The route optimization feature currently calculates the most efficient path based on straight-line distance between job locations. It does not incorporate real-time or historical traffic data into these calculations.
Symptoms
- Optimized routes suggest paths through known high-traffic corridors during rush hour
- Estimated travel times consistently shorter than actual drive times during peak periods
- Technicians arriving late despite following the "optimized" sequence
- First job of morning route placed 45+ minutes away while closer jobs scheduled later
Current Behavior
The algorithm prioritizes:
- Minimizing total miles driven
- Respecting hard time windows (if set)
- Technician skill matching and job priority
Traffic conditions are not weighted in the calculation.
Workarounds
- Manual buffer time: Add 15-20 minutes between stops during known high-traffic periods (7-9 AM, 4-7 PM)
- Job sequencing override: Use drag-and-drop to reorder after optimization if you know local traffic patterns
- Time window constraints: Set tighter arrival windows on critical jobs to force the optimizer to consider sequence more carefully
- Regional dispatching: Assign technicians to geographic zones rather than optimizing across entire service area
Roadmap Status
Traffic-aware routing is on the product roadmap for Q1 2026. The team is evaluating third-party traffic data providers (Google Maps API, HERE Traffic) for integration.
Related discussion: How do you balance route efficiency with technician skill matching?
