Sept/Oct 2004

Route-planning enhancement that overlays maps with real-time traffic information

Map&Guide

Our impression

We've been trying out Map&Guide's latest route planning software that overlays maps with real-time traffic information. Most delivery routes are affected to a greater or less degree by road conditions, which can range from congestion to long- or short-term roadworks, so it certainly makes sense to be able to find out what the problems are.

 

The traffic model is the latest addition to Map&Guide's Transport application. One of the strengths of the application is integration of route planning with a transport costs module. It can calculate the fastest, shortest or most cost-efficient route using different parameters. The route planning function can handle up to 100 stop-off points, including ferry ports, and suggest four alternative routes, giving a detailed route description of each.

Version 10 enables you to check routes against current traffic situations, whether these are short- or long-term roadworks, or delays because of congestion or accidents. You may not be able to do anything about them, of course, but forewarned is forearmed - at the very least you can reschedule a planned delivery time to one that is likely to be more accurate.

For our evaluation, we didn't have access to the actual route-planning software, instead making use of a few saved delivery schedules supplied by Map&Guide. This seemed to give a pretty reasonable simulation of a real-life situation.

Checking the routes against the real-time traffic information was straightforward. You simply import the planned delivery route on to the traffic information screen. You can also add stop-points to the route by clicking on the map. If you load your route list in the application, the software tells of any problems on your route. The live traffic information arrives via an automatic link to the Map&Guide server.

You can also search for traffic information on a European or country basis, either by postcode or by actual places on the route. A text description of the location of the problem pops up, with a map alongside showing with a digital image.

Usefully, Map&Guide splits the real-time data up into various categories. If you select roadworks it will display a list of all the roadworks on your planned route or in a selected area. Pressing the information icon brings up a detailed map of the roadworks. Delays due to roadworks, especially for vehicles travelling at peak times, can have a devastating affect on schedules, so incorporating this data is valuable.

There is more dynamic data, too, which might affect journey times and the ability to meet delivery slots. This includes information on tail-backs, accidents and slow-moving traffic.

The list of live traffic data is impressive, with separate listings for tailbacks at various speeds, as well as for slow-moving or heavy traffic. What looks like too much information to the novice may actually be a valuable differentiator when it comes to route scheduling. It could also be a reflection of how Map&Guide receives the traffic data from various European countries. Finally, of course, knowing the reason for slow-moving traffic also gives schedulers more accurate information to take real-time decisions about re-routing.

Each stop-point on the route has its own file, so you can edit the address and time parameters for it. On the basis of the data in the traffic screen you can determine whether a vehicle will make the stop-point in its given time slot. If route optimisation is the key, you could alter the delivery time to suit the traffic conditions.

Our verdict

Map&Guide warned us that the test site takes three times as long to load the traffic data as a live site. However, on our broadband connection, there was only about a five- to ten-second delay while the server gathered the live data and displayed it. With stricter drivers' hours regulations coming in 2005 and ever-increasing congestion, transport planning will require even steadier nerves than usual. Any application such as the live traffic module in Map&Guide Transport that may help make deliveries more predictable is welcome.

www.mapandguide.com

Map&Guide Transport

System requirements

OS Windows 98/NT4/2000/ME/XP

Processor Pentium II minimum, greater recommended

Memory RAM 512Mb, ROM 1.3GB

Connectivity Internet access