Google Maps tries to eliminate retail’s last mile headaches

Google last week introduced two Google Maps-infused tools to optimize last mile delivery from order to doorstep.

The first, Last Mile Fleet Solution, builds on Google’s on-demand Rides & Deliveries mobility solution. Powered by insights from Google Maps, the solution simplifies address entry to improve address accuracy, shipment tracking and up-to-date arrival times. Turn-by-turn navigation integrates into a driver’s existing workflows. A full-day view of tasks with improved routing and traffic data allows drivers to adjust their routes as needed.

“Last Mile Fleet Solution enables you to visualize your fleet in real time, including shipment status and route progress, helping you keep fleet performance at its peak,” wrote Shalin Mantri, group product manager, Google Maps Platform, in a blog entry. “Real-time and predictive traffic is used to provide full-day ETAs, offering early signals into potential issues. You can also generate insights into your fleet to better optimize performance.”

The second solution, Cloud Fleet Routing API, focuses on solving “simple route planning requests in near-real-time” and scaling workloads, including overcoming constraints such as time windows, package weights and vehicle capacities. Integrated with Google Maps routes data, the solution can also help carriers meet sustainability targets by reducing distance traveled, number of delivery vans and CO2 output from computing.

In introducing the products, Google pointed to Pitney Bowes’ data predicting that e-commerce shipments are on track to double by 2026 and McKinsey’s findings that 90 percent of U.S. consumers expect free two-to-three-day shipping.  It also pointed to a Capgemini study finding last mile delivery to make up more than half of total shipping costs. The findings were based on data before the pandemic accelerated e-commerce.

According to Pitney Bowes, USPS remains the dominant U.S. parcