The trucking and transportation industry can be a lucrative business, but the road ahead can only be a smooth one if you’re using the right tools. According to this 2024 American Trucking Association report, the industry experienced revenue growth from $940.8 billion in 2022 to $987 billion in 2023. Trucking is profitable—but the cost of fuel, wages, maintenance, and other trucking costs and expenses can add up for individual companies and owner-operators.

Although some transport-related costs are hard to minimize, freight companies can promote savings for increased revenue. As an owner-operator, consider route optimization to minimize the financial impact on your trucking business.

4 benefits of route optimization

Route optimization is beneficial for several reasons, including:

1.     Fuel cost savings: If truckdrivers avoid congested routes and drive fewer miles, they will consume less fuel. Since fuel is one of the biggest trucking expenses, each mile spared is money saved. Driving consistently and avoiding stop-and-go traffic increases fuel efficiency over longer distances.

2.     Lower maintenance costs: Optimizing routes for shorter distances decreases strain on the engine and other components. This minimizes wear and tear, helping extend your fleet's life span and reduce the frequency of maintenance.

3.     Increased efficiency and productivity: Route optimization promotes a higher delivery capacity. Drivers can maximize deliveries on a particular route for greater productivity.

4.     Toll cost considerations: You can know about upcoming tolls ahead of time and budget accordingly.

Tips on how to save additional money

The trucking industry is competitive with a consistent demand for goods, transportation, and deliveries. Here are some tips on added ways  to save money:

1.     Use route optimization software: This software considers variables like traffic, number of stops, and weather conditions. It offers multiple routing options to help you save fuel and reduce driving time.

2.     Monitor fuel consumption: Track fuel consumption per trip to identify inefficiencies. Compare this with our route optimization software to keep an accurate record of your findings.

3.     Encourage fuel-efficient driving: To save fuel costs, drivers should maintain speed consistency and reduce idling and braking where possible. Our software lets you save preferred or frequently-used routes. It also has traffic-enabled routing and live speed limit updates.

Book a demo to explore MileMaker's route optimization software today

Applying various fuel and money-saving techniques may help your trucking business in the long term. Using route optimization software can enhance these efforts and increase revenue.

Book a demo today if you're interested in using our MileMaker mileage and routing software solution to optimize driving routes and save money.