Multi-Vehicle Route Optimization (Fleet Routing Guide)

1) What is multi-vehicle route optimization?#

Multi-vehicle route optimization is route optimization across multiple drivers or vehicles. The goal is to create multiple routes — one for each vehicle — that collectively serve all stops efficiently.

Unlike simple route planning (choosing a route between points), fleet optimization must answer two questions:

1. Which vehicle should handle which stops?
2. What is the best stop order for each vehicle?

If you’re new to routing, start here: What is route optimization? and How route optimization works.

2) Why fleet route optimization matters#

When you have multiple drivers, routing decisions directly affect your costs and customer satisfaction. A good fleet routing plan can reduce:

• Total driving miles
• Fuel costs
• Overtime
• Late arrivals
• Missed deliveries

It can also help ensure a fair workload across drivers and improve dispatcher productivity.

3) How multi-vehicle route optimization works#

Multi-vehicle route optimization is more complex because it involves stop assignment and route sequencing. A typical process looks like this:

1. Read all stops and vehicle data
2. Apply constraints (time windows, capacities, working hours)
3. Assign stops to vehicles
4. Optimize each vehicle route (best stop order + travel path)
5. Return routes, schedules, and reports

Many systems call this the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) — and with multiple vehicles and constraints, it becomes the real-world routing problem fleets face daily.

4) Constraints: time windows, capacity, and working hours#

Time windows

Time windows restrict when a stop can be visited. Fleet routing must schedule stops across multiple routes so every stop is visited on time. Read more: Route optimization with time windows.

Capacity limits (weight/volume)

Capacity constraints prevent a vehicle from being assigned stops that exceed its available weight or volume. This matters for delivery companies, food distribution, and medical logistics.

Working hours

Vehicle working hours (Time In / Time Out) define when a driver can start and must finish. Optimization ensures routes remain feasible within those hours.

5) Balancing workload between drivers#

Fleet optimization often includes a balancing goal: prevent one driver from having 40 stops while another has 10.

Balancing can be based on:

• Number of stops
• Total driving time
• Total route duration (driving + service)
• Total load (weight/volume)

Balancing improves fairness, reduces burnout, and makes route planning more predictable.

6) Real-world examples of multi-vehicle routing#

Example A — Small delivery team (2–3 vehicles)

A local delivery company has 30 stops and 3 drivers. Fleet optimization distributes stops so each driver finishes on time.

Example B — Field service with appointments

A service company has scheduled jobs with time windows. The optimizer assigns jobs to technicians based on schedule feasibility.

Example C — Capacity-based distribution

A food distributor assigns heavy stops only to trucks with higher capacity while still minimizing total miles.

7) Common mistakes in fleet route optimization#

Mistake 1 — Not using capacity limits

If you don't set weight/volume constraints, a route may look good on a map but fail in practice.

Mistake 2 — Not using service time

If a stop takes 10 minutes and you ignore service time, the schedule will be unrealistic.

Mistake 3 — Too few vehicles for the workload

When time windows are strict, you may need more vehicles or longer working hours to satisfy all stops.

Mistake 4 — No balancing goal

Without balancing, one driver may receive too many stops, causing delays and overtime.

8) Best practices for multi-vehicle route optimization#

• Always enter realistic working hours
• Use service time to create accurate schedules
• Use time windows only when needed (avoid overly narrow windows)
• Set vehicle capacity if load matters
• Balance workloads using stops, time, or distance metrics
• Use driver apps to track execution and update ETAs

For a simple comparison of routing approaches, see: Route planning vs route optimization.

9) How TrackRoad supports multi-vehicle routing#

TrackRoad helps dispatchers and delivery companies by providing:

• Stop distribution across multiple vehicles
• Time windows and service time
• Vehicle capacity constraints (weight/volume)
• Driver working hours (Time In / Time Out)
• Optimized stop order and route schedules
• Driver mobile apps for iOS and Android
• Reports and route analytics

You can try multi-vehicle optimization online here: TrackRoad Route Optimization Tool.

10) FAQ#