Can you recollect the days when route planning was primarily done on a piece of a paper with somebody sketching a map to highlight a destination point? Back then, planning a proper route to reach somewhere was cumbersome and time-consuming with so many inaccuracies. But as technology has gripped the surface firmly, this painstaking work has become a cakewalk. Route planning can be done in less than a minute.
Yes, a big credit goes to route planning software for making this possible with the added benefits of route optimization, fleet scheduling, and GPS tracking.
Today both business organizations and customers bank on time. Customers want quick and on-time delivery of products. The logistic companies, food delivery service, the cab drivers, and other service providers focus on optimizing the fuel cost and maximizing time. They also look for a tool that can provide them vital information on vehicle maintenance and its diagnostics.
What Elements are Needed to Create Routes?
Route planning has to be done systematically, taking into account all crucial elements to achieve success. The essential elements include-
- Any organization providing its services in delivering products, food items, and other goods require it to maintain a fleet of vehicles.
- Have comprehensive details about the customer or client such as the name, complete address, email id, contact numbers, and other information.
- Have complete information about the driver or the delivery person delivering the items.
- The number of stops in the delivery route.
- The particular road or route that needs to be followed.
- A route planning tool or application
How to Optimize Your Delivery Routes?
Enhancing your efficiency while delivering the products will boost your productivity and make you an improved carrier. Just follow the essential steps to optimize your delivery routes.
Disadvantages of Not Having a Route Plan
Some companies send their vehicles for pickups and dropoffs without properly strategizing a route plan. The result is that they have to tackle different challenges and issues, which further complicates the problems. The disadvantages of not having a proper route plan include-
The optimal way to shun all these challenges and difficulties is to implement the best free and open source route planning software offering best-in-class features and benefits.
Defining the Route Planning Software
Route planning software is an advanced next-generation tool that helps optimize a route to maximize cost and save the delivery time. It digitally schedules the route and stops, manages the fleet, and navigation process. Route planning software provides GPS location tracking in real-time to send important notification and alerts.
In short, route planning software is an innovative solution that allows you to create simple driving directions for multiple routes effortlessly. The route planning software aims to enhance a driver’s performance and improve distribution operations.
Salient Features of Route Planning Software
- Optimizing the routes- Route planning software paves the way for route optimization. Optimizing a route means to create a cost-effective route where you need to find the shortest road between the starting and the destination point.
- Getting real-time traffic updates- The route planning software provides you with real-time traffic updates and roads that you need to avoid. It proves a bonus when the demand for delivery is at its peak.
- Work order delivery- The work order delivery feature of an open source route planning tool helps service delivery providers to serve their customers quickly and efficiently. When a customer orders something or submits a request, the software creates the work order and assigns someone to take the delivery.
- Vehicle maintenance and diagnosis- Vehicle routing and scheduling software in conjugation with a route planning tool and GPS tracking system maximizes the vehicle utilization and minimizes maintenance costs. The software also provides real-time vehicle diagnosis to determine if your car or truck has developed an issue so that it can be restored beforehand.
- Reporting and analytics- Reporting and analytics are integral features of the route planning and optimization software. The tool allows you to gather and organize data in the form of tables and graphs. You can then analyze this data to gain valuable insights on business performance.
- GPS location tracking- Various free route planning applications provide real-time GPS location tracking. You can instantly track your vehicle and driver's position to calculate the estimated time of delivering the product.
- Handle multiple stops- The best route planning software can handle various stops. Stops can range between 10-20. It may go up to 100 if the business has to deliver many products and services in the day.
- Sharing the route details- the route planning and optimization tool enables you to share the route details with your friends and business associates by using the application. You can even share the details through emails and social media platforms.
- Integration with top GPS trackers- The top route planning software can easily integrate with other GPS trackers, allowing you to track the vehicle's live location.
- Editing and changing routes- The free and open source route planning software enables you to change or edit the routes on demand from the customer or in case of an emergency.
