Best Route Planning Software in 2026
This guide compares Track-POD, RouteManager, Circuit, and Upper, covering features, pricing, routing quality, and best-fit scenarios to help businesses choose the best route planning software for 2026.
Read MoreIf your business deals in delivery or transportation, truck driver safety ought to be at the top of your priority list. Every time your drivers hop into one of your fleet vehicles, they risk their physical wellbeing and even their lives.
According to the US Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), there were 4119 fatalities on American roads involving trucks in 2019. Sixteen percent of these fatalities were truck drivers or occupants. With harsh statistics like these, ensuring the safety of your drivers is a pertinent responsibility, one that your organization cannot afford to ignore.
Not only is it in the best interests of your employees, but it is also important for the sustainability of your business. Route planning software enables you to improve your truck driver safety, and this article will tell you how.
Route planning is a method of calculating and choosing the ideal transportation path through multiple delivery stops or destinations. It is about finding the best route that is cost-effective, time-conscious, and safe for your drivers. Route planning generally involves consolidating a list of orders and their delivery destinations, developing an ordered route to schedule tasks, and ensuring that deliveries occur timeously.
Other terms associated with route planning include route mapping, journey planning, journey mapping, and route sequencing. Route planning and route optimization also tend to be used interchangeably, although some people argue that there is a distinction.
Essentially, however, route planning is about formulating delivery pathways that optimize your costs, truck driver safety, time, and resources.
There are many ways in which routing affects truck driver safety. Let's look at some of them.
Fleet safety is not an easy thing to master. It is not quite like in-office management where you can oversee tasks and ensure your employees comply with rules and guidelines.
With fleet management, there is only so much you can do about your employees’ behavior on the road. Your drivers could be making unscheduled stops, breaking the rules of the road, or following their own paths to delivery stops. All of these things can put their well-being at risk, compromising their safety and the safety of other drivers on the road.
Journey planning software includes GPS tracking - like watching an Uber driver on their journey to pick you up - with the live location of your vehicles. This feature allows you to monitor whether drivers are following their routes and gives you their precise location.
Not only does this encourage your workers to abide by both your rules and road regulations, but you can also easily locate your drivers in the case of an emergency.
Driving is an exercise in multitasking and focus, a paradox that your drivers must balance. They have to keep tabs on their delivery time, avoid potential hazards on the roads, and stay conscious of other drivers, among other demands driving places on them.
Making easy-to-follow routes - with step-by-step driving instructions - available to your drivers, you can assist in alleviating some of their anxieties.
Getting lost can cause confusion and panic, emotions that can be dangerous on the road. A Telegraph and YouGov for Aviva survey of 1094 drivers indicated that getting lost deteriorated driving ability. 27 percent of those surveyed pointed to getting lost as having an enormous effect on their road safety. The survey revealed other pertinent statistics affecting driver safety:
33% of drivers said they speed up if they’re running late.
16% said poor attention led to increased speeding.
Distraction was the third most popular reason drivers identified as a cause of road incidents.
With tools that offer the best GPS apps to choose from, your drivers can get acquainted with routes before they hit the tar. In addition, they can avoid stressful circumstances like getting lost or high traffic.
This way, they have a lot less to be concerned about. They can focus more on driving safely and staying aware of other vehicles than on direction.
The journey mapping GPS feature has another useful benefit for truck driver safety. Now that you are able to keep tabs on the distance your drivers cover, you can correctly plan and schedule your vehicle maintenance and servicing.
Vehicles experience normal wear and tear from daily driving, but it can become dangerous if left unattended for too long. Distance tracking allows you to keep a better eye out for vehicle damage and schedule maintenance and repair accordingly.
Introducing route planning means you can select shorter routes, reducing your delivery times. This can result in decreased fuel consumption and, thus improve fuel management.
You can also save on maintenance fees if you plan for shorter and safer routes. Effective routing will result in less wear and tear on your vehicles and, thus, cheaper maintenance costs.
The safer driving practices nurtured by this system also affect your risk management and spending resulting in less wear and tear, fewer incidents or accidents, and reduced insurance claim costs.
