From a predictive traffic overlay to automated itineraries for hundreds of agents, creating a shipping routes map is easy with Azure Maps APIs–no matter how complex your requirements may be.
We will be going through 4 core Azure Maps API features that allow developers to deliver powerful delivery route planning apps: batch geocoding, multi-itinerary optimization, truck routing, and high-res imagery.
Step 1: Batch geocoding
Logistics businesses have to handle hundreds if not thousands of addresses every day. To optimize routes for delivery, these addresses should be in the form of coordinates. Unfortunately, customers will always enter their addresses as text-based descriptions. The Geocoding API seamlessly converts these text descriptions into accurate geographic coordinates with support for batch geocoding and reverse geocoding.
Geocoding is an integral part of creating a great shipping routes map app as it can improve the accuracy of the maps you will be generating. In turn, this will reduce ambiguity for agents and ensure that every order goes exactly where it is supposed to.
Using the Geocoding API for batch geocoding is an easy 4-step process.
First, format your data on a schema of your choice, then create a geocoding job with the API. This step involves uploading the location data that is going to be converted.
All that is left to do is monitor the job status and download the geocode results once it is done. Check out our batch geocoding video for more information you can use for your next delivery route planning and optimization app.
Step 2: Optimize routes for delivery
Creating an efficient shipping route map requires a ton of prior planning before an agent is sent out. Operators have to factor in dozens of variables when planning a manual route, including:
- Fuel price
- Traffic
- Shift windows for each agent
- Delivery priorities
- Order quantities
Using Azure Maps Route Matrix APIs, you can calculate a comprehensive matrix that outlines the ‘cost’ in travel distance and time in seconds between every pick-up and drop-off location. That location matrix can then be passed along to NVIDIA cuOpt for delivery route optimization.
We’ve put together a Multi-Itinerary Optimization Sample with 24 delivery points, 4 transport units, with each of the 2 storage hubs providing 2 vehicles. Our interactive demo creates an optimized itinerary with a shipping route map.
Optimized Itinerary
Our sample is enough for a detailed look at how useful a multi-literary optimization (MIO) service can be for shipping route maps. Businesses can use MIO in their delivery route optimization apps to save fuel and time by intelligently grouping agents to maximize operational efficiency. To get a better idea of what our itinerary would look like on a map, take a look at this example:
Vehicles are grouped according to their starting points and delivery locations. This removes any possible overlapping routes and reveals the fastest way to each destination keeping travel time in mind. Learn more about creating a multi-itinerary optimization service in the Azure Maps MIO documentation.
Step 3: Use customized routing
Optimizing routes and mapping directions for delivery personnel requires a different set of skills from what we would typically use for navigating on foot or even in a car. Delivery trucks can vary drastically in terms of vehicle specifications, maximum weight, and the type of cargo that they can carry. In effect, this means that a road that’s too narrow for your trucks can quickly render your shipping route map ineffective.
The Truck Routing API gets around these limitations by taking your commercial vehicle’s specifications into account when creating routes. Support for a range of customizable parameters allows operators to improve their delivery route optimization by previewing traffic conditions, road restrictions, and other environmental impacts such as strong crosswinds right from the app.
Independent software vendor Inogic used the Truck Routing API to build Maplytics, a geo-analytical app that uses location data to create optimized shipping route maps. The team wanted to create a one-stop solution for businesses working with large fleets and hundreds of different waypoints.
Step 4: Visualize your delivery routes
Being able to visualize the distance your agents can travel in a given amount of time is a necessity when optimizing routes for deliveries. Use the Route Matrix and Route Range API to generate a travel radius map for a deeper insight into what you can achieve with your fleet.
The Route Range and Route Matrix API’s applications go far beyond just delivery route planning and optimization. You can also use it to identify locations for a potential expansion by finding out how far your fleet can travel from each warehouse. Use the MIO interactive demo to get a glimpse of how the API can revamp your shipping route maps.
Logistics providers aren’t just limited to using standard road maps for deliveries. Tap into Azure Maps APIs’ location data for advanced route planning. Our API supports high-resolution aerial and Bird’s Eye imagery data captured at a 45-degree angle. A resolution of 60-30cm/pixel allows operators to scope out distant and unfamiliar locations for delivery route planning right from the app.
Businesses operating outside of metropolitan areas often have to deal with challenging terrain. This can complicate deliveries for agents and cause delays as standard shipping route maps tend to omit topographical data. Developers can use the Elevation API here to create three-dimensional delivery routes that can capture the bigger picture. Use the interactive V8 SDK to learn more about creating an elevation layer.
Logistics done right
The first step to optimizing your routes for deliveries is creating a free Azure account and adding Azure Maps to it. Once you have that, you gain access to our fleet management APIs, designed from the ground up to enhance logistics with a location-aware shipping routes map.
FAQs
How can agents find nearby rest stops and fuel during deliveries?
The Local Insights API gives agents real-time information about nearby points of interest during deliveries, including charging stations, rest stops, and restaurants.
What kind of key do I need?
Once you’ve created a free Azure account with an instance of Azure Maps, you can use API keys to select which services you’ll be using. Under the free tier you have varying amounts of free transactions for each service after which you pay for what you use.
Head over to our pricing page to see if you’d like to make use of the free tier to get a start on building your shipping route map.
Can beginners use these APIs?
If you’re new to delivery route planning apps, you can count on an extensive support system to guide you every step of the way, including detailed documentation and Azure Maps interactive code samples.
