Best Practices for Same‑Day Route Changes

When You Need Same‑Day Route Changes

Common situations:

• New last‑minute stops or pickups

• Customer cancels or reschedules

• Driver delay, breakdown, or early out

• Volume shifts that require rebalancing work

General Principles

• Minimize disruption: change only what you must.

• Keep drivers informed: changes in Dispatch should be clear in the app.

• Protect SLAs: prioritize stops with tight windows or high priority.

Choosing the Right Action

1. Edit an Existing Route

Best when:

• The route is assigned and in progress

• Only a few stops need to be added, removed, or resequenced

Examples:

• Add a new pickup near existing stops

• Cancel a single stop (customer not available)

• Move one stop earlier or later on the same route

Impact:

• Driver sees updated stops and order in the mobile app.

2. Reassign a Route to Another Driver

Best when:

• The current driver cannot continue (breakdown, illness, early out)

• A different driver needs to take over the rest of the route

Guidelines:

• Reassign only once when possible

• Communicate clearly to both drivers (handoff expectations)

Impact:

• New driver sees the assigned route in their app.

• Old driver’s app no longer shows that route.

3. Split Work Across Multiple Routes

Best when:

• A single route has become too large or too delayed

• You have multiple drivers who can help

Typical approach:

• Move a group of stops from one route to another

• Create a new short route for rescue / overflow work

Impact:

• Helps keep high‑priority stops on time

• Requires coordination so drivers know which stops they own