# Creating a Route...



## Cleanupman (Nov 23, 2012)

How do you create your routes?
What equipment do you use?
If you have used more than one brand and type of tool to creat routes which do you find the most efficeint and economical???


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## SwiftRes (Apr 12, 2012)

findthebestroute.com to plan an optimized route

Then use a Tom tom between houses. Phones have GPS, but battery life can be an issue. Tom Toms are cheap.


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## SagesServices (Oct 6, 2012)

Microsoft Street and Trips or whatever its called. I use it to create a route and export the data to a Garmin.... Works good enough. Works about 98% of the time with no issues. I do get a couple bad addresses occasionally, but usually its obvious if your paying attention.


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## mtmtnman (May 1, 2012)

Sometimes i'm glad i live in a lightly populated area. I have lived in this valley for 4 years and haven't used a gps regularly in 3. Every once in a while something will stump me but a quick call to a fellow contractor and one of us will usually figure it out. 10,000 Sq Miles and very few roads. All of our towns are mostly on number streets and number avenues which makes things simple as well. 

As far as advise? Download the Dragon app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nuance.dragon&hl=en open it, say go to blah, blah, blah address, it opens up google maps and your on your way......


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## JDRM (Apr 16, 2012)

This topic came up a few months ago. See link.

http://www.preservationtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1009&highlight=Routing


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## Cleanupman (Nov 23, 2012)

One of the mistakes that I see people make is starting at the beginning of a route instead of starting from the farthest point.
I help all our employees with route development and I alwys have them start at the farthest point from the office..or most the time their house....
I found you are able to have a more direct route with this method...


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## JDRM (Apr 16, 2012)

Cleanupman said:


> One of the mistakes that I see people make is starting at the beginning of a route instead of starting from the farthest point.
> I help all our employees with route development and I alwys have them start at the farthest point from the office..or most the time their house....
> I found you are able to have a more direct route with this method...


If you have a north to south, or east to west route that is the best way( in my opinion). Mainly because if you cant get to a few, they are close to office and can be done first thing the next day. But...... 99% of my routes seem to be in more of a circle pattern, and even with this, I try to get to the furthest ones as early in the day as possible.Usually knock out a few on the way to that point.:thumbsup: And I use Google maps, maybe im just stuck in my ways??:thumbsup:


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## Gypsos (Apr 30, 2012)

I use Mapquest Route Planner. 

I normally start with closest one because I usually work till dark and I can drive home in the dark from the farthest point. 

I have found I can get between one and two more services completed each day this way because I start working sooner.


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## BPWY (Apr 12, 2012)

Gypsos said:


> I use Mapquest Route Planner.
> 
> I normally start with closest one because I usually work till dark and I can drive home in the dark from the farthest point.
> 
> I have found I can get between one and two more services completed each day this way because I start working sooner.




Either that or start earlier in the morning driving to the farthest away in the dark.
Like in the winter when the days are shorter.


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## Cleanupman (Nov 23, 2012)

Gypsos said:


> I use Mapquest Route Planner.
> 
> I normally start with closest one because I usually work till dark and I can drive home in the dark from the farthest point.
> 
> I have found I can get between one and two more services completed each day this way because I start working sooner.


 I also did this ...at first...I wasn't able to get my coffee in so I switched it...gotta get my coffee issue in or I don't function well...also being on the west coast PST zone I used that time to talk(yes I have a bluetooth) to clients back east...


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## STARBABY (Apr 12, 2012)

Cleanupman said:


> One of the mistakes that I see people make is starting at the beginning of a route instead of starting from the farthest point.
> I help all our employees with route development and I alwys have them start at the farthest point from the office..or most the time their house....
> I found you are able to have a more direct route with this method...


 
I do the same , closer to home when completeing the day


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## STARBABY (Apr 12, 2012)

BPWY said:


> Either that or start earlier in the morning driving to the farthest away in the dark.
> Like in the winter when the days are shorter.


Ya I hate how early it gets dark now.


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## 68W30 (Sep 8, 2012)

Microsoft streets and trips for office setup you can get the version that has a GPS device that plugs into your laptop or a conventional window mount type
a rooted smartphone so i can plug in the laptop for the google map look down if streets and trips doesnt see it and yes go all the way to the end of your route and start working home ward


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