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5 Best Fleet Routing Software to Try in 2024

11 mins Read

July 12, 2024

Looking for the right fleet routing solution to meet your operational needs and deliver the most business value? It’s a difficult but important task — there’s a lot riding on making the right decision! With the variety of solutions available on the market these days, it’s a lot of work to sift through the options and there are many things you’ll need to look out for.

Breathe easy, though, because I’ve made the job easier for you. In this article, I’ve compiled a list of the top 5 fleet routing software in 2024, along with details of their key features, pricing structures and pros and cons.

Let’s get into it.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Fleet Routing Software

There are a lot of things to keep your eye on when evaluating fleet routing software. Here are three factors to keep in mind to make sure that you make the right choice for your business.

fleet routing factors

1. Scalability

As your business grows, the number of vehicles in your fleet and the complexity of routes will increase. Ensure that the software can accommodate more vehicles, routes and pick-up/drop-off points without a loss of performance. Evaluate how the software performs with a high volume of data and whether it can maintain speed and accuracy as the fleet expands.

Ideally, you’ll also want software that allows you to add modules or features as needed. Such a modular approach means you can start with the essentials and incorporate features like advanced analytics and machine learning as your needs evolve.

To keep costs in check as your business scales, look out for pricing models that allow for incremental payments based on usage or fleet size.

2. Integration Capabilities

The fleet routing software should integrate seamlessly with your ERP and CRM systems to enable smooth data flow and operational coherence across different departments. Compatibility with telematics systems and GPS devices is crucial for real-time vehicle tracking, monitoring driver behavior and gathering vehicle health data.

Robust APIs and webhooks for custom integrations will allow you to connect with various third-party applications and data sources seamlessly, while real-time data synchronization prevents delays and inaccuracies in routing decisions so that your fleet operations remain as efficient as possible.

3. Customization and Flexibility

Customizability of the software to meet your unique operational requirements (perishable goods, hazardous materials, delivery windows, priority stops, driver skills, etc.) is critical. It’s also useful to have customizable dashboards that allow different user roles like dispatchers, drivers, and managers to see the information most relevant to them.

One of the most important features to look out for is customizable objective functions. The routing algorithms should be adaptable to different types of fleet routing preferences like optimizing for the shortest distance, fastest time, least fuel consumption and more.

Scenario planning and dynamic routing also play big roles in helping you run an effective and resilient operation. Look for software that lets you create and analyze different fleet routing scenarios to determine the most efficient plans under various conditions. And in the event of unforeseen problems like last-minute order changes or unusual traffic conditions, the ability to adjust workflows dynamically based on real-time data and changing circumstances can keep your operations on track.

What Is the Best Fleet Routing Software?

The best fleet routing software are:

  1. NextBillion.ai Fleet Management Solution – Best advanced routing capabilities
  2. FarEye – For mid- to large-sized businesses
  3. OptimoRoute – For field service operations
  4. Routific – For mid-sized regional operations
  5. Route4Me – Suitable for varied routing needs

NextBillion.ai Fleet Management Solution

 

 Advanced Constraint Handling

NextBillion.ai provides a highly customizable platform that focuses on solving complex fleet routing and mapping challenges. The Fleet Management solution enables businesses to optimize and track fleet operations effectively and accommodates unique business requirements through extensive customization options.

Who Is It For?

The solution is designed to effortlessly handle optimization and navigation problems across delivery, trucking, retail and field services use cases. With its deep customizability and advanced fleet routing features, NextBillion.ai’s Fleet Management solution is a great fit for those running complex operations at scale.

NextBillion.ai Fleet Management Solution Features

Here are three key features of NextBillion.ai’s Fleet Management solution:

Feature 1: 50+ Hard and Soft Routing Constraints

Arguably the most important differentiator of NextBillion.ai’s solution is its advanced routing customization capabilities. With 50+ hard and soft routing constraints, the solution offers a level of customization and flexibility that others simply can’t match.

 Advanced Constraint Handling

Each business has its own unique goals, workflows, operational intricacies, preferences and fleet routing requirements, and this wide range of routing constraints is the tool that’ll enable you to mold NextBillion.ai’s Fleet Management solution to your specific needs.

Be it prohibited zones, vehicle- or time-based road restrictions, regulatory compliance requirements, custom road permissions and speed limits, and so much more, NextBillion.ai’s routing constraints help you generate routes exactly as you want them without the need for manual edits or interventions. You can even choose between multiple objective functions like optimizing fleet routing for equal task distribution, minimizing costs, prioritizing speed or reducing emissions.

The more constraints you have at your disposal, the better you can manipulate the fleet routing algorithm to precisely meet your needs, thus enabling improved operational efficiency, profitability and customer satisfaction. And NextBillion.ai’s selection of constraints is right up there among the very best.

