Route & Stop Optimizer

What Is Route Optimization?

Route optimization finds the most efficient order to visit a set of delivery stops. The underlying problem — the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) — is one of the most studied problems in computer science. For small numbers of stops the optimal solution can be found by exhaustive search, but the number of possible routes grows factorially: 10 stops have over 3.6 million possible orderings, and 20 stops have more than 10¹⁸.

How This Tool Works

This optimizer uses a two-phase approach. First, nearest-neighbor construction builds an initial route by always visiting the closest unvisited stop. Then 2-opt local search improves the route by repeatedly checking whether reversing a segment of the route reduces total distance. The result is typically within 5–15% of the true optimum — more than sufficient for real-world delivery planning where road conditions, time windows, and driver breaks matter more than mathematical perfection.

Last-Mile Delivery Planning

Last-mile delivery is often the most expensive segment of a supply chain, accounting for over 50% of total shipping costs. Route optimization directly reduces miles driven, fuel consumed, and driver hours — savings that compound across every delivery day. Combined with the Pallet & Container Calculator for load planning, you can optimize both what goes on the truck and where the truck goes.