Operating large vehicle fleets like trucks and buses poses unique challenges. Drivers need to be aware of physical restrictions such as low bridges, narrow tunnels, and tight turns. In addition, operators need to plan around local, state, and national rules of the road network.
To address these challenges, we’re announcing the General Availability of Large Vehicle Routing (LVR) available in the United States across Routes API, Route Optimization API, and Navigation SDK. LVR is specifically built for logistics companies, fleet operators, and large vehicle drivers and is designed to meet the distinct requirements of commercial and specialized vehicle fleets. It provides highly optimized routes that account for the physical characteristics of large vehicles and the real-world road restrictions they encounter.
Traditional routing algorithms, optimized for routes and speeds of standard cars, typically don’t account for factors that impact large fleets. This often leaves fleet managers and drivers to rely on manual checks and local knowledge, which can result in an inefficient, unsafe, and unsustainable approach to routing and navigation. LVR provides an API-driven solution that integrates real-world vehicle and road constraints directly into the routing logic.
Improve pricing and planning accuracy
By implementing LVR through our existing Routes API and Route Optimization API, you can achieve more accurate routes that account for large vehicle needs. With LVR, logistics companies can:
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Specify detailed vehicle profiles including height, weight, length, width, axle count, and hazardous goods classifications.
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Optimize route plans for your vehicle or fleet of vehicles for the overall operational efficiency that takes into consideration feasibility and vehicle accessibility.
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Get a route, travel time, and travel distance specifically calculated for vehicle attributes, using Google's comprehensive road data and traffic models.
Compare commercial routes and dynamically avoid tolls when it is financially or operationally beneficial.
Streamline fleet-wide operations
Routes and Route Optimization help you plan a single stop route or multi-stop, multi-vehicle daily or weekly fleet plan. Save time, hours, and vehicle mileage all while making sure you are giving restriction-aware routes to drivers—and using route token, you can ensure they are shown directions matching the planned routes. With LVR, fleet operators can:
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Compute a more accurate ETA using our new large vehicle-specific ETA model. The model combines observed large vehicle travel speeds with real-time and predictive traffic data to provide more accurate estimates for large vehicles.
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Build an experience drivers and operators know and trust in an interface they recognize.
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Take advantage of the route token to pass details of your planned restriction-aware route from Routes API to Navigation SDK and ensure your plan matches your driver's execution.
Solve for the most efficient set of routes, optimizing for time, mileage, or other business constraints. With Route Optimization API, you can include the set of stops, number of vehicles, and restrictions on those vehicle.
Enhance driver confidence and efficiency
While Routes API provides you with the best route, Navigation SDK displays the route in a similar interface to Google Maps. Added feature callouts help you identify and be aware of restrictions along the way. Navigation SDK fits into any existing application a carrier provides, making it easy to use and is seamless for drivers to get their planned route and visualize it. With LVR enabled in the Navigation SDK, drivers can get turn-by-turn navigation for large vehicles like trucks with visual enhancements to let them know about restrictions along their route. In addition, Navigation SDK will also show restrictions according to the vehicle’s dimensions, such as height limits or weight limits.
LVR and Navigation SDK deliver an integrated, in-app navigation experience that brings the familiar, trusted Google Maps guidance directly to drivers in the cab.
Get started today
Now you can explore the possibilities that Large Vehicle Routing delivers. Whether you’re optimizing a fleet of delivery trucks, planning a complex heavy haul, or ensuring the transport of hazardous materials, LVR offers the precision and intelligence you need. To learn more, visit our webpage and documentation to get started.
