Sequence Stop-offs in Optimal Order with map&guide

23 January 2008, 10:53am

Karlsruhe, January 14, 2008. The first online route planner which optimises stop-off points according to direct distance or road distance is now available. This unique feature of PTV's new map&guide version 1.5 helps premium customers to save time and mileage charges.

Users of the basic package, who register for the first time, will have the opportunity to test the new feature for two weeks for free at http://base.mapandguide.com.

Forwarding companies, couriers, service technicians and field service employees are all faced with the same problem: How to plan a series of visits for customers in different locations whilst minimising the total distance or total time of the route? The new stop-off point list optimisation module of map&guide base enables the user to calculate the best sequence of route points at the push of a button. The user can choose whether the software calculates it on the basis of direct distances or road kilometres. Of course optimisation based on road kilometres provides extremely accurate results. This method is especially useful for finding optimal routes through specific regions, e.g. when planning master transport runs in delivery areas.

The new feature allows users to reduce costs for transport and sales call scheduling. The improved sequence of stop-off points minimizes driving time, road kilometres and vehicle costs, and thus helps to reduce traffic jams and environmental pollution. Users who calculate the route to each stop-off point on the basis of the stop-off point list even save more time and money.

The basic map&guide base version with basic route planning features is free of charge. Premium functions are available from 14.90 Euro per month. Premium customers will always have access to the latest map& guide version.

The hybrid software architecture combines the advantages of both online and desktop route planners: just the application will be installed on the local computer after registration. The vast quantities of detailed map data, the routing engine and the geocoding system are all hosted on the external map&guide server. Communications between the client and the server are secure. Personal information is exclusively located on the local computer; no private data is sent over the Internet. Users therefore benefit from security, fast response time and accurate calculations using the most up-to-date maps.

map&guide base was designed for professional transportation and sales users with up to ten vehicles in their fleet. The software has a modular architecture which allows the user to select the desired functions he or she really needs. The route planner exactly meets the users' requirements - they only pay for the features they need and use. The modules include European-wide routing including alternative routing, a vehicle and address manager, cost calculation, European-wide toll calculation and a link to navigation systems. With the appropriate hardware it is also possible to use the vehicle tracking option, which allows users to locate and display vehicles on a digital
map.

www.ptv.de

Geo: International