Route planning software
Encyclopedia
Route planning software is a computer software programme, designed to plan a (optimal) route between two geographical locations using a journey planning engine
Journey Planner
A journey planner is a specialised electronic search engine used to find the best journey between two points by some means of transport. Journey planners have been widely used in the travel industry since the 1970s by booking agents accessed through a user interface on a computer terminal, and to...

, typically specialised for road networks as a road route planner. It can typically provide a list of places one will pass by, with crossroads and directions that must be followed, road numbers, distances, etc. It also usually provides an interactive map with a suggested route marked on it.

Many online mapping sites offer road route planning as an adjunct, such as ViaMichelin
ViaMichelin
A wholly owned subsidiary of the Michelin Group, ViaMichelin designs, develops and markets digital travel assistance products and services for road users in Europe....

, Google Maps
Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...

, Bing Maps & Directions, Mapquest
MapQuest
MapQuest is an American free online web mapping service owned by AOL. The company was founded in 1967 as Cartographic Services, a division of R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1969. When it became an independent company in 1994, it was...

. Intermodal Journey Planner
Intermodal Journey Planner
An Intermodal Journey Planner , or Trip Planner is computer system which can provide a traveller with an itinerary for an intermodal passenger transport journey. The system can provide timetable, routing and other travel information...

 systems may include a Road Route planner as part of their function.

Although as route planning software is prone to mistakes if you try to get directions from destination A to B, the use of common sense is also required. Applications can typically also calculate the journey time and cost, some also display points of interest along the route.

Route planning is notoriously difficult, and this software is famously prone to comical errors. Some are understandable, such as directing people via central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 (impassable for much of the day, but to realise this requires local knowledge); others are less easy to credit:
  • From Southampton
    Southampton
    Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...

     to Portsmouth
    Portsmouth
    Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...

    , avoiding motorways in early AutoRoute versions, the route went via the Isle of Wight
    Isle of Wight
    The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...

    , involving two ferry
    Ferry
    A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...

     crossings.
  • From Haverfordwest
    Haverfordwest
    Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...

     to Leominster
    Leominster
    Leominster is a market town in Herefordshire, England, located approximately north of the city of Hereford and south of Ludlow, at...

     in AutoRoute 2002, the route offered is via Dún Laoghaire
    Dún Laoghaire
    Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...

    , also involving two crossings, this time of the Irish Sea
    Irish Sea
    The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...

    , a journey requiring in excess of one day of travel. To drive direct takes a few hours.
  • According to The Times
    The Times
    The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...

     on 22 November 2005, the RAC
    RAC plc
    RAC Limited is a breakdown company in the United Kingdom supplying products and services for motorists. Initially formed as the "Associate Section" of the Royal Automobile Club, it was incorporated as R.A.C. Motoring Services Ltd. in 1978. It was then sold by the members of the Royal Automobile...

    's route planner suggests a route from the East Midlands
    East Midlands
    The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...

     to Devon
    Devon
    Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...

     via Ireland
    Ireland
    Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

     and France
    France
    The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

    , a journey involving three ferry
    Ferry
    A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...

    trips.

Route Planning Software - Truck Fleets and Small Delivery Companies

In commercial application, distribution companies with large and small fleets may incorporate route planning software into their fleet management systems to optimize route efficiency and boost profits. An ideal route planning solution for distribution companies will often include GPS tracking capability and advanced reporting features which enable dispatchers to prevent un-planned stops, reduce mileage, and plan more fuel efficient routes.

Users of route planning or routing software can reduce fleet mileage, driver hours and payroll by 20-50%.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK