Running HGVs isn't the same as running vans. Weight limits, low bridges, restricted town centres, mandatory driver rest breaks, and fuel costs that swing hard with every extra mile — a route planner built for parcel vans will get an HGV fleet into trouble fast. If you're evaluating software to plan truck routes, here's what actually matters before you commit.
This trips up more fleet managers than anything else on this list, so it’s worth being precise about it. Most “route optimization” software — including tools built on top of Google Maps — actually does two separate jobs, and it’s easy to assume one covers the other:
Here’s the catch: Google Maps — which many platforms rely on, directly or indirectly, for the navigation layer — does not accept vehicle height, weight, length, or axle count as routing inputs. It has no HGV-specific profile. So even software that does an excellent job sequencing your stops can still hand your driver off to turn-by-turn directions that route straight under a low bridge or down a weight-restricted road, because that layer was never built with trucks in mind.
If HGV-legal routing matters to your fleet, don’t just ask “does this optimize my routes” — ask specifically: what handles the actual navigation once the stop order is set, and does that layer know my vehicle is a 12-tonne truck? If the honest answer is “it hands off to standard Google Maps navigation,” you’ll want a dedicated HGV-aware navigation app (like TruckMap or a similar truck GPS tool) running on the driver’s device for that last-mile leg, regardless of which platform is doing the sequencing.
Most HGV routes aren’t A-to-B. They’re a dozen drops across a region, each with its own delivery window, loading dock access hours, and priority level. Look for software that can optimize a full multi-stop route automatically, factoring in:
Manually sequencing a 15-stop route in a spreadsheet takes an experienced planner the better part of an hour. Software should do it in seconds — and keep re-optimizing as the day changes.
A route planner that lives in its own silo creates double data entry, which means missed updates and driver confusion. Check whether it connects with:
This is where the ROI conversation gets real. Poorly sequenced routes mean trucks backtracking, idling waiting for a delivery window to open, or a driver figuring out the day’s order manually every morning. Good stop-sequencing software typically cuts total mileage by 10-20% just from getting the order right — before you even factor in what a dedicated truck-navigation layer saves you in avoided restricted-road detours and fines.
The best route plan in the world is useless if the driver can’t follow it easily from the cab. Look for:
If you’re putting together a shortlist, it’s worth comparing tools side by side on exactly these five points rather than going by price or brand recognition alone — we’ve broken down how the HGV route planner apps on the market stack up against each other, including which ones actually handle HGV-specific routing versus which ones are general delivery tools with an HGV label bolted on.
Not necessarily for stop sequencing and dispatch — good platforms handle mixed fleets, different vehicle capacities, and job priorities in one system. Where you do need something HGV-specific is the actual turn-by-turn navigation layer, since that’s what needs to know about height, weight, and road restrictions.
Pricing varies by fleet size and features, but most platforms charge per vehicle per month. The cost is almost always offset by fuel savings alone once you’re running more than a handful of trucks.
Good ones can. Look for real-time re-optimization — if a new job comes in or a road closes, the software should reshuffle the remaining stops automatically rather than leaving the driver to figure it out.
Two things, stacked: getting the stop order right (cuts wasted mileage from backtracking) and pairing that with truck-aware navigation for the final leg (avoids restricted-road fines). Most fleets only ever fix the first one.
Ready to see what automated stop sequencing and dispatch look like for your fleet? Start a free 14-day trial — no credit card required.
Shuttle operations run on a tighter clock than almost any other kind of fleet. A hotel airport shuttle, a corporate campus loop, an event transfer service — they all live or die by whether the vehicle is at the right stop, at the right time, with the right capacity. Get the schedule wrong and you're either running empty seats at a loss or leaving passengers stranded. Here's what actually fixes that.
We're excited to share some great news from GSMtasks! Earlier this month, our team visited the Estonian University of Applied Sciences (Tallinna Tehnikakõrgkool) to introduce our task management solution to students. The visit wasn’t just a one-off - it marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration that we’re proud to be a part of.
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