Route Optimization

posted in: General | 2

One feature that is painfully absent from any of these kind of mapping web pages is route optimization.  The map should tell you what the fastest route is rather than let you drive in circles and backtracking to hit the next sale.

This is actually a pretty difficult problem to implement.  Lots of math and fancy terms like “traveling salesman”, “np hard” and “ant colonies”.  College math students do research projects to figure this out.  Fortunately for you, the folks at Optimap have agreed to let YSTM use their optimization magic to make your life easier!

I have added an “Optimize Route” button on Step 2 of YSTM.  If you have less than 21 sales mapped you can select this button and your spaghetti route will miraculously transform itself into a efficient trail!

optimize_example

2 Responses

  1. Barb

    I keep getting Code 604 when I try to Optimize route and am not able to print my map. I am using the latest version of Firefox on a MAC.

  2. admin

    Barb, a 604 in this case means that one of the markers was “off the reservation”… that is, google couldn’t find a way to get directions to it. In the future I will try to find a more descriptive way to say this instead of 604!