by Jessica Cearfoss

Making Safe, Intelligent Turns While on the Road

Let’s face it, waste collection vehicles are big, bulky and difficult to maneuver. With the exception of a tractor-trailer, which doesn’t spend nearly as much time maneuvering down city streets, they also rank as one of the most difficult vehicles to make a U-turn in any practical fashion.

Any time you’re planning routes for large vehicles, the goal should be to maximize safety when deciding where to turn. Many systems are smart enough to allow you to penalize U-turns or favor right turns over left (or vice-versa), but this is where they stop.

Think about a left turn from a major road into a neighborhood. Crossing traffic can be hazardous at many intersections and can take more time. Once inside a neighborhood, however, turning left from one quiet neighborhood street to another is quick, easy and much safer.

Our advanced routing solutions consider these kinds of details that none of our competitors do. We understand turning to and from a major arterial road is much different than turning within a neighborhood.

Our solutions also natively recognize and optimize cul-de-sacs and other dead ends and minimize maneuvers like U-turns and backing.

Wanted: Intelligent Routing
If the routing software package you’re considering can’t factor for intelligent turns, backing, U-turns and other turn constraints, you’ll want to look elsewhere for a solution. For more information about how we can help you manage roadway travel safely and efficiently, please contact me at jcearfoss@routesmart.com.

Catch up on this series: