Route optimization program?

[Thornhump]

I often need to make several stops within a city. Does anyone know of a program where I could locate each stop and have it determine the optimum order for visiting each site to minimize travel?

 

[Nextourer]

You can create an itinerary to create multiple destinations. Unfortunately, TomTom won't optimise the routes for the entire itinerary but only to the next destination.

So if you're just asking about how to enter multiple destinations, use the itinerary function.

 

[Thornhump]

Yeah, I'm already using the itenerary function and ordering my stops by guess as to the most direct route through them. What I'm hoping for is something where I can define stops A, B, C, & D and have it tell me that order B, C, A, D is the most direct route. Once I know that, I'll put them into Tomtom in that order and let it take me from one to the next.

 

[Nextourer]

Ahh, yes it doesn't do that for you unfortunately.

 

[henryg]

I think that Autoroute does route optimization, so you could plan on that and then use ITNConv to turn the axe file into an itn.

 

[fcbrants]

Route Optimization

I think that Autoroute does route optimization, so you could plan on that and then use ITNConv to turn the axe file into an itn.

I think the TT can and should do this out of the box.

Here's my note to TT support:

I?ve owned my TT 920-T for a few days now & I?m very, very happy with it. After reading all of the docs, trying all of the features & searching tomtomforums.com, I?ve found what appears to be a ?missing feature? or a feature that this device should have, but doesn?t: Route Optimization.

I would like to enter an Itinerary & have my TT plan the best route, from one stop to the next. I think you have all of the data & processing power you need, you just need to write the code.

An added bonus would be an ?avoid left hand turns? (in countries that drive on the right side of the road) option ? avoiding left hand turns (crossing traffic, basically) has saved UPS & Fedex millions of dollars annually by saving on fuel wasted while waiting for traffic to clear enough to cross over.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!!

Franko

If you want this feature, then please write TomTom - if they get one letter, then it's an anomoly. If they get a large number of requests, then you get the sales side involved, which pushes the developers - I used to work for a software developer...

Franko

 

[will]

If you haven'talready, you might want to take a look at a program called Tyre. It doesn't do route optimization, but it does plot your address and creates a route itenerary that you upload to your tomtom. It works togther with Google Maps and is fairly simple to use. It might help in planning your day to visualy see every stop you have on a map.

 

[Robm]

I think the TT can and should do this out of the box.

Here's my note to TT support:

I?ve owned my TT 920-T for a few days now & I?m very, very happy with it. After reading all of the docs, trying all of the features & searching tomtomforums.com, I?ve found what appears to be a ?missing feature? or a feature that this device should have, but doesn?t: Route Optimization.

I would like to enter an Itinerary & have my TT plan the best route, from one stop to the next. I think you have all of the data & processing power you need, you just need to write the code.

An added bonus would be an ?avoid left hand turns? (in countries that drive on the right side of the road) option ? avoiding left hand turns (crossing traffic, basically) has saved UPS & Fedex millions of dollars annually by saving on fuel wasted while waiting for traffic to clear enough to cross over.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!!

Franko

If you want this feature, then please write TomTom - if they get one letter, then it's an anomoly. If they get a large number of requests, then you get the sales side involved, which pushes the developers - I used to work for a software developer...

Franko

I agree, this should be out of the box... With the sophistication of todays GPS's, I am surprised that this is missing.

rob

 

[nexrad1]

I agree, this should be out of the box... With the sophistication of todays GPS's, I am surprised that this is missing.

rob

From my days working at Mapquest, I recall that we had a route optimization tool but only offered it to paying customers (i.e. not available on the free web page). Companies like FedEx and UPS pay a good deal of money for tools like this. I doubt the average user could afford the GPS that has route optimization built in!

 

[gtc3513]

Optimization

The only solution i have for this, i use MicroSoft streets and trips to enter and optimize the route then enter it into my TomTom in the order it creates in Streets and Trips

 

[ttle]

You might try ITNConv, Translated version of http://benichougps.blogspot.com/
More or less same functions as Tyre, but in addition it includes a button to optimize routes

 

[ericthered]

Route Optimization

From my days working at Mapquest, I recall that we had a route optimization tool but only offered it to paying customers (i.e. not available on the free web page). Companies like FedEx and UPS pay a good deal of money for tools like this. I doubt the average user could afford the GPS that has route optimization built in!

You need to buy a Garmin or Magellan GPS to get this feature.

 

[NorFowl]

Itinerary / route optimization

It seems that across this site there's a significant amount of interest in this function right now. No doubt, as people keep using their itinerary-capable devices, they'll find themselves wanting this function... I mean a key purpose of these devices is to shorted or quicken your trips. And how many one-stop trips does the average person take? I would guess that'd be a minority.

Given the above, plus that some competitive models do have this feature, it would seem in our (user's) interests and in the interest of TomTom to address this capability (aka "Competitive Disadvantage").

If many of us were to request the "enhancement," it might get their attention. Anyone know how to go about submitting function enhancement requests? (I'm new to this 'board).

 

[dhn]

Call support at 866-486-6866 and tell them you want that functionality and for them to log the request with the Software division.

 

[canderson]

You might try ITNConv, Translated version of http://benichougps.blogspot.com/
More or less same functions as Tyre, but in addition it includes a button to optimize routes

This one works pretty well, but when you go to the "Editor" page, you may find that it will not optimize if the punctuation in the POI names isn't just so. You'll want to clear out any quote marks (") and minus signs (-) for a start. After I cleared those out of my ITN file with Wordpad, the scripting errors cleared up and it worked well. The parser for this application could use some work.

 

[NorFowl]

All,

If you'd like this function in the device, see "dhn" comment a little further up. I quote...

Call support at 866-486-6866 and tell them you want that functionality and for them to log the request with the Software division.

As someone else just said, one call/request is an anomaly. If everyone who really does need this capability the above sounds like the right approach... large numbers of requests have a stronger effect on product functional plans. (I used to be a developer myself). Call 'em if you need it!

 

[CynicX]

While a neat idea I think the implementation would be very difficult.

While the optimization would be easy carrying it out would be difficult. Say for example you are like me and you cant do your stops out of order. So you optimize the route, let the people know round about time when you are meeting them...

Then you are on your way to A stop but there is traffic and your traffic receiver reroutes you, but you pass C and D stops trying to get to B. Or maybe you dont directly pass them but regardless a slight variance to your route could easily screw up an optimized route.

While I'm sure there are things they can do I think more often then not people that want optimized routes will be using computer software to schedule large fleets of vehicles to do certain stops in order with an optimized route. While people using GPS devices to do this will be more likely to have to do stops in a predetermined order...

 

[NorFowl]

While a neat idea I think the implementation would be very difficult.
While the optimization would be easy carrying it out would be difficult. Say for example you are like me and you cant do your stops out of order.

.
Indeed! Your requirements really would be quite a algorithmic nightmare, and a whole new can of implementation worms!

But for those who don't have arrival-time constraints... say just a to-do list for the day, one could just sit back and follow orders most of the time. Obviously, good real-time traffic data throughout the day would help keep the proposed route optimal. That's all I'm looking for, for now.

 

[slothman]

While not exactly what you're after, Optimap/TSP, an online Google maps based 'traveling salesman' solver might be helpful:

TSP Solver for Google Maps

HTH

 

[Michael Quinlan]

While not exactly what you're after, Optimap/TSP, an online Google maps based 'traveling salesman' solver might be helpful:

TSP Solver for Google Maps

HTH

I could have really used this a while back. I particularly like the fastest A-Z Trip.