll probably want to look beyond the mainstream mapping apps to find the best multiple stop route planner that’s built for business use. 

The size of the business you run can also have a big impact on which software is right for you. A one or two-person business is going to look significantly different in its day-to-day operations than an enterprise with 1,000+ drivers. 

That’s why it’s important to recognize which features you need for the size of business you run, and then consider the top options in that category. 

For owner operators

Owner operatored businesses are typically thought of as operations where the owner is the sole employee. One example of an owner operatored business is a truck driver who decides to buy his or her own trucking rig and operate it themselves. 

These types of businesses have fewer moving parts, especially on the personnel front, so the route planning needs are going to vary drastically from a large enterprise operation. 

That said, while tools like Google Maps and MapQuest might be effective solutions for the first year or two that someone is in business, even businesses of this size will likely want to look for software that has more advanced features. There comes a point where the software you use can hold you back more than it can help.

Small or large, efficiency is at the top of most businesses’ wish lists, and more advanced route planning software offers features like the ability to schedule stops on your route within specific time windows. Another important feature that isn’t available with free planners is proof of delivery or service. This is where you can take a picture or capture a customer’s signature right in your route planning app to record confirmation that the job has been completed.

Time-saving is one of the most significant benefits of using dedicated route planning software. Planning routes can be time intensive, but with automated planning software, you can plan and optimize a route with hundreds of stops in seconds. You can also plan your routes weeks in advance so that you and your drivers can prepare accordingly and avoid last minute issues.

For small to medium businesses

Utilizing multi stop route planning software like OptimoRoute can help small and medium sized businesses gain traction on their larger competitors. Think of it as leveling the playing field by giving small businesses access to many of the features that big companies use to serve more customers and produce higher profits. 

At the same time, as a logistic business grows and now has the need to make more stops on their route, many of these features that would have previously just been “nice to have” become a true necessity. 

For example, if your business is expanding and you’re hiring more drivers, you need software that allows you to manage multiple driver schedules by either balancing work equitably or balancing workloads based on compensation level to keep a lid on personnel expenses. 

As you’re building your routes and assigning them to drivers, you’ll likely need a tool that can account for special skills a technician or driver may have or need e.g. language, sales territory, equipment use, and special certifications.

Real time tracking and route modification are other features businesses with drivers often can’t live without. Not only does it give managers and owners insights into where their drivers are and how the routes are progressing, but it enables you to adjust routes in the moment should unanticipated issues arise—such as driver sickness or the breakdown of a vehicle. 

It’s also extremely useful when last minute orders need to be taken care of. The flexibility to add additional stops even after routes have been planned and vehicles have been loaded can be a lifesaver.

Another feature that can make a significant difference in operational efficiency is having a dedicated mobile app for your drivers. For example, OptimoRoute’s driver app for iOS and Android gives drivers their complete route, order information, and navigation, all in the palm of their hand. If you need to update routes or order status, you can send the update to them right away and it will notify them on the app–no phone calls required. 

Having a well-designed driver app also provides tools like proof of delivery so drivers can confirm deliveries or completion of work by capturing a customer’s signature or taking a picture to verify. 

There are too many features to go into great detail on, but here are a few more that small business owners should think about as they consider taking the plunge with a route planning tool: 

• Automated planning: Save yourself hours that you’d otherwise spend manually planning schedules by importing up to thousands of orders at once and have your routes automatically planned for you in seconds. Plus, plan up to five weeks in advance!
• Route optimization: Unlock greater efficiency by generating routes that are optimized for the shortest time and least amount of fuel required while simultaneously accounting for factors like time window requirements, vehicle capacity, driver particulars, and much more.
• Customer feedback: Improve your operation by automating the customer feedback process with automatic feedback requests after each delivery or service. 
• Analytics: The more data you put into your software and the longer you use it, the more analytical insights you’ll gain into your operation. This will also give you insight into how you can make improvements across the board. 
• API integration: If you’re already using software like a CRM or POS system, then the good thing is that software like OptimoRoute can integrate with your existing tools to create smoother communication and limit inefficiencies. 

The bottom line is that if you’re a small or medium sized business looking to serve more customers, decrease expenses, and maximize your profits, specialized route planning software like OptimoRoute can make the difference between getting ahead or falling behind.

For enterprise businesses

Depending on the specific use case, enterprise businesses may use some of the same software solutions as medium-sized business, but there are also more expensive software suites built for large businesses that offer an even wider range of features. 

For example, global operations with thousands of employees might need to have an integrated solution for managing complex supply chains all the way from the manufacturing stage to delivery. That’s why a full-circle solution like Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing might be required. 

This is the sort of software that billion-dollar companies like FedEx, Honda, and Chipotle use, so it’s no surprise that the software can cost an arm and a leg. For small to medium sized logistics businesses, this type of software is probably exessive and might end up costing you a lot of money for features you won’t end up using. 

As you evaluate which software is right for your business, consider which bucket you fall into, e.g. owner operator, small to medium sized business, or enterprise. Then, think about which features would have the greatest impact on your day-to-day operations and help your business increase efficiency and even grow.  

The initial effort you put into selecting route planning software will be well worth it in the long run when you think about the time—and money—it will save you for years to come. Some businesses have been able to unlock an increased delivery capacity of 20% or more just by using route planning software like OptimoRoute. 

Route planning doesn’t have to be complicated, but the more you know, the better equipped you can be to run your business. If you’re ready to learn more about how route planning can help your business, take a look at this detailed guide to route planning that we created for business owners.