Drivers will also spend less time trying to find their stops, getting lost on the way, or sitting stuck in traffic. For you, this means fewer working hours or delivery times leading to more affordable labor costs.
Route sequencing benefits your business’s reputation in two ways. First, it indicates that your business has an interest in the safety and wellbeing of your workers. People make up an organization, so it’s imperative that you care for the people that work for you.
This is an excellent entrepreneurial practice that can improve your brand image and prime you for business collaborations and corporate sponsorship.
The second benefit you can leverage from route planning is customer-facing. The ability to plan and estimate your delivery times more accurately means you can give customers dynamic ETAs for their orders. Driver delays don’t just affect one customer but all the other stops planned for that route. With route mapping you can communicate efficiently when delays occur, ensuring you keep the customer happy!
Route planning centers itself around information and data management. To maximize the benefits of a journey planning system, you need to remain pragmatic and critical in your analysis of data. Observe tracking and travel data like delivery times to better estimate how long drivers may take to reach a destination.
Your data can also give you insight into possible delays based on previous trips. For example, if traffic is common at a specific time in an area, you will be able to pick this up from comparing data sets. It is also a good idea to establish a feedback channel where drivers can document any delays and the reasons for them after a trip.
Collecting as much information as possible is a great way to learn from your trips and improve your planning for efficient routes.
With the data and feedback from your drivers, be sure to include possible delays and stops in your calculations. It’s no use forcefully pushing for shortened trips if they aren’t possible. Life happens so factoring in obstacles will result in better accuracy. Factors that can influence delivery delays include:
The building type and the number of floors
The order size
Distance
Peak traffic hours
Business hours in that area
Driver experience
Delivery time
If your business deals in delivery or transportation, truck driver safety ought to be at the top of your priority list. Every time your drivers hop into one of your fleet vehicles, they risk their physical wellbeing and even their lives. According to the US Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), there were 4119 fatalities on American roads involving trucks in 2019. Sixteen percent of these fatalities were truck drivers or occupants. With harsh statistics like these, ensuring the safety of your drivers is a pertinent responsibility, one that your organization cannot afford to ignore. Not only is it in the best interests of your employees, but it is also important for the sustainability of your business. Route planning software enables you to improve your truck driver safety, and this article will tell you how. Route planning is a method of calculating and choosing the ideal transportation path through multiple delivery stops or destinations. It is about finding the best route that is cost-effective, time-conscious, and safe for your drivers. Route planning generally involves consolidating a list of orders and their delivery destinations, developing an ordered route to schedule tasks, and ensuring that deliveries occur timeously. Other terms associated with route planning include route mapping, journey planning, journey mapping, and route sequencing. Route planning and route optimization also tend to be used interchangeably, although some people argue that there is a distinction. Essentially, however, route planning is about formulating delivery pathways that optimize your costs, truck driver safety, time, and resources. There are many ways in which routing affects truck driver safety. Let's look at some of them. Fleet safety is not an easy thing to master. It is not quite like in-office management where you can oversee tasks and ensure your employees comply with rules and guidelines. With fleet management, there is only so much you can do about your employees’ behavior on the road. Your drivers could be making unscheduled stops, breaking the rules of the road, or following their own paths to delivery stops. All of these things can put their well-being at risk, compromising their safety and the safety of other drivers on the road. Journey planning software includes GPS tracking - like watching an Uber driver on their journey to pick you up - with the live location of your vehicles. This feature allows you to monitor whether drivers are following their routes and gives you their precise location. Not only does this encourage your workers to abide by both your rules and road regulations, but you can also easily locate your drivers in the case of an emergency. Driving is an exercise in multitasking and focus, a paradox that your drivers must balance. They have to keep tabs on their delivery time, avoid potential hazards on the roads, and stay conscious of other drivers, among other demands driving places on them. Making easy-to-follow routes - with step-by-step driving instructions - available to your drivers, you can assist in alleviating some of their anxieties. Getting lost can cause confusion and panic, emotions that can be dangerous on the road. A Telegraph and YouGov for Aviva survey of 1094 drivers indicated that getting lost deteriorated driving ability. 