In 2021, the delivery sector is growing faster than ever before, shattering optimistic growth estimates made at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic one year earlier. This growth poses a unique opportunity for all kinds of delivery drivers, from the UPS to UberEats. But without the right tools, delivery drivers can fumble this great opportunity and lose time, savings, and business opportunities.
Now more than ever, the key to making successful deliveries is Route Optimization Software (ROS) and two of the best are Straightaway and Circuit. But, which routing app is better for you? Read on, this article is here to demystify ROS, Straightaway, and Circuit, to help you make the right choice.
The Advantages of ROS
Route Optimization Software uses intelligent navigation to help drivers get to their destinations faster and more efficiently. How does it work? ROS accounts for traffic jams, road closures, and gas mileage. Any driver will notice the impact of implementing ROS in every part of their work:
- Time: Using route optimization software can save drivers hours everyday, allowing them more time for their personal lives without sacrificing money.
- Money: The new efficiencies of ROS allow drivers to deliver more to their customers, and save on gas money.
- Safety: The simplicity of ROS can allow drivers to access everything they need easily, allowing them to stay hands-free and focused on the road.
- Customer Satisfaction: Faster delivery times means more pleased customers, which will only increase customer loyalty and create more business in the future.
The benefits are clear, but how do drivers know which routing software is best for the job?
How To Know What’s Best
The market for intelligent routing apps is big, and it can be daunting to try and find the best option. Delivery drivers have unique requirements that must be considered and understood in the decision-making process. There is little room for error, as the wrong decision can only create obstacles for drivers.
Don’t worry, we’ve spent time analyzing the whole market so you don’t have to. Two of the most promising options available today are Straightaway and Circuit.
Straightaway and Circuit
Straightaway, while young in the ROS game, has already emerged as a clear leader. Based in Portland, Oregon, Straightaway was founded by delivery industry proprietors who had specific insights to make their routing application perfect for any courier. Today, Straightaway is the #1 route planner app for drivers at UPS, FedEx, USPS, onTrac, DHL, and Amazon.
Circuit, on the other hand, has grown over time. When Circuit started out in the United Kingdom, developers built the app for everyday consumers. Over time, the product became popular with delivery drivers, so Circuit started tailoring the experience to help enable drivers to accomplish even more. Today, Circuit is one of the most promising options for route optimization, and continues to grow in last-mile services.
To properly evaluate these two services, we need to view them in the context of delivery driving. Because delivery driving is a high-powered activity, the evaluation metrics are slightly different:
- How do these services improve my delivery workflow?
- Will it provide helpful turn-by-turn navigation?
- What will it cost me, and is it worth it?
Let’s take a closer look…
Delivery Workflow
Before committing to a new ROS system, you should know the unique features Circuit and Straightaway offer to jump-start your route everyday. Here they are:
Circuit
Circuit offers a fair amount of flexibility for drivers. One of the app’s best features is to set time windows and priorities. If a customer requires a package within a specific time window, or a VIP package needs to be delivered, Circuit allows drivers to schedule their routes around these priority drop-offs.
In addition, Circuit enables fleet managers to better delegate deliveries across their employees. If a pizza shop owner wants to coordinate multiple pizza deliveries between multiple drivers, Circuit makes it easy to manage.
Straightaway
Straightaway comes with built-in features specifically tailored for each major delivery brand and also small businesses. Drivers for FedEx, UPS, or USPS can quickly upload their manifests with one click, allowing them to start their day with ease. Powering this feature is OCR, a technology that analyzes the content of a driver’s manifest and compiles the addresses in fractions of a second. This streamlined feature allows drivers from all major delivery companies to quickly and seamlessly integrate with Straightaway, no matter what they deliver.
Navigation
Arguably the most important component of the delivery toolkit, drivers need powerful navigation capability out-of-the-box. Circuit and Straightaway tackle this problem with two different approaches:
Circuit
Circuit offers delivery drivers several options for navigation. Drivers can use Google Maps, Waze, even MapQuest. The big win here is users have the power of choice. Drivers can pick software they are already comfortable with, and use it to proceed to their destination.
While the choice is convenient, there are drawbacks. Services like Google Maps, Waze, and MapQuest are designed for everyday consumers, not high-powered delivery drivers.
Straightaway
Straightaway understands this and builds native navigation right into the app. With Straightaway, drivers can visualize all of their stops, rearrange them by priority, and navigate to them without having to switch windows. This is especially important while driving, where easy-to-use, hands-free software increases safety immeasurably.
The added benefit of native navigation is data. Gathering useful data to account for traffic, road closures, and weather will allow Straightaway’s navigation to advance over time. Straightaway utilizes powerful machine learning technology to make every bit of data an advantage for the driver.
Pricing
Any savvy delivery driver won’t jump into a new routing app without first assessing the costs. Here’s a breakdown of how much Circuit and Straightaway might cost you:
Circuit
Circuit has a variety of price offerings for different styles of route optimization.
• For individuals, the Free Tier offers optimization for up to ten stops.
• For a twenty-dollar-per-month Pro subscription, users can plan up to 500 stops per route.
• For business owners that want to buy team subscriptions, there is Circuit Teams. Circuit Teams offers three tiers of plans for different levels of flexibility and features.
Straightaway
Straightaway offers three plans for customers: Starter, Personal, and Team.
• Starter is free, allowing drivers the ability to add up to twenty five stops, and unlimited use of the OCR technology that rapidly reads manifests.
• For ten dollars per month, the Personal plan offers up to 500 stops and unlimited routing for individual delivery drivers.
• To learn more about Straightaway’s Team product, you can contact sales here.
Your Best Option Is…
When it comes to making the right choice, choosing a service with powerful technology, integrated navigation, and attractive pricing is a no-brainer.
Straightaway’s features make for a seamless transition towards optimization, and can quickly become an essential part of every delivery driver’s workflow. Once drivers start using Straightaway, many can’t imagine life without it. It’s always the right time to save hours, money, and make customers happier. Don’t hesitate, take the best path forward.
See you on the road.
