Do you have a job that involves stopping at multiple locations a day? If so, you need to have route optimization software (ROS). And guess what—ROS services aren’t just for postal workers and food deliverers. Today, optimization is an extremely accessible and easy-to-use luxury that anyone can get their hands on.
The main goal of route optimization is to generate time-saving routes to get a drivers job done quicker. But it’s not just about speed. ROS also aims to cut back on fuel costs, prevent distracted driving, and increase customer satisfaction. Ultimately, ROS is here to make a driver’s job easier, safer, and more efficient.
The route optimization market grows more competitive by the year as companies generate better navigation algorithms. Each company has different benefits to offer as they take different approaches to getting drivers to their destinations. One of the more affordable options is RoadWarrior Route Planner. With an accessible price point and an impressive list of optimization options, it rivals other leading ROS companies like Straightaway Route Planner. Let’s see how RoadWarrior stacks up to Straightway when it comes to standard features, accessibility, pricing, and package offerings.
At a Glance
Both RoadWarrior and Straightaway have a unique approach to ROS. Let’s compare the standout features of both apps.
RoadWarrior Features
RoadWarrior aims to provide users with advanced and highly-customizable route optimization:
• Start-of-the-Art Optimization: RoadWarrior’s route planning function sorts through thousands of possible routes and can select the best one in seconds. It also factors traffic, school zones, and business availability when selecting an optimal route.
• Route Flexibility: RoadWarrior prides itself on providing customizable routes for users who want to avoid toll-roads, one-way streets, and more. The app allows each user to adjust their route based on personal and job-specific preferences.
• RoadWarrior Flex: An upgraded version of the app is called Flex, which allows business owners to plan, assign, and analyze their drivers’ routes. With this version, users have access to API functions and can share route data with their team. Though this option costs an additional $10 per user, it is convenient for businesses who manage a large fleet of drivers.
• Driver Progress: With RoadWarrior Teams, users can view their drivers’ progress and adjust each individual route when needed. If the user sees one driver falling behind schedule, they can instantly redelegate that driver’s routes to a different driver.
Straightaways Feature
Straightaway prides itself on its highly-intelligent optimization algorithm, which provides users with the following capabilities:
• Instantly Capture Stops: Straightaway offers an extremely simple way of capturing addresses to add to their route. All you have to do is take a picture of your address list. The app will then instantly recognize the stops and generate your most efficient route.
• Optimizing the Quickest Route: Straightaway’s special algorithm is designed to organize routes in the quickest order possible. This allows drivers to save time spent on the road. In fact, Straightaway users report an average of one hour spared per shift compared to competing ROS apps.
• Live Traffic Updates: When optimizing routes, Straightaway factors in real-time circumstances like road closures, traffic, weather, and over 130 other data sources. Any time potential slow-downs pop up on the road, the app will readjust and put you on the fastest route to your next destination.
• Turn-by-Turn Navigation: Because Straightaway values safety above all else, the app has a built-in navigation system with detailed turn-by-turn directions to every stop. That way users don’t have to toggle between the app and an additional GPS provider.
Device Accessibility
Both RoadWarrior and Straightaway offer route optimization on iOS and Android devices. However, RoadWarrior Flex allows users to create, dispatch, and log routes from their computer browser. They also have the option to upload stops onto a computer spreadsheet, which allows users to store frequented addresses. Straightaway’s Team app version doesn’t allow users to download data onto a computer, but it does provide vehicle tracking and Enterprise support.
Pricing Packages
Though Straightaway works exclusively through a mobile app, they do edge out RoadWarrior when it comes to value. Both offer competitive prices and even a free version of their app, but Straightaway provides more value than RoadWarrior with their annual payment option. Here’s a breakdown of the different pricing packages Straightaway and RoadWarrior offer:
RoadWarrior Basic vs Straightaway Starter
Though RoadWarrior Basic allows users to optimize up to 50 stops, drivers are only allowed to generate routes of up to eight stops at once. Like RoadWarrior, Straightaway gives their free users access to routing and navigation services, but allows users to generate a whopping 25-stop route. For small-scale deliverers, Straightaway’s free version is much more advantageous in terms of actual route planning capabilities.
RoadWarrior Pro vs Straightaway Personal
The next subscription tier offered by RoadWarrior has all the benefits of their free version plus the ability to optimize up to 500 stops and create 120-stop routes.
Straightaway, on the hand, allows up to 250-stop routes, unlimited optimizations, and an unlimited amount of routes. Though RoadWarrior gives you the option to sync, upload, and report route data on a server, Straightaway access to Traffic Aware and AddressDetect services cannot be beaten.
RoadWarrior Flex vs Straightaway Teams
RoadWarrior Flex only allows users 200 stops per route. They allow 500 optimized stops daily with an added 500 per extra driver, each person costing an additional $10. Straightaway also offers a Team Version of their app, this one allowing users with 250-stops and unlimited routes. This package also provides vehicle tracking and Enterprise support. Though both companies offer impressive features for their group packages, Straightaway’s actual route capabilities brings them out on top.
To Get Where You Need to Go…
It’s no surprise that RoadWarrior is one of the best, most competitive route optimization providers on the market, but it comes with a few sacrifices. While they are extremely affordable and provide unique benefits for managing large fleets of drivers, their numbers cannot compete with Straightaway.
At all three tiers of Straightaway, the number of stop and route optimization options are higher than that of RoadWarrior. So while it’s nice to have extra perks like syncing data and reporting data, nothing can beat the unlimited routing options that Straightaway provides to their Personal and Team users.
When it comes to choosing a competitive and highly-capable ROS provider, Straightaway is the way to go. Not only do they offer extremely low rates, they provide integrated navigation, real-time traffic adjustments, instant address-capturing, and much more. Don’t hesitate to download the Straightaway app today.