27 percent of those surveyed pointed to getting lost as having an enormous effect on their road safety. The survey revealed other pertinent statistics affecting driver safety: 33% of drivers said they speed up if they’re running late. 16% said poor attention led to increased speeding. Distraction was the third most popular reason drivers identified as a cause of road incidents. With tools that offer the best GPS apps to choose from, your drivers can get acquainted with routes before they hit the tar. In addition, they can avoid stressful circumstances like getting lost or high traffic. This way, they have a lot less to be concerned about. They can focus more on driving safely and staying aware of other vehicles than on direction. The journey mapping GPS feature has another useful benefit for truck driver safety. Now that you are able to keep tabs on the distance your drivers cover, you can correctly plan and schedule your vehicle maintenance and servicing. Vehicles experience normal wear and tear from daily driving, but it can become dangerous if left unattended for too long. Distance tracking allows you to keep a better eye out for vehicle damage and schedule maintenance and repair accordingly. Introducing route planning means you can select shorter routes, reducing your delivery times. This can result in decreased fuel consumption and, thus improve fuel management. You can also save on maintenance fees if you plan for shorter and safer routes. Effective routing will result in less wear and tear on your vehicles and, thus, cheaper maintenance costs. The safer driving practices nurtured by this system also affect your risk management and spending resulting in less wear and tear, fewer incidents or accidents, and reduced insurance claim costs. Drivers will also spend less time trying to find their stops, getting lost on the way, or sitting stuck in traffic. For you, this means fewer working hours or delivery times leading to more affordable labor costs. Route sequencing benefits your business’s reputation in two ways. First, it indicates that your business has an interest in the safety and wellbeing of your workers. People make up an organization, so it’s imperative that you care for the people that work for you. This is an excellent entrepreneurial practice that can improve your brand image and prime you for business collaborations and corporate sponsorship. The second benefit you can leverage from route planning is customer-facing. The ability to plan and estimate your delivery times more accurately means you can give customers dynamic ETAs for their orders. Driver delays don’t just affect one customer but all the other stops planned for that route. With route mapping you can communicate efficiently when delays occur, ensuring you keep the customer happy! Route planning centers itself around information and data management. To maximize the benefits of a journey planning system, you need to remain pragmatic and critical in your analysis of data. Observe tracking and travel data like delivery times to better estimate how long drivers may take to reach a destination. Your data can also give you insight into possible delays based on previous trips. For example, if traffic is common at a specific time in an area, you will be able to pick this up from comparing data sets. It is also a good idea to establish a feedback channel where drivers can document any delays and the reasons for them after a trip. Collecting as much information as possible is a great way to learn from your trips and improve your planning for efficient routes. With the data and feedback from your drivers, be sure to include possible delays and stops in your calculations. It’s no use forcefully pushing for shortened trips if they aren’t possible. Life happens so factoring in obstacles will result in better accuracy. Factors that can influence delivery delays include: The building type and the number of floors The order size Distance Peak traffic hours Business hours in that area Driver experience Delivery time
Explore logistics trends, best practices, and Track-POD product news
This guide compares Track-POD, RouteManager, Circuit, and Upper, covering features, pricing, routing quality, and best-fit scenarios to help businesses choose the best route planning software for 2026.
Logistics route planning and optimization are used interchangeably; they have significant differences that make them unique.
Trucking is an expensive business, with fuel and fleet maintenance costs constantly on the rise. Learn how to use a truck route planner to nail truck routing.
How can small businesses use shipping labels to improve delivery success and customer service? How to make and print shipping labels in Track-POD route planner? Read more to find out.
Delivery scheduling is one of the core processes that determine the efficiency of your delivery operation. Learn how to nail delivery scheduling to keep your driver staff and customers happy.
Find the best Google Maps alternatives for efficient multi-stop delivery routing! This guide explores top solutions for enhancing business logistics.
Learn all MapQuest can offer for commercial delivery routing and how that compares to more sophisticated, industry-leading solutions.
Small delivery businesses can operate at the same level of efficiency as industry leaders like UPS do. Learn all the tricks and tips.
