Use All Vehicle

Use All Vehicle is a route optimization feature that ensures all selected vehicles are utilized in the routing solution. When enabled, the system will assign at least one trip to every available vehicle, rather than optimizing to minimize the number of vehicles used.

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What is Use All Vehicle?

By default, the route optimization engine tries to minimize the number of vehicles needed to complete all visits. This often results in some vehicles being unused while others handle multiple trips. When Use All Vehicle is enabled, the optimization algorithm changes its objective to distribute work across all selected vehicles, ensuring every vehicle gets at least one assigned trip. Key Characteristics:

• Ensures all selected vehicles have at least one trip
• Distributes workload more evenly across the fleet
• Useful when you need to utilize your entire fleet

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Activate Use All Vehicle

To activate Use All Vehicle, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Routing/Configuration menu.
2. Check the “Use All Vehicle” checkbox.

Once enabled, the routing engine will ensure that all selected vehicles receive at least one trip assignment in the optimization result.

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How Use All Vehicle Works

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Without Use All Vehicle (Default Behavior)

The optimization engine minimizes the number of vehicles needed:

1. Objective: Use the fewest vehicles possible
2. Result: Some vehicles may remain unused
3. Use case: When minimizing operational costs is the priority

Example:

• 5 vehicles selected, 20 visits to optimize
• Result: 3 vehicles with trips, 2 vehicles unused
• The 3 active vehicles cover all visits efficiently

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With Use All Vehicle Enabled

The optimization engine ensures all vehicles are utilized:

1. Objective: Distribute work across all selected vehicles
2. Result: Every vehicle gets at least one trip
3. Use case: When utilizing the entire fleet is important

Example:

• 5 vehicles selected, 20 visits to optimize
• Result: All 5 vehicles have assigned trips
• Work is distributed across the fleet (e.g., 4-4-4-4-4 visits per vehicle)

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Use Cases

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Use Case 1: Fixed Fleet Deployment

Scenario: A logistics company has 10 drivers reporting for work daily and wants to ensure everyone has deliveries assigned. Configuration:

• Use All Vehicle: Enabled
• Number of vehicles selected: 10

Result: All 10 drivers receive route assignments, ensuring no one is idle.

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Use Case 2: Fair Workload Distribution

Scenario: Distribution center wants to distribute deliveries fairly among all available drivers to maintain team morale. Configuration:

• Use All Vehicle: Enabled
• Multi Trip: Enabled (if needed for balance)

Result: Work is spread across all drivers rather than concentrating trips on a few vehicles.

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Use Case 3: Vehicle Utilization Requirements

Scenario: Company policy requires utilizing all rented vehicles daily to maximize rental investment. Configuration:

• Use All Vehicle: Enabled
• Return to Hub: Enabled (for clear end points)

Result: All rented vehicles are deployed with assigned routes.

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Use Case 4: Training New Drivers

Scenario: Multiple new drivers need on-the-job training, requiring each to handle at least one route. Configuration:

• Use All Vehicle: Enabled
• Shorter routes per vehicle (natural result of distribution)

Result: Each driver, including trainees, gets route experience.

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Best Practices

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When to Use “Use All Vehicle”

✓ Use when:

• All drivers/vehicles are available and should be utilized
• Fair workload distribution is important for team morale
• Company policy requires full fleet deployment
• You have fixed costs for all vehicles (rentals, driver salaries)
• Training requires all drivers to have active routes
• Customer service requires coverage across different areas

✗ Avoid when:

• Minimizing operational costs is the primary goal
• You have excess vehicle capacity
• Some vehicles are on standby or backup status
• Visits can be efficiently handled by fewer vehicles
• You want flexibility to keep some vehicles available for urgent requests

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Combining with Other Features

Works well with:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will enabling Use All Vehicle always result in longer total distances? A: Not always, but typically yes. When the engine is forced to use all vehicles instead of optimizing for the minimum number, it may create routes that are individually shorter but collectively longer than an optimized minimum-vehicle solution. Q: What happens if I have more vehicles than visits? A: Each visit will be assigned to a different vehicle. If you have 5 vehicles and 3 visits, 3 vehicles will have one visit each, and 2 vehicles will remain unused (the system cannot create trips without visits). Q: Can I use this with capacity constraints? A: Yes, Use All Vehicle works with capacity constraints. The system will still respect weight, volume, and other capacity limits while distributing work across all vehicles. Q: Does this guarantee equal workload for all vehicles? A: No, it only guarantees at least one trip per vehicle. The actual workload distribution depends on visit locations, time windows, capacity constraints, and other factors. For more balanced distribution, consider combining with Clustering Balanced (if available). Q: What if one vehicle has restricted tags? A: Tag matching is still enforced. If a vehicle has tags that don’t match any visits, that vehicle may not receive assignments even with Use All Vehicle enabled. Q: Can I see which vehicles didn’t get assignments? A: Yes, in the optimization result, you can see which vehicles have no trips. This helps identify if vehicle selection or tag constraints prevented full utilization.

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Related Documentation

• Route Optimization Configuration Introduction
• Multi Trip
• Clustering
• Vehicle Management