We cut linehaul miles 8% last quarter by clustering 50–120 daily stops into 90‑minute windows and re‑sequencing around dock hours using a small OR‑Tools model. What’s working for you to balance service levels with fewer miles — any lightweight tools or constraints that proved decisive for dense urban routes?
We shaved 7% on dense NYC routes by adding a simple ‘no-left-turn on arterials + curb-side selection’ constraint and building the travel matrix with OSRM turn penalties (https://project-osrm.org/), which cut most mid-block U-turns and lane changes. Small caveat: a few stops ran longer, so we toggle it only during rush/school hours — otherwise it starts to feel like playing Frogger. Might be worth feeding OR-Tools a time‑dependent matrix or curb preference flag to test this without changing your window strategy.