I usually start with a few shops that I can self assign without needing any assistance, then add more shops as they become available along my route. I am lucky, though, in that I usually do a route of gas shops for only one or two companies and only need to add a couple or just a few other shops to fill out my day. Often, I only do gas shops on a route. Some companies allow date changes and some don't. The longer you shop, the more you get to know which companies are willing to work with you on date changes. And most importantly, remember that you'll usually only have 8 - 12 hours after your route to do the reports, so don't get too tired doing too many shops that you can't get the reports in on time. Some companies have a longer reporting period (up to 24 hours) and again, as you get to know the companies better (and they, you), some will work with you on extending the reporting deadline as necessary. Good luck!