Multi-Stop Delivery Route Optimization: How to Plan a Day of 20 to 150 Stops
To optimize a multi-stop delivery route, put every address in one list, fix wrong or vague addresses, set your real start and end points, run a route optimizer that uses road driving times, check the total against your shift (driving time plus time at each stop), then re-optimize the remaining stops whenever a stop is added, removed or fails. That is the whole method; the rest of this guide shows how to do each step well.
It is written for drivers and small teams planning anything from 20 to 150 stops a day. For the bigger picture, see AI route optimization for delivery fleets.
Why multi-stop routes need optimization
With a handful of stops, most drivers find a good order by eye. With 30 or more, the number of possible orders is astronomically large, and the human eye is fooled by map distance: a stop that looks next door can be several minutes away by road. We measured this on a real route; see why a nearby stop is not always next.
A navigation app such as Google Maps can add multiple destinations, but it drives them in the order you enter them and limits how many you can add. It does not choose the order for you. See why Google Maps alone falls short.
Step 1: Get every stop into one list
Do not optimize half the run. Every stop for the day, including pickups, goes into one list.
Fast ways to enter stops:
- Paste or import from a manifest, spreadsheet or email.
- Scan labels or a printed run sheet with a camera scanner; see scanning addresses with your camera.
- Favourites for regular customers and depots.
Add what the driver will need at the door now, not later: unit numbers, access codes, "leave at side gate", phone number to call, number of parcels.
Step 2: Clean the addresses
Before optimizing, scan the pins on the map:
- A pin far outside the delivery area usually means a wrong suburb or a duplicated street name.
- A pin in the middle of a suburb often means the street number was not found.
- Business names should resolve to the right branch, not the head office.
One wrong pin can add a 20-minute detour that no optimizer can fix, because it is optimizing towards the wrong place.
Step 3: Set the real start and end
- Start: your current location, the depot, or home.
- End: back to the depot, home, or "finish at the last stop" (an open route).
Choosing "finish at the last stop" usually produces a different order from a return-to-depot route: the optimizer no longer needs to end near the start.
Step 4: Optimize on driving time
Run the optimizer. A good one:
- Uses estimated driving time between every pair of stops, not straight-line distance.
- Respects your road settings, such as avoiding tolls.
- Returns the order in seconds, even for 100+ stops.
If the result looks strange, do not swap stops by eye straight away. Check the road layout first: one-way streets, motorways without exits, rivers and railway lines often explain it. To understand the method, read how the optimizer chooses the order.
Step 5: Check the route fits your day
Most route optimizers show estimated driving time. Your day also includes the time at each stop. A simple estimate:
The free delivery day calculator checks your stops, driving time and breaks against your shift, with an optional safety buffer.
Route time = driving time + (number of stops × average minutes per stop) + breaks
Example with stated assumptions: 2 hours 30 minutes of estimated driving, 60 stops at an average of 3 minutes each (180 minutes), and a 30-minute break gives 2.5 + 3 + 0.5 = 6 hours. Measure your own minutes per stop: apartment blocks, signatures and loading docks take longer than front-door drops.
If the total is too long for one shift, split the stops across two drivers or two days by area, then optimize each route.
Step 6: Drive it, and re-optimize when things change
Plans change during the day:
- A new pickup is added: add it and re-optimize only the stops you have not done yet, from where you are now.
- A stop fails (no one home, closed): mark it failed with a reason and continue; decide whether to retry it at the end.
- You fall behind: re-optimize from your current position so the rest of the route is still the best order.
Mark every stop delivered or failed as you go. It keeps the list honest and gives you proof if a delivery is disputed. Our guide to organize a big route so no stop gets lost covers tags and colours for long lists.
Common multi-stop mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Optimizing before checking pins | Detours to wrong locations | Check outliers first |
| Forgetting the end point | Route ends far from home or depot | Set the end before optimizing |
| Ignoring time at stops | Route "should take 3 hours" but takes 6 | Use the route-time formula |
| Re-ordering by map distance | Slower route that looks tidier | Compare driving time, not distance |
| Never re-optimizing | Plan no longer fits after changes | Re-optimize remaining stops from your current location |
Doing it in MiliRoute
MiliRoute is an AI route optimization app for couriers, delivery drivers and small delivery fleets, on Android and the web.
- Add stops by typing (with autocomplete), from favourites, or with the camera scanner. Add notes, access codes, tags and package counts to any stop.
- Set the route: start from your GPS location or an address, and choose an end address or no end location. Turn on Avoid tolls if you want.
- Press Optimize. MiliRoute orders the stops on estimated driving times from Google's road-routing data. Routes with up to 13 stops between start and end are solved exactly; longer routes use Google OR-Tools.
- Drive: tap Navigate to open each stop in your maps app, and mark it delivered or failed (with optional proof of delivery).
- Changes: add or remove stops and optimize again; stops already delivered or failed keep their status.
- Afterwards: open the route's analytics to see deliveries per hour, time per delivery, and distance and time saved compared with the order you entered.
Free accounts can optimize routes of up to 10 stops; Premium (A$15/month or A$140/year) removes the limit. NSW drivers can also see the multi-stop delivery app page.
Conclusion
A good multi-stop route comes from clean inputs and honest totals as much as from the algorithm: one complete list, correct pins, the real start and end, optimization on driving time, a route-time check, and re-optimization whenever the day changes. If you run a small delivery business, continue with our guide for small courier businesses.
Plan tomorrow's run now: create a free MiliRoute account, add your stops and optimize.
Frequently asked questions
How do I plan a delivery route with multiple stops?
List every stop, fix any wrong addresses, set your start and end points, and run a route optimizer that uses road driving times. Check the total time including stops, then re-optimize whenever the stops change.
What is the best app for multiple stops?
The best multi-stop route app is one that optimizes the order on driving time, lets you enter stops quickly, and hands off to navigation. MiliRoute is built for couriers and delivery drivers; fleet dispatch platforms suit central planning across many drivers.
Can Google Maps optimize multiple stops?
Google Maps can navigate to several destinations, but it drives them in the order you enter them and limits how many you can add. It does not calculate the best order for a long delivery route.
How many stops can a delivery driver do in a day?
It depends on the area, parcel type and time per stop. Estimate it with: shift time minus breaks, divided by (driving time per stop plus minutes at each stop). Measure your own averages over a week.
Should I re-optimize during the route?
Yes, when stops are added, removed or fail, or when you fall behind. Re-optimize only the remaining stops, starting from where you are.
Does the end point change the optimized route?
Yes. A route that must return to the depot is ordered differently from one that can finish at the last stop.