Which Industries Can Unleash the Benefits of Route Planning Software?
The free and open source route planning software fuels a wide range of industries. Business domains can implement the tool to unleash various advantages that improve both their productivity and cost-effectiveness.
You can have a look at the image below-
In addition to these industries, route planning, and optimizing tools can fuel various other business domains such as cable and telecom, security and patrolling, mining and gas, construction, and many more.
Top Reasons for Investing in a Route Planning Software
Planning and optimizing a route can be a challenging and daunting task if you are operating from delivery services from a new city or place. But the Best Free and Open Source Vehicle Routing Software has streamlined and simplified the entire task with several advantages, which can be discussed below-
- Plan a route in quick time- One of the biggest reasons why business entrepreneurs are looking to invest in a free and open source route planning software is that it helps to plan and optimize a route within a quick time, irrespective of strategy followed. The software tool does all complex calculations and provides a complete optimized route to save time and money.
- Avert from congested routes and steep turns- If you are driving on an unfamiliar route, you are most likely not aware of the U-turns, left turns, and other turns that you have to avoid. The best route optimization software does the job for you, and it also saves you from taking any congested or traffic-prone route.
- Alert the driver from fowl weather conditions- In various unfortunate incidents, drivers meet with accidents due to harsh weather conditions such as a landslide or waterlogging in an area. This also damages the vehicle. But a route scheduling software informs you about the precise weather conditions in the area and can directly send alerts to drivers through SMS or a call.
- Get exact pickup and dropoff locations- With the best GPS tracking system, you have the leverage of getting exact details on pickup and dropoff locations. The driver does have to search for the proper address after reaching the area to deliver the items.
- Reduce your fuel and transportation cost- Investing in the Best Free and Open Source Route Planning Software enables you to incredibly reduce fuel consumption and expenses. It also reduces the overall transportation cost that helps to increase profitability.
- Keep your vehicle well maintained and up-to-date- Most route planning and optimization software offer the balance of vehicle maintenance. It informs you about the wear and tear of your vehicle and when it needs servicing. This helps to keep your feet well maintained and up-to-date.
- Boost customer satisfaction and experience- Route planning solutions empower business to cater to tight schedules efficiently. The software also can easily make changes in the routes on-demand to handle emergencies. This improves the level of customer satisfaction and experience.
- Increase business productivity- The route planning software has also enabled the business to save valuable time by reducing the drive hours. This helps to boost business productivity where enterprises can optimize their available resources.
- Real-time visibility- Route optimization software provides real-time visibility of data regarding the delivery status of the products and position of the vehicle. You can know which areas did your vehicle cover, how much distance it traveled in a day, and what products did it deliver.
- Zero-errors- the traditional paper and pencil approach to planning and explaining the routes had many flaws. But route planning software has zeroed and nullified all those concerns providing accurate information about the routes and the stops.
Before we go through the details of the 8 best free and open source route planning software, let's have a look at one of the most popular application in this category known as Locate2u.
Locate2u
Locate2u is one of the best route planning software that allows you to save your time simultaneously, deliver exceptional customer service. It streamlines your entire delivery process, starting from planning, dispatching, to delivering with its power-packed route optimization features. Customer service is more than shipping parcels at the doorstep. Locate2u has proven that by enabling the users to optimize the routes considering practical factors like employees’ lunch breaks, weather, and health conditions, etc. Avoid unnecessary customer calls with Locate2u as it allows delivering even last-minute notifications to the customers. Moreover, you save money on fuel and wages with properly optimized routes.
(Source: locate2u)
Key Features
- Allows customizing routes easily with drag-n-drop feature resulting in the choice of best and shortest routes possible saving time and money both.
- Optimizes routes automatically based on last-minute orders, weather conditions, vehicle capacity, etc.
- Sends notifications to the customers automatically informing them about their order delivery time, delays, offers, and much more.
- Tracks live location of the drivers and monitor the delivery staff to achieve better productivity and efficiency.
