A transport network grows with its customers. New delivery points, changing order sizes and additional vehicles can gradually create a pattern of movements that no longer matches the original plan.
Understand demand before drawing routes.
Begin with where orders originate, where customers are, how frequently they need service and what constraints affect delivery. The network should reflect actual requirements, rather than assumptions carried forward from an earlier stage of the business.
A shorter route is useful. A network that serves customers well and uses resources effectively is better.
Review the connections.
Distribution points, loading schedules, vehicle capacity and return movements should be considered together. A decision that saves distance on one leg may add waiting time or create an empty journey elsewhere.
Test, learn and adjust.
Use representative operating data to compare options. Start with a manageable change, agree what success looks like and review the effect on service, cost and the people doing the work.
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