Visualize and adjust last-mile routes with the Mapbox route tuner
By: Alex Yule
The Mapbox Navigation and Solutions Architecture teams work with logistics companies to improve their delivery operations via route visualization and optimization. Our new front-end tool helps operations managers quickly visualize routes, and make instant adjustments to stops.
Improved routing saves time, increases driver and customer satisfaction, and reduces fuel usage. This saves money and reduces environmental impacts. Seemingly small optimizations allow for more deliveries and fewer miles driven and add up to huge savings for a large company.
Route adjustments may be needed due to: constraints not included in the optimization; poor output from legacy systems; or last-minute reassignments due to changing driver availability. Making these corrections using paper or spreadsheets takes time and requires intense and expensive local knowledge. This tool makes it easy for operators to visualize and make those changes quickly.
How does it work?
The route tuner application reads in a data file consisting of routes, drivers, and packages. This data can be created using existing legacy systems or with the Mapbox Optimization and Directions APIs. Once loaded, the tool renders the routes and stops on a map. Users can select routes from either the map or sidebar to see them in more detail, then enter edit mode to begin assigning stops to other routes.
Once the user is done making changes, they can optimize to see the time and distance impacts of their changes across the routes. The application can be configured to push these changes out to back-end systems such as package sorting or task assignment services.
What APIs does it use?
The route tuning tool combines several APIs in one application:
- Mapbox GL JS for fast, beautiful interactive maps
- Mapbox Optimization API for quick stop reordering
- Mapbox Directions API to fetch the route geometries to render on the map
How can I use it?
Try a live demo here. To learn more, check out our Solutions page or get in touch with our Accounts team.