- Enables delivery staff to collect the proof of delivery using any android and IoS device to maintain accountability.
List of 8 Best Free and Open Source Route Planning Software
- GraphHopper
- RouteXL
- Mapotempo
- OpenRouteService
- Traccar
- Open Door Logistics Studio
- OptaPlanner
- GPSWOX.COM
Comparing the Top 8 Free and Open Source Route Planning Software
GraphHopper
GraphHopper is one of the best free and open source route planning software that provides two best-in-class solutions; optimization engine jsprit and routing engine. The optimization engine jsprit helps to cater to the issues of salesmen and vehicle routing. It is flexible, lightweight, and user-friendly. The GraphHopper Routing Engine, on the other hand, is fast, efficient, and powered by robust memory. It makes use of the OpenStreetMap data to import data.
It also provides a wide range of products such as GraphHopper Directions API, routing and navigation, route optimization, geocoding, and time-dependent route optimization. You also get some additional routing tools, such as Matrix API. There are some more tools like cluster calculation, map matching, matrix calculations, and isochrone calculations. GraphHopper facilitates with simplified documentation and security code as well as an array of API components.
Image source: GraphHopper
Features-
- The GraphHopper Directions API allows you to integrate route planning and navigation along with route geomatics based on the travel profile.
- You can even integrate turn-by-turn navigation in your Android App.
- It also provides cloud-based online maps such as MapTiler, ThunderForest, and more.
- The route optimization tool enables the salesman and delivery workers to efficiently manage their fleet of vehicles and deliver the products on time.
- Route optimization also helps to minimize transportation costs.
- The Geocoding feature allows you to get an address for the current location and coordinate for reverse geocoding.
- The time-dependent route optimization provides you with the current status of the traffic. It also informs you about the estimated travel time to reach the destination during peak hours and off-hours.
- Also, you can use the cluster calculation to separate the submitted locations into defined groups.
- Similarly, the matrix calculations help to find distance matrices within a quick time.
- The isochrone calculation lets you calculate the area that you can reach within a specific timeline. For example, how far the car can go in an hour.
Route XL
Route XL is another viable and prominent option if you are searching for free and open source route planning software. The tool offers route planning and optimization for various destinations. It is one of the best free route planning applications when it comes to multi-stop routing for pickups, deliveries, and services. The software also provides intelligent algorithms to seek addresses and reduce the time duration of the route.
The free open source route optimization software takes an optimal route, saving both your time and fuel. The software ensures quicker pickups and deliveries to enhance productivity and customer satisfaction.
RouteXL simplifies your task. You need to add your starting point and your destination on the map. Once you press the button, the tool calculates your route. Also, you can import addresses from various applications, emails, spreadsheets, and more. The free version of the software provides up to 20 stops per route. But for getting more stops per route and premium features, you need to upgrade the application.
Image source: Route XL
Features-
- Route XL provides routing algorithms and user interface, which uses open data from OpenStreetMap.
- The software allows you to export the route map to other navigation apps, email to friends and relatives, and even share it on different social media platforms.
- All pricing models and plans of Route XL provide unlimited multiple routes each day.
- The geocoding feature is readily accessible to even the free plan users with a specific usage limit.
- The Route XL API makes use of the programmatic access for optimizing multiple itineraries.
- You can also develop a distance matrix for various locations.
- If you are going to a new destination, you can post a new address and create a new tour.
Mapotempo (Free Trial)
Mapotempo is yet another viable option if you are looking to implement the best free and open source route planning software. The software provides a wide range of solutions such as route planning and optimization, real-time route tracking and alerts, providing reports and analytics, and integrating APIS. Mapotempo is also a route optimization tool that intends to maximize your resources.
The Free and Open Source Route Planning Software offers collaborative mapping solutions with OpenMapStreet. It provides 100% native cloud solutions that guarantee quick deployment and use, along with improved flexibility, usability, and seamless software updates. Mapotempo also aims to eliminate and resolve new supply chain issues faced by food delivery providers, medicine delivery, and waste pickers, and others.
