Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

By using detailed street data and advanced algorithms, RouteSmart eliminates guesswork and plans realistic route areas and delivery sequences that reflect the way drivers prefer to make deliveries. The system considers true road conditions and traffic patterns, as well as making logical decisions about organizing by neighborhoods while still being efficient. RouteSmart goes way beyond the outdated “always turn right” to look at quiet neighborhood streets and safer turns – even LEFT TURNS!

Yes. RouteSmart’s algorithms easily handle mixed deliveries, allowing letter carrier and parcel routes to be modeled separately or together to balance workloads and adapt to changing daily volumes. They automatically redistribute stops and sequences as parcel volumes shift by day, helping maintain efficient, realistic routes without constant manual replanning.

Absolutely. RouteSmart connects to CRM, warehouse, telematics, and sorting systems via API to return optimized routes and sequences automatically. RouteSmart does it faster so you know how to sort your parcels earlier and how to load parcels in the truck so they’re easier to deliver.

Organizations like the U.S. Postal Service, Posti, Australia Post, DX Group, FedEx and many more have relied on RouteSmart for decades to improve efficiency, cut miles, and keep customers satisfied. This long-term adoption by major postal and parcel operators demonstrates that the platform scales to complex networks while consistently delivering measurable performance gains.

Yes. RouteSmart builds optimized routes for all service types and balances daily workloads for every driver and truck. Residential waste and recycling routes are safer and more efficient when they’re planned with RouteSmart. Commercial waste collection can be balanced to make every day as productive as possible. And companies can see 2 or more pulls per route using roll-off optimization in RouteSmart. 

RouteSmart makes collection routes safer by planning same-side service so drivers are not repeatedly crossing traffic. It understands when it is appropriate to collect on the left, such as on one-way streets, alleys, and cul-de-sacs, while its routing algorithms minimize backing and U-turns. This approach maintains route efficiency while reducing risky maneuvers and improving safety for both drivers and the public.

Many waste and recycling haulers see a fast payback by cutting wasted miles and time in their daily collection operations. As routes are optimized and rebalanced, they typically use less fuel, reduce overtime, and get more value from existing trucks and crews, with most clients achieving a full return on investment within 12 months through reduced fuel use, overtime, and better asset utilization. Take a look at our calculator.

Yes. RouteSmart connects with ERP, CRM, and dispatch tools to deliver daily route updates directly into your workflow. We partner with some of the best in the industry to help you make the planning process easier.

Yes. RouteSmart can design snowplow and winter maintenance routes by modeling street priorities, required service passes, and equipment capacities. It creates efficient plow routes that clear critical roads first, reduce deadheading and overlap, and support faster, safer snow and ice operations for public works teams.

RouteSmart builds efficient routes for street sweeping and inspections by taking into account signage, parking restrictions, and work order priorities. It sequences segments and tasks so crews avoid blocked areas, follow local rules, and stay on schedule, which helps cities deliver reliable service with less wasted time and mileage.

Yes. RouteSmart integrates with Esri ArcGIS Pro so public works teams can use detailed GIS maps for route design, analysis, and reporting. This connection makes it easier to share spatial data across departments and keep routing, asset, and infrastructure information aligned in a single mapping environment.

Municipalities and public works contractors that serve millions of households use RouteSmart to lower service delivery costs and improve citizen satisfaction. By optimizing routes for services like waste collection, snow removal, and street sweeping, they can reduce miles, missed stops, and complaints while keeping service reliable and predictable.

Yes. RouteSmart dynamically routes technicians for daily service, inspection, and maintenance work so they can complete more jobs in less time. It automatically sequences appointments and travel to reduce windshield time, limit backtracking, and keep technicians on schedule.

Absolutely. RouteSmart offers the Routing as a Service (RaaS) API that connects with GIS, workforce management, SAP, and other enterprise systems. It sends back optimized schedules and technician assignments automatically, so you can embed advanced routing logic directly into your existing utility or field service workflows.

RouteSmart supports AMR and smart meter programs by redesigning meter reading routes around AMR read ranges so utilities can capture reads with far less driving. Many utilities keep old routes after installing AMR, and RouteSmart fixes this by resequencing routes, often cutting travel time and distance by up to 50%.

Utilities like PSE&G, Frontier Gas, and Colorado Springs Utilities use RouteSmart to boost field efficiency and lower operating costs by optimizing meter reading and service routes. Their use of the platform shows that RouteSmart can scale to complex utility networks while delivering measurable savings in time, miles, and labor.

Yes. Dispatchers can easily merge, split, or re-sequence newspaper routes in minutes to manage absent carriers, new delivery areas, or volume changes. This quick flexibility helps dispatchers keeps operations running smoothly without major disruptions to schedules or service levels.

RouteSmart integrates with mobile platforms to provide turn-by-turn directions for newspaper and home delivery routes. This makes it easier for new and substitute carriers to follow optimized sequences accurately, reducing errors, missed stops, and training time while maintaining high delivery reliability.

National and international newspaper publishers like Gannett (USA Today), Advance Local, Cox Enterprises (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) and New Zealand Media & Entertainment (NZME) achieved major efficiency gains and cost savings with RouteSmart.

It’s an ArcGIS Pro add-in version of RouteSmart that lets planners visualize, edit, and analyze routes with Esri’s mapping tools.It combines RouteSmart’s routing logic with ArcGIS Pro’s GIS environment so you can design and refine routes directly on detailed maps.

Most clients start to see measurable improvements in route efficiency and operating costs within a few weeks of implementation, with full ROI often achieved within the first year. Results can vary by operation, so for a more detailed estimate it helps to review your current routes, volumes, and service patterns.

Yes. RouteSmart is used internationally and is deployed across North America and Europe, supported by local partners and infrastructure. Strategic partnerships with providers like Esri, HERE, and AWS help ensure accurate mapping data, reliable hosting, and regional support for clients in different countries.

RouteSmart continues to operate independently with the same team and solutions—now backed by FedEx’s global innovation and resources.This gives clients continuity in products and expertise, with the added benefit of FedEx’s scale, technology, and long-term investment in logistics.