Use daily route logs to track vehicle mileage and route hours for at least two weeks and review the results. This information tells you exactly what’s happening on the street today without requiring an investment in GPS equipment. For example, the route logs might show an average route day of nine hours long with ninety minutes spent on loading. In this case, only 7 ½ hours is available for running the route unless loading time is reduced.
Tip: Handhelds are generally unreliable for collecting this information and prone to error. Ask the route manager to collect and review the forms each week and review missing or questionable data with the driver.