Feature 2: Truck-Specific Routing and Scheduling

Different vehicle types navigate roads in different ways. Routes that are accessible to cars may not be accessible to trucks, one stretch of road might have different speed limits for each type of vehicle, some roads have time-based restrictions on when they can be used by trucks, others have weight restrictions and height clearances… the list goes on, but the point is that routing is not a one-size-fits-all process — especially so for trucks.

NextBillion.ai supports truck routing profiles so that you get efficient, safe and legal routes specifically optimized for trucks every time, without fail. The platform accounts for factors like truck weight and dimensions, type and volume of cargo and more. It even helps plan driver schedules around Hours of Service (HoS) regulations, incorporating mandatory breaks and driving limits to maintain compliance. If you’re dealing with the transportation of hazardous materials like explosives, poisons or corrosive materials, NextBillion.ai’s hazmat routing feature can help you plan routes in accordance with all the regulations you need to abide by for the transportation of hazardous materials at local, national and global scales.

nextbillion truck routing

With all of these trucking-specific features at hand, you can easily automate the planning of complex transportation routes and schedules across your fleet. Maximize operational efficiency, eliminate the risk of violations and fines, and maintain the safety of your drivers, vehicles and goods.

Refer to the truck routing tutorials to understand how to use NextBillion.ai’s APIs in various trucking scenarios.

Feature 3 – Solution Scalability

Another one of NextBillion.ai’s biggest differentiators is its large Distance Matrix API. Unlike the standard 25×25 matrix that most providers offer, NextBillion.ai supports matrices of up to 5,000×5,000 elements. This means that you can process requests for up to 5,000 origins and 5,000 destinations in a single API call. With smaller matrices, you’d have to break the same problem down into smaller segments and process it through multiple API calls, costing you more time, effort and money.

nextbillion scalability

Speaking of money, another aspect of NextBillion.ai’s solution scalability lies in its pricing. You’re given the flexibility to choose between asset-based, order-based and usage-based pricing models, so you can pick the option that best fits your workflow and business model.

Both of these points together mean that NextBillion.ai’s Fleet Management solution is perfectly suited to effectively planning, managing and executing large fleet operations at scale without running up excessive API bills.

NextBillion.ai Fleet Management Solution Pricing

Nextbillion pricing

NextBillion.ai offers free trials and tiered pricing plans to suit businesses of all sizes and operational needs. The available tiers are:

Starter Plan

Ideal for small businesses and startups, the Starter Plan includes essential APIs and car support at an affordable price. Key features are:

Premium Plan

For growing businesses that need advanced features, the Premium Plan builds on the Starter Plan with additional support for truck and motorcycle routing. Key features include:

Enterprise Plan

Tailored for large-scale enterprises with complex needs, the Enterprise Plan offers a comprehensive suite of solutions. Key features include:

Each plan is designed to provide the tools and support necessary for efficient and effective fleet routing optimization and logistics management across varying levels of operational complexity.

NextBillion.ai Fleet Management Solution Pros and Cons

✅ Advanced support for truck-specific routes

✅ Custom objective functions

✅ Complementary APIs and map tools

❌ Lacks direct geocoding capabilities

❌May not be cost effective for small fleets

FarEye

fareye

FarEye’s products are oriented to key areas in the order-to-door delivery journey to efficiently execute the last-mile delivery process and ensure a seamless consumer experience.

Who Is It For?

FarEye is a good fit for medium-, large- and enterprise-sized last-mile delivery businesses.

FarEye Features

Skill-based route assignment – Routes can be assigned to each driver individually or in batches, based on criteria like qualifications and experience.

Task prioritization – The platform allows you to define and alter task priorities for fleet routing activities.

Productivity monitoring – You can easily keep track of driver productivity based on KPIs like on-time arrivals and time to destination.

FarEye Pricing

FarEye does not provide pricing information publicly.

FarEye Pros and Cons

✅ User-friendly interface

✅ Detailed analytics and reporting

❌ Integration challenges

❌ Technical glitches

OptimoRoute

OptimoRoute

OptimoRoute is a popular fleet routing and planning software that’s known to be easily scalable and user friendly.

Who Is It For?

OptimoRoute is ideal for maximizing mobile workforce efficiency. As such, it’s best suited for field sales and service teams.

OptimoRoute Features

Advanced route planning – Plan multi-stop, multi-driver routes, optimizing sequences to maximize efficiency and meet service level agreements.

Dynamic routing – The platform adjusts routes in real time based on current traffic conditions, delivery windows and other factors to ensure the most efficient paths.

Automated analytics – Automatically generate detailed reports from route data to identify top-performing agents, causes behind service disruptions, etc.

OptimoRoute Pricing

The platform offers a 30-day free trial and three tiers of pricing.

Lite Plan – $39 per driver/month (billed monthly). Includes essentials like mobile app, route history, live tracking and up to 700 orders at once.

Pro Plan – $49 per driver/month (billed monthly). Adds features like analytics, proof of delivery, real-time order tracking and supports up to 1000 orders at once.

