What software do you use to build routes?

Fellow shoppers and even schedulers, which software do you use to map out your routes when you have a large amount of shops (100+ or so)?
What are the pros and cons of this software?

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Roadwarrior is probably the best thing right now. You can upload things in excel on your computer and sync to your phone. It will automatically put the next location in your gps, it’s pretty amazing. Cons: it’s $5/month

Mapquest routes can do 26 locations max and doesn’t upload directly to your gps, but it’s free.

RoadWarrior is definitely the best but there's a serious learning curve.

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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

Thank you @JohnieQ I will check out Roadwarrior. 5$/month is worth the expense if it's easy and saves time.

Except when Road Warrior goes down about an hour before you leave on a 54 stop route.. GRRRRRRRRR! Last weekend wasn't fun!

Usually I love Road Warrior.
I paid for the year, $50 so a little discount over monthly billing.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2019 05:58PM by luckygirl0100.

Streets and Trips works great for me.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

I'm with BG on this one. Updated or not (NOT for several years) this is super efficient easy to learn. Plot the route and just feed the stops, a couple at a time, to the GPS of your choice.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

@bgriffin wrote:

Streets and Trips works great for me.

My great grandfather likes Streets and Trips, too!

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

He's a smart guy!

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

I use Excel to build the route then upload to Google maps. I used Road Warrior and I didnt see any advantages.

How do you use Excel for maps?

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

I use Streets and Trips. I'm open to change, but from what I can see, Road Warrior is just a mobile app, and doesn't work on a PC. I need to see my routes on a big screen.

@HonnyBrown wrote:

How do you use Excel for maps?

Ditto, how do you upload the Excel spreadsheet to Google maps?

I have a feeling that it is just cut and paste. Now if it was Google Docs I could see that that might work. If it is cut and paste I do that with Open Office and Libre Office.

@wrosie wrote:

@HonnyBrown wrote:

How do you use Excel for maps?

Ditto, how do you upload the Excel spreadsheet to Google maps?

I actually use two pieces of free (or somewhat free) software. In the planning stages I use a website called BatchGeo to copy and paste a full list of addresses. The reason I use this service is that it is extremely accurate and well designed so I can weed out any obvious locations I will not go to.

After I pick the ones I want, I paste the list into another website called Speedy Route. There are two downsides to this service. The first one is that it doesn't interpret data that doesn't match perfectly in the system the best (about a 10% poor choice rate that you fix BEFORE plotting). The second being that it gives you 5 uses in 24 hours for free. For most of shoppers, it should be plenty.

The final step for me is just taking a picture of the address list in its new order and plugging them in a few at a time.

I will admit there are a few steps in my process, but I don't pay a dime during it; plus after the initial spreadsheet setup, have sped up both my shop selection and route planning process.

@wrosie wrote:

@HonnyBrown wrote:

How do you use Excel for maps?

Ditto, how do you upload the Excel spreadsheet to Google maps?

Save the name, address, city, state into a file and upload into Google maps. PM me if you want examples of my worksheets,

Recently did a cross-country route using Road Trippers. In many places I had extra time and availed myself of their suggestions for attractions along the way. Also used AtlasObscura.com to find those little interesting places.

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams

I love AtlasObscura! But not for shopping...

I still use MS Streets and Trips to map my route. I like that it allows me to add in times so that I know what time I can expect to be at each stop. I use Google Maps when the route is 10 shops or less. I also use it on the road when traveling from stop to stop. Pro of Google Maps is that it constantly updates travel time and accounts for traffic. Con is that it is only good for 10 stops at a time, and you cannot add in how long you will spend at each site. 100 shops; really? I would never have that many stops on a route before returning home. My longest one was recent and consisted of 36 shops plus 6 rest stops and took 7 days. Seven days on the road is more than enough for me.

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What software do you use to build routes?

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