· 1 min read
How to Compare Route Plans and Measure Savings
A practical method to compare a baseline route plan with an optimized one and measure distance, time and cost differences honestly.
"We saved 15%" is easy to claim and hard to verify. A sound comparison needs a fair baseline, consistent inputs and the right metrics.
Step 1: Capture the baseline
Record what your manual plan would produce for a given day: the stops per vehicle, their order, total distance and total driving time. If you cannot measure the baseline precisely, estimate it with the same tools you use for the optimized plan so both are measured the same way.
Step 2: Use identical inputs
Compare plans for the same stops, the same vehicles and the same constraints. If the optimizer served fewer stops, the comparison is not fair.
Step 3: Choose the metrics
| Metric | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Total distance | Fuel and wear |
| Total duration | Driver cost and capacity |
| Vehicles used | Fixed vehicle costs |
| Unassigned stops | Service failures |
| Time-window violations | Customer experience |
Step 4: Convert to money using your own costs
Multiply the distance difference by your cost per mile or kilometer, and the time difference by your loaded cost per driver-hour. Keep the assumptions visible.
Step 5: Repeat on several days
One day can be unrepresentative. Compare across busy and quiet days before drawing conclusions.
Step 6: Watch for trade-offs
A shorter route that misses windows is not a win. Look at the whole scorecard.
Scenario comparison in AIRO
The platform is designed to compare a baseline scenario with an optimized one and show distance, duration, vehicle and unassigned-stop differences, per vehicle as well as overall. See the features page.
Try it on your own data
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