The users can import all their business data along with complete customers, vehicle, and order information. They can view all their geocoded addresses digitally, move stops, and reorder routes with drag and drop facility. The tool enables users to integrate their routes with ERP and CMS.
Image Source: Mapotempo
Features-
- Mapotempo provides complete vehicle configuration that includes vehicle capabilities, working hours, details about the driver or delivery person, fuel consumption, noting the departure and destination location, and much more.
- The software offers seamless and comprehensive vehicle and route management with multiple vehicle profiles.
- You can also implement the free and open source route planning software to manage customer destinations efficiently.
- Mapotempo is known for offering the zoning feature, which shows the areas where products will be delivered by vehicles. It also focuses on planning the delivery, choosing the route, etc.
- The tool allows you to develop particular filters and optimize the database. You can reset your route or change it with just one click.
- Optimize the calculation for each of the routes or an entire route.
- Prioritize the destination to visit, fill the visit type and duration, the type and number of products delivered, and other details to enhance the customer experience.
- The TomTom solutions help to track real-time vehicle positioning, sending emails in the KML format. You can even monitor vehicle status through smartphone apps.
- Calculate the estimated time of arrival through real-time traffic data.
- View the performance report in the CSV format.
OpenRouteService
OpenRouteService is a leading open source route planning and optimization software that develops its algorithms with cutting-edge technology. The software tool has a crowdsourced API that gathers free geographic data directly from OpenStreetMap. Also, the OpenStreetMap provides global coverage of all addresses and other vital information to boost customer experience.
OpenRouteService provides three types of useful planning tools. These include classic maps client, disaster maps client, and new VueJS client.
The first tool classic maps client allows you to access the openroute API with just a few clicks. You can also select an array of profiles and set about 50 ways to optimize your route planning. You also benefit from Query POIs, which helps analyze multiple points and quickly locate destinations.
As the name suggests, the tool disaster maps client has been specially developed to help and simplify the tasks of the disaster management team and workers. The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap and Missing Maps are aligned with the tool to support in disaster situations by continually updating the crucial data. It proves a savior in rescue missions, where affected people need to be evacuated immediately, taking the shortest possible route.
The New VueJS Client is yet to be released. But it has been created to make mobile applications more accessible and responsive. It further intends to streamline and simplify the route planning process.
Image source: OpenRouteService
Features-
- The Direction feature of OpenRoute allows you to avail of multiple modes of transportation and provides global coverage. You can customize input with road type restrictions.
- You can even plan your routes for traveling long distances up to 6000 km by car or a heavy vehicle.
- The Geocoding API provides access to global databases and converts the address descriptions, street names into the regular description.
- OpenRouteService also enables you to find a point of interest or POI within a given geographical location. This feature is specifically helpful for tourists.
- The isochrones feature helps in defining the reachability areas from a given location on the map. You can even determine the time, distance, and corresponding intervals.
- Isochrones also help you identify vast and high performing areas. You can choose and specify five popular locations immediately to save valuable time.
- The time-distance matrix feature enables you to access information between different locations in a structured JSON response.
- The free open source route optimization software can resolve the vehicle routing issues. You can also customize vehicle tasks and time constraints.
Traccar
Traccar is a free and open source route planning software that specializes in developing the best GPS tracking systems. It is one of the unique tools that allow you to convert your smartphone into a GPS tracker. Traccar provides three exclusive products - Traccar Server, Traccar Client, and Traccar Manager, all offering different features and functionalities.
For example, the Traccar Server is a comprehensive GPS tracking platform. It provides a modern, intuitive web interface that supports both mobile and desktop. The user-friendly product also offers a live tracking facility, real-time alerts, and summary reports of location history.
You can deploy the Traccar Client both on Android and iOS platforms along with the hidden version for Android. The apps are configured by default, and you can use them on the demo server. The Traccar client is fully compatible with the Tracer Server.
