What’s new in Circuit Route Planner
Previously, drivers had to select and set a map view type, which could only be changed in app settings.
Now, you can tap a button on the map to switch between a detailed satellite map view and a simplified route view, making it easier to see more or less detail when needed.
Changing to a satellite map view when approaching a stop provides additional visual context, and you can instantly switch back to a simplified view when navigating longer distances between stops where photographic imagery is not required.
On busy routes with many similar deliveries, it can be tricky for drivers to remember when certain stops have special conditions attached to them.
Now, drivers can color-code stops with specific requirements to highlight them better on a route.
There are four different colors to choose from, and when a stop is color coded, the pin on the map and progress bar change color.
The color coded stop will now show as the chosen color on the map, and the progress bar will update to this color when approaching the stop
Drivers can now customize their route based on individual needs, and local knowledge by manually selecting the order in which stops are attempted.
This helps drivers create more finely tuned routes, and quickly and easily make changes to stops as and when needed.
Finding one particular item in a delivery vehicle full of similar looking brown packages can be confusing at times.
Now drivers can choose to take a photo of a package as they add that delivery address to their route. Upon arrival at the stop, the driver can view the package photo again to remind themselves what the package looks like.
Often, delivery drivers need to repeatedly switch between their delivery app and other functions on their phones. Switching between multiple apps and tabs on a small phone screen whilst navigating a delivery route can be challenging.
iOS users can now use Circuit Route Planner in a condensed view as a Live Activity on the iOS Dynamic Island to help maximize the use of limited phone screen space.
Android users can now scan address labels with their smartphone's camera and add those addresses as stops to their routes.
Camera scanning helps to accelerate route creation and vehicle loading, helping drivers save time.
Rather than having to select individual stops to be placed first or last, drivers can now reverse the order of all stops on their route in one click.
This is the first in a series of features that will offer more route customization options.
Before, drivers had to use time windows or first and last stop settings to place selected stops at chosen points along a route. Now, drivers can also select multiple stops on their route to make next and choose to slot these changes into their existing route or completely reoptimize it.
Locating specific items in a packed vehicle can be difficult and waste valuable time.
A driver can now give specific packages a detailed description and assign a specific location in their vehicle to that package, making it easier to find.
Previously making any change to an existing route required full re-optimization, which could completely change the order of all stops and the direction of the route.
It's now possible to make minor changes and slot them into an existing route.
Previously, changing a route then required re-optimizing it, which is not possible without an internet connection.
Now whenever drivers are in an area without internet coverage, they can make changes to a route, skip the re-optimization stage and return to complete that stage once they are online again.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Specific stop conditions, such as time windows, are now visible in all three view sizes.
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.
Drivers can now check their main route map view and stops list without pausing navigation functionality.
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.
Drivers can select:
This allows them to complete priority deliveries first and leave less urgent deliveries until last.
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 Circuit Route Planner.
There is a lot of information associated with each stop on a route. It may be necessary for the driver to know the type of stop, the timing, where the package is in the vehicle, and many other details.
Drivers may have difficulty reading and using the app if all this information is displayed at once.
Having trouble finding the right package in their delivery vehicle can cost drivers valuable time. During a route, time spent looking for packages can add up and make their day longer than necessary.
We’ve introduced a simple Package ID feature to help make finding packages fast and more efficient.
Some routes contain unreachable stops. For example, by mistake, a driver's route in Lisbon, Portugal, may include an address in Lisbon, Florida, making that stop unreachable.
If a stop cannot be reached by the end of that delivery day, it will be marked as skipped.
As a result, drivers must figure out how to correct these stop types and incorporate them back into their routes. On-the-go management of unreachable and skipped stops saves time and allows routes to be optimized more easily.
The status of a delivery stop is an essential attribute for drivers and dispatchers.
A dynamic stop marker on the map means you don't have to scroll the stop list to find important information.
We've created dynamic stop markers that show if a stop is:
Drivers often have to make changes to a route once it’s been optimized and the van has been loaded, but if a stop is added or removed, the change means the way the vehicle was loaded no longer makes sense.
Now, if the detail of a stop such as the time window or priority is changed, a stop is added or removed, the driver gets the option to:
Sometimes it can be useful for drivers to share their live location and route information with a 3rd party. We’ve made this possible on Circuit Route Planner with our new shareable read-only route links.
Recently, Apple’s exciting Live Text feature got released together with iOS 15. The new feature lets you use your phone’s camera app to scan any text.You've asked us for this a lot, so we’re happy that we’re among the first iOS apps to bring you this new functionality.
iPhone users on iOS 15 can now use Live Text inside Circuit Route Planner in three easy steps 👇
Then just add the rest of your packages in the same way 🙌
Every day at Circuit we show delivery drivers millions of addresses. We get this information from Google Maps as well as from dispatchers using Circuit for Teams.
In our mission to make delivery as seamless as possible, we are improving how we format addresses. This means showing more important information upfront (like store names and postcodes) and making better use of valuable screen space.
This saves drivers time for every delivery they make, as they don’t have to check a manifest or search for the address in a different app.
Important information like the postcode, which many drivers use to find their way around, isn’t there. This is because most of the address is crammed into the second line which will be cut off on small screen sizes.
Everything drivers need to see is right there, no more, no less. As part of this change, we’re also changing how we save addresses in Circuit. This won’t be visible to drivers but will work silently to improve the accuracy of navigation with apps like Waze, Google Maps & Apple Maps.