Custom Plan – Contact for pricing. Offers advanced features for complex needs, including thousands of orders, multi-day routes and commercial fleet routing.

You can save 10% on these plans by signing up for an annual subscription instead of monthly billing.

OptimoRoute Pros and Cons

✅ Feature-rich driver-facing mobile app

✅ Proof of delivery to minimize disputes

✅ Excellent customer service and support

❌ Monthly fees may be high for small businesses

❌ Occasional lag during high-traffic periods

❌ Complexity of integration with existing systems

Routific

routific

Routific is a route optimization software designed to improve the efficiency of fleet operations. The platform integrates seamlessly with various business tools, facilitating a streamlined and cohesive workflow.

Who Is It For?

The Routific platform was built with delivery businesses in mind. It’s most appropriate for local small- to mid-sized companies.

Routific Features

Driver-friendly platform – Easily schedule flexible driver breaks, reassign stops between drivers as needed and send updated route details in case of any later alterations.

Route customizations – You can customize fleet routing preferences and constraints to mold the optimization process according to your unique business needs.

Automated customer notifications – Keep customers informed with automated real-time delivery tracking links.

Routific Pricing

Routific offers three pricing plans, with 7-day free trials for each.

Essential – $49 per vehicle per month​ or $39 per vehicle per month​ if billed annually. This tier includes basic features like intelligent route optimization, driver mobile apps and basic dispatching.

Professional – $69 per vehicle per month​ or $59 per vehicle per month​ if billed annually. This tier covers all the Essential tier features and adds live GPS and progress tracking, photo proof of delivery and signatures, end-of-day reports and API integrations for automated workflows.

Professional + – $93 per vehicle per month​ or $78 per vehicle per month​ if billed annually. In this tier, you get all the features of the previous tiers, plus customer notifications with accurate ETAs, customizable templates and real-time delivery tracker links.

Routific Pros and Cons

✅ Drag-and-drop reordering of stops and editing routes

✅ One-click dispatch

✅ Automated customer notifications

❌ No alternative planning options if some deliveries are excluded from routes

❌ Can’t alter routes that have already been dispatched to drivers

❌ There are some reports of inefficient routing, particularly for clustered stops

Route4Me

Route4me

Route4Me is a well-known player that’s been around for a while in the route optimization and planning space. It offers an extensive array of add-on customization features in its marketplace.

Who Is It For?

Thanks to its flexibility and wide selection of customization options, Route4Me can be shaped into a suitable solution for almost any business that requires route optimization and fleet management.

Route4Me Features

Email/SMS notifications – Keep customers in the loop with SMS/email notifications for any order updates or instructions.

Real-time collaboration – Communicate with drivers, agents and customers in real time to quickly identify and resolve any issues that may arise.

Detailed analytics – Get detailed information on mileage, fuel consumption, running costs and much more to identify scope for further optimization.

Route4Me Pricing

Route4Me offers four pricing plans and 7-day free trials.

Route Management – $40 per user per month with a minimum of five users, totaling $200 per month. This plan includes features like adding and visualizing destinations, dispatching routes, and tracking progress.

Route Optimization – $60 per user per month, with a $300 monthly minimum, and includes route optimization and combining multiple stops.

Business Optimization – $90 per user per month, with a $450 minimum, and adds advanced features like optimizing across drivers and depots, handling mixed fleets and applying business rules.

Enterprise Optimization – This is a customized plan that lets you tailor the platform to meet your specific enterprise needs with advanced analytics, unique workflows, professional services, industry compliance, advanced algorithms and integrations. Contact Route4Me for pricing details.

Route4Me Pros and Cons

✅ Updating and editing of routes is quick and easy

✅ Good visibility into operations with route updates and statuses

✅ Offers extensive route customization options

❌ Requires manual checking and correction of imported addresses

❌ Some users report errors, inefficiencies and unrealistic ETAs

❌ Costly plans, with additional expenses for add-on features

Get the Most out of Your Fleet With NextBillion.ai Fleet Routing

The best way to find the perfect fleet routing solution for your particular business needs is to try each of these offerings and evaluate how they satisfy your requirements. That, however, can be an intensive and time-consuming process.

If you want to save yourself time and effort and are looking for the best overall fleet routing pick, you can’t go wrong with NextBillion.ai’s Fleet Management solution. With its wide range of routing constraints, advanced optimization algorithms, ability to handle large-scale operations with ease and 24/7 proactive support teams, your fleet routing needs are sure to be met and perhaps even surpassed.

So, there you have it. NextBillion.ai’s Fleet Management solution is the best pick for fleet routing in 2024.

Don’t just take our word for it. See for yourself!

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About Author

Joseph Jacob

Joseph Jacob is a seasoned author with over 7 years of business writing experience behind him. After graduating as an aerospace engineer, he briefly dipped his toes into the world of sports journalism before finding his vocation in B2B SaaS content writing.

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