The Traccar Manager helps to manage the GPS systems. The product can work efficiently with Traccar Server instances, and both Android and iOS versions of the app are available.
Image source: Traccar
Features-
- The Traccar provides all types of notifications, namely, push notifications, web notifications, SMS notifications, and email information.
- The software supports different GPS tracking applications and devices.
- Tracer has a high performing and robust server offering support and stability for all critical operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and others. You can self-host the server on the cloud and on-premise.
- The native Android and iOS apps have fully-featured web interfaces that can be used as GPS trackers.
- Traccar provides a plethora of mapping options that include satellite imagery and road maps. You can view your GPS devices in real-time.
- If in case you are exceeding the speed limit or during harsh driving, you get instant alert through notification. Also, you get vital information about geofencing, fuel, and updates on vehicle maintenance.
- The GRP tracking tool provides a summarized report and chart on recent trips and location history. You can directly access the report from the web and mobile app in the Excel sheet format.
Open Door Logistics Studio
Open Door Logistics Studio is a preferred choice for selecting the best free and open source vehicle routing and logistics software. The startups and small, medium enterprises also look to choose this software for an array of services such as territory design, mapping, and management, vehicle, and fleet scheduling. The cloud engine of Open Door Logistics Live provides real-time and dynamic vehicle route planning. You can also implement this software for effortless job booking and field force scheduling.
In addition to ODL Live, this free route planning tool also offers two other products; ODL Studio and ODL Connect. The ODL Studio is a desktop application that manages vehicle routing and territory mapping in non-real-time. It allows you to generate the route, prints it, and review it as a report.
ODL Connect also allows you to generate daily automatic routes and share the information with ODL Studio and order processing systems. You can easily integrate the ODL Connect into the backend systems.
Image source: Open Door Logistics
Features-
- Open Door Logistics provides the geocoding feature, which helps you visualize the customer data and assign a geographic coordinate for a particular longitude and latitude.
- This software also offers a unique feature Geonames that allows you to manage the worldwide free database of postcode data.
- The ODL Studio makes use of a specialized library to generate reports.
- The territory design feature enables you to know your sales territories, freight distribution network, and a territory that can be used as a political boundary for elections.
- ODL Studio utilizes the jsprit integration to streamline the vehicle routing and scheduling process.
- You can also create road network graphs with the help of GraphHopper, while OpenStreetMap provides time-based networks.
- Open Door Logistics allows you to customize the background maps.
- You can store your travel time and distance information as an external text file.
OptaPlanner
OptaPlanner is an open source vehicle routing and planning software that efficiently solves route optimization issues. Apart from resolving the vehicle routing concerns, it also provides other solutions such as employee rostering, task assignment, setting the school time table, maintenance scheduling, and others.
The software also specializes in conference scheduling, job stop scheduling, and cloud optimization. The software has been programmed in Java language, but it is compatible with other JVM languages such as Kotlin and Scala. It is an AI constraint solver based on a lightweight, embeddable planning machine. This open source software tool is capable of scheduling any time of fleet right from an aircraft to a bicycle. OptaPlanner does not offer any free version.
Image source: OptaPlanner
Features-
- OptaPlanner provides the incremental score calculation that helps the software to scale out the vehicle routing challenges.
- This software has been integrated with real maps such as Google Maps and OpenStreetMap.
- OptaPlanner is adequately flexible to tackle any vehicle routing and further optimizes the route for buses, trucks, cars, and even the flights.
- The software provides a viable scope where you can easily create the best roasters for the staff. It helps manage the vacation leave, maintain the shift coverage, and reduce the labor overhead costs.
- The tool also proves handy when it comes to the maintenance scheduling of the machines. Artificial intelligence adds a bonus to this feature.
- Use the software to optimize the task assignment of each employee.
GPSWOX.COM
GPSWOX.COM is a premier and one of the best open source GPS tracking software that provides different solutions for both business and personal usage. The GPS tracking tool caters to the requirements of a wide range of industries such as automotive, healthcare, retail, transportation, government and defense, and many more. The software company also expertise in developing white level software, fleet tracking, and management. This software only provides free tools but it is not completely free.
GPSWOX.COM has aligned with some of the top GPS manufacturers and providers, making it easily compatible with any tracker. The software also provides a plethora of mobile applications such as mobile GPS tracker, hidden GPS tracker, and invisible GPS tracker. Also, you get a GPS tracker configurator, SMS gateway, and GPSWOX mobile client. The software is also available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
The customers can also shop for a variety of Teltonika GPS Trackers used for personal and commercial purposes, all at affordable prices. The software provides a 30-day free trial period before charging the subscription fees.
Image source: GPSWOX.COM
Features-
- GPSWOX.COM allows you to track and manage your fleet efficiently in real-time access.
- The leading GPS tracking software also helps protect your vehicle and cargo theft and aids in the recovery process.
- You can record each information accurately, such as departure and arrival at the customer location, to avoid billing disputes.
- GPSWOX.COM not only protects theft but also offers discounts on insurance premiums.
- You can minimize your fuel expenditure and increase vehicle efficiency.
- The software also protects unauthorized access to the fleet.
- You can get configurable alerts, instant notifications, and a variety of reports to manage your fleet from anywhere seamlessly.
- The software is an optimal choice for personal and small business usage.
- The open source GPS tracking system allows you to track and manage driver activities.
So far, the blog has highlighted eight top free and open source route planning and optimization software. But there is one more popular tool - Route4Me, which indeed tops the list when it comes to selecting the best route planning software.
Route4Me
Route4Me is an award-winning and top-notch route planning software that helps optimize your route, thereby saving your valuable time and money. The accessible route optimization tool can accommodate thousands of stops and provides necessary information that enables you to complete your trip. You get access to route listing, a map with pins, and driving directions.
Route4Me has brought innovative changes in the route planning with the introduction of user-friendly Android, iOS, and web-based apps. You get the facility of turn-by-turn driving along with trucking and walking directions. The software allows you to save the route for later reference. Also, share your live location with your friends or business partners through email or the app directly.
Route4Me also offers a wide range of platform components such as data, labs, notifications and alerts, operations, premium support, Route4Me API, and many more. All these platform components provide an array of solutions to streamline and simplify your route planning. The software offers a 7-day free trial period before selecting a specific plan based on specific needs.
Image text: Route4Me
Features-
- Route4Me puts the route optimization process on auto-pilot mode to maximize your time and grow your business.
- This leading and popular software helps to reduce your fuel expenses and instant return on investment.
- The route planning tool allows you to unleash several benefits, such as providing information on roads to avoid, right turn avoidance, driver breaks, pick-up, and drop-off optimization, dynamic e-commerce dispatch, commercial vehicle route planning, and many more.
- The software caters to various industries that include food delivery, construction, distribution, cable and telecom, healthcare, government, and others,
- Route4Me even offers the telematics feature where it enables you to unleash the advantages of geofencing analytics, telematics gateway, and smartphone GPS tracking.
Conclusion
The route planning software is well-equipped with an array of advanced features to cater to diverse industries' needs. Also, there is the best route optimization software that enables you to select the optimum route by providing real-time information on traffic conditions, roads to avoid, and planning the best route to reach the destination.
Furthermore, the route planning applications are efficient, time-saving with built-in navigation facilities. The tools can automatically record the data while you are driving on a specific route. The premium ones also offer the facility of multiple stops.
The blog has provided you an insight into the best free and open source route planning software. But there are far more options to explore, such as WorkWave Route Manager, Routific, My Route Online, OptimoRoute, and others. You can check the list and opt for the one that precisely suits your business requirements.
You can give your valuable feedback or review any software if you have used them on a previous note.
If you want to check out and get more details on other software and applications that can help your business thrive, please visit the software directory page. You will surely get access to all information that you need.
