Product updates

Not being able to consider break periods during a route can lead to inaccurate ETAs and missed time windows because break time is not accounted for.

Drivers can now add breaks to a route, giving them the chance to plan rest periods and keep expected delivery times accurate.

How to add a break to a route⁠

• Create a route
• Tap the option to add a break
• Set a time window during which to take a break eg 12-2pm
• Set how long a break period should be eg 30 mins
• Optimize the route, and the break will be added
• The break is visible on the map as a coffee cup icon and in the stops list
• Choose to take or skip a break when arriving at that point in a route

Previously when making changes to an optimized route, as soon as a change is made, all visible route information is removed. This made it hard to see your potential changes next to the most recently mapped route.

Now when changes are made to an optimized route, all the route information remains visible, and the potential changes are clearly marked on the map and in the stops list.

How to preview changes to an existing route:⁠

• If you add a stop to an optimized route, this will be visible on the map as a stop marker with a plus sign, and visible in the stops list in a section called added stops.
• If you edit a stop on an optimized route, this will be visible on the map as a stop marker with a pencil icon, and visible in the stops list in a section called edited stops.
• If you remove a stop from an optimized route, this will be visible on the map as a stop marker with a trash can icon, and visible in the stops list in a section called removed stops.

Once you are happy with your changes, you can then apply them to your route.

Having to swipe multiple times within an app to find and edit the details of a stop adds unnecessary time and friction for drivers.

Drivers can now save time by selecting to navigate or mark stops as failed or delivered from buttons within the main stop details sheet.

Stop details sheet buttons allow drivers to:⁠

• Tap navigate to launch in-app navigation
• Tap to mark a stop as completed
• Tap to mark a stop as failed

Toggling between map views whilst following a delivery route can help drivers orient themselves and stay on track.

Drivers can now tap the map pin button to switch between different views for easier navigation.

How to toggle between route and single-stop map views:⁠

• Tap the map pin button in the bottom right-hand corner of the map
• Tap the map pin button when it displays a single pin to focus the map on the next active stop
• Tap the map pin button when it displays multiple pins to focus the map view on the whole route
• Tap the map pin button after manually moving the map to focus the map back on the previous view

Drivers can spend several minutes on their delivery app searching for specific stops, important information and trying to make changes.

Enhanced usability features now mean that stop information and editing functions can be accessed with a swipe, scroll, or tap.

Scrolling functionality includes:⁠

• Scroll to the top of the stop details screen for the maximum view size
• Scroll down from the top of the stop details screen for the medium view size
• Scroll down to the bottom of the stop details screen for the minimum view size

Specific stop conditions, such as time windows, are now visible in all three view sizes.

Tap or swipe functionality includes:⁠

• Tap a stop on the map. The stop details sheet will then show that stop
• Swipe right on the main stops list. The option to navigate will appear.

Most delivery routes finish, with some stops not being successfully completed.

Our copy stops feature allows drivers to select and copy across missed, failed, or specific stops from one route to another so that these stops can be attempted again.

How to copy stops between routes⁠

• Select 'copy stops' on the main screen menu
• Or click the ‘copy stops to a new route’ button when a route is complete
• Select the route you want to copy stops from
• Create a new route or select an existing route you want to copy stops to
• Select the stops you want to copy across
• Copy the selected stops to your chosen route

Drivers can now check their main route map view and stops list without pausing navigation functionality.

How app-wide navigation works⁠

• From the stop details view, drivers can tap the X to return to the main screen view
• On the main screen view, navigation now remains active
• Directions are shown in a navigation box at the top of the screen
• This navigation box provides turn-by-turn directions and voice guidance
• Tapping the navigation box will return drivers to the stop details view

Adding stops to a route while loading a delivery vehicle means holding packages and a phone, which can be time-consuming and awkward for drivers. It is now possible to add multiple stops to a route with voice commands whilst using a phone with just one hand.

How to use voice commands to upload multiple stops:⁠

• Go to add/find a stop
• Tap the microphone icon on the far right of the search bar
• On the pop-up, select the option to ‘add multiple stops’
• Speak into your phone the stop address you want to add
• From the search results generated, select the correct stop address
• Once you have added a stop, you will see the message ‘stop added’
• You can then ‘speak to add another’ or click ‘done’ to finish adding stops

Drivers can select:

• a single/multiple stops to be attempted first
• a single/multiple stops to be attempted last

This allows them to complete priority deliveries first and leave less urgent deliveries until last.

How to select single/multiple stops to be attempted first or last⁠

• Click on the stop
• Click on Edit stop
• In the stop details you will see the options to select First, Auto, or Last
• Stops marked as First will be attempted at the start of the route
• Stops marked as Last will be attempted at the end of the route
• There is no min/max limit on the number of stops that can be marked as First/Last
• The default for any stop not marked as First/Last is Auto
• Stops marked as Auto will be added to the route order when it is optimized

In the past, adding the wrong address to a stop meant deleting it and adding it again with the correct address. A driver can now edit the address of an existing stop if it is incorrect, saving them time and effort.

This feature is currently only available on the Android app version of Spoke Route Planner.

How to edit the address of an existing stop⁠

• Select the stop with the incorrect address
• Click the Change address button
• Select the correct address from the search bar
• The text updated will appear in green text to confirm the change has been made 
• Addresses can be edited when adding stops or even while out driving a route