Solve small business routing issues with efficient route planning tips and strategies. Learn how to streamline deliveries and optimize routes for your business's success.
This article will delve into the features of direct store delivery software. We'll discuss how small businesses can utilize DSD software for efficient routing and scheduling.
As manual methods struggle in today's complex business world, discover how advanced fleet dispatch systems make management seamless. Delve into the article for deeper insights into the transformation of fleet dispatch.
Routing commercial vehicles comes with a lot of challenges at every turn. We put together a list of the most common mistakes in commercial vehicle routing so that you can avoid them route successfully.
Even with fully automated route scheduling there's room for improvement. Use these 5 advanced tips to elevate your delivery routing game and save maximum time on scheduling.
Explore how to use a multi stop route planner as a delivery driver or business owner to optimize your business and digitize your deliveries & dropoffs.
While many delivery operations are enjoying the benefits of fully automated vehicle routing, a substantial amount of companies are still routing their fleets the old way - and not without a reason.
Scheduling and routing for field services comes with unique challenges that can be addressed with these proven tips. Dive in to improve your field service routing today.
Providers of interstate delivery services need routing solutions that support multi-day route scheduling and management. Learn about Track-POD features that power interstate shipping.
Cut off time is the latest you can process an order for same-day, next-day, or overnight delivery. Learn how you can extend your cut off time with smart route planning and other automations.
EV routing is different from routing gas trucks. In this blog post, we explore tactics and Track-POD solutions for route planning for a fleet of electric vehicles.
For any delivery business, route optimization is a must but does it have to be dynamic to be cost-efficient? Dive in to learn about 5 essential features of dynamic route optimization software.
Milk runs are recurring deliveries to regular customers - B2B and B2C alike. Dive in to learn about milk runs in logistics and trucking with real-life business examples.
Time slots is a feature that lets you group delivery locations not only geographically but also according to each customer's preferred time slot. Learn how time slots can help you improve delivery success.
Any fleet or logistics manager understands the type of headache that routing trucks can bring. Trucking software can help you overcome most of the challenges presented.
If your business deals in delivery or transportation, truck driver safety ought to be at the top of your priority list.
In this series of infographics, we look at statistics from more than 2.
What is route planning?
How can route planning increase truck driver safety?
GPS tracking & monitoring
Easy navigation
Vehicle care
Reduced fuel spending
Reduced maintenance costs
Brand reputation
6 ways to improve driver safety with routing
1. Gather & analyze data
2. Factor stops & delays into travel time
Category: Route Planning
Best Route Planning Software in 2026
Logistics Route Planning and Optimization: Most Important Aspects
Truck Route Planner: What Can It Do For Your Business
Shipping Label Generator: Free & Easy to Use
5 Tips for Scheduling Deliveries Efficiently + Free PDF Guide
Google Maps Alternatives for Multi-Stop Delivery Routing
How Effective Is MapQuest for Commercial Delivery Routing?
How Do Couriers Like UPS Plan Their Routes?
Solving Small Business Routing Problems
Small Biz Strategies with Direct Store Delivery (DSD) Software
Smart Ways to Enhance Fleet Dispatching
Vehicle Routing Problems: VRP Essentials Guide
Automated Delivery Route Scheduling: 5 Advanced Tips to Optimize Your Logistics
Route Management Best Practices for Small Businesses: A Roadmap to Success
Manual vs Automated Route Planning: Final Verdict
5 Foolproof Tips for Field Service Scheduling & Routing
Interstate Shipping: Routing Solutions for Interstate Delivery Services
How to Extend Cut Off Time w/ Smart Route Planning
EV Routing for Carbon Neutral Delivery Teams
Dynamic Route Optimization: 5 Essential Features
What Is a Milk Run in Logistics? Spoiler: It's Not About Milk At All
Time Slots for Delivery Success: Why Use Time Slots in Delivery Management
13 Reasons Why Trucking Software Is a Necessity
Route Planning and Truck Driver Safety
Route optimization and its effectiveness. How COVID-19 has affected delivery businesses.