How do UPS, FedEx, and USPS Plan Their Delivery Routes?

It is an era of digitalization where everything accumulates in one’s hands. People get what they want using their smartphones and the internet. This era has not only helped individuals but also businesses. Communication, data collection, and connectivity have helped every business sector grow and widen its boundaries.

When talking about logistics, in the 1900s, packages took weeks and sometimes months to get delivered. But now, same-day and two-day delivery are normal. FedEx, UPS (United Parcel Service), and USPS (United States Postal Service) are the delivery giants who gave logistics a new face.

Do you wonder how UPS, FedEx, and USPS plan their delivery routes? This blog will detail how these companies operate and manage long hauls.

Route Planning Process Followed By FedEx

FedEx is one of the largest logistics companies for domestic and international couriers. It delivers over 6 million delivery packages to 400 destinations daily via 650 planes. 

The reason behind FedEx’s success in home delivery is that they have a wide logistics network, superhubs, delivery vehicles, delivery drivers, and FedEx ground staff that make overnight shipping possible. The delivery process involves steps from cargo planes to smaller planes to trucks and then to your doorstep.

They follow the following steps:

1. Sorting routes by zip code

FedEx drivers sort packages by zip code, which makes it easier to cover particular areas by particular drivers and vehicles. Then make deliveries along a route in the same general area. 

They begin sorting the day’s packages when they arrive at the hub and continue sorting as the day progresses. The FedEx drivers finish sorting between 8 and 10 a.m. and leave for their routes at 11 a.m. FedEx routes are planned with the closest package delivered first and the farthest to last.

2. Pile up packages according to drivers and routes

When the delivery drivers arrive at the hub, the packages are already pilled up, and they need to load them on trucks after scanning. Before loading, they scan the barcodes on the package, and only those packages under the drivers’ route will be scanned. If the package does not belong to the driver’s route, the scanner will alert them by making beep sounds.

Route Planning Process Followed by UPS

UPS delivers to 220 territories globally with the help of more than 500,000 employees. According to a press release by UPS (2019), the company’s delivery volume was about 5.5 billion packages, varying from documents to owned and leased jets. UPS has precise route planning before delivery drivers dispatch trucks. A package passes through various processes before it reaches your doorstep.

1. Data Analytics and Route Optimization

For years, UPS has been gathering data and analyzing it to find ways to improve its business. To meet customers’ constantly increasing demand, UPS developed route optimization software named ORION (On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation).

The motive behind proposing the new system is to save fuel and time and deliver faster than before. “One mile we save per driver per day across all drivers in UPS in the course of one year will save UPS above $60 million,” said Juan Perez, chief information and engineering officer at UPS.

2. Curbside Delivery

One major method of their delivery system is that they only pick up or deliver parcels that come on their right side along the way. This method allows them to deliver without making any stops midway.

Also, it helps to pass signals because even at a red light, the vehicle can turn right. UPS plans routes for every truck to cover every area, and every truck follows curbside delivery. This method helps them save on fuel costs and ease the delivery process for UPS (United States Postal Service) drivers.

Route Planning Process followed by USPS

USPS is a postal service governed by the US federal government. USPS operates over 31,000 local post offices and delivers over 140 billion mail pieces annually. USPS carries out the journey of a courier from the mailbox or a local post office to the delivery destination.

1. Priorities and Planning

The USPS has hundreds of thousands of employees to manage, so it needed a system that could help it stay organized. That’s where a routing plan comes in. It’s like a schedule that helps the USPS decide what to do with each employee on any given day, including USPS delivery tasks.

Their routing plans are divided into two parts: the “day-before” plan, which is what mail carriers will be doing the day before their route starts (like sorting mail or taking packages to different postal facilities), and the “daily” plan, which is what they’ll be doing on their route (delivering mail or packages). 

The daily plan is divided into sections called “runs,” which are determined by location. Each run corresponds to a certain amount of time that employees should take to complete it.

2. DBCS and Route Optimization

Efficiency is one of the most important measures of success for any business. USPS prioritizes efficiency by optimizing routes and delivery times based on the amount of mail, the location of each delivery, and the carrier experience. The postal service uses several different types of software to help achieve this efficiency level.

One such software system is called Delivery Bar Code Sorter (DBCS). This driver dispatch routing software takes the barcodes on each piece of mail and sorts them into the best possible sequence for delivery.

DBCS works with other systems in the process—the Automated Package Processing System (APPS), which sorts packages by size and weight, and the Automated Flats Sorting Machine (AFSM), which sorts flat mail by size. This creates a foundation for efficiently distributing all mail types, including first-class letters and priority mail packages.

The final step in optimizing routes is also the most critical: using 360-degree cameras to photograph every address in America. That’s right—every mailbox, including yours, has been photographed!

These photos help carriers learn their routes faster, which saves time and improves accuracy when completing deliveries. They even help couriers plan holiday deliveries more effectively—over 900 million pieces were sent during the holidays alone.

How does Route Planning Software Help in the Delivery Process?

Route planning is the heart of delivery services. The delivery process involves picking up or receiving items from suppliers and then delivering them to a particular location. It is complex because various stages are involved, such as pickup, warehousing, inventory, distribution, and delivery.

Once the company has received the goods, they are temporarily stored in a warehouse. This can be done by loading the goods in different trucks, driving them to the warehouse, and unloading them. From there, they are stored until they are ready for distribution. If you own a delivery business, you can use route planning software to plan all your deliveries effectively.

The route planning software allows you to manage multiple routes easily and efficiently. You may have multiple warehouses from which you can deliver your products. With this software, you can create separate routes for each warehouse and add all your contacts separately to each route. It helps minimize the time taken for deliveries and fuel costs.

How does the Upper Route Planner Ease the Route Planning Process?

Upper Route Planner focuses on the consequences the customers, logistics companies, and delivery drivers face. It is a route optimization software that optimizes the best route, considering factors like delivery destinations, traffic jams, road closures, weather, etc.

It eliminates the hassle of manual planning, eliminating the room for errors and significantly improving operational efficiency. With its algorithm, Upper Route Planner proposes a less fuel route that helps the deliveryman deliver more couriers in less time. Admin can add up to 500 stops in just 5 minutes.

Ultimately, the Upper Route Planner creates a win-win situation for customers, deliverymen, and the logistics company. It facilitates paperless proof of delivery when the deliveryman marks the packages delivered, so the Upper Route Planner holds an important role from the beginning to the end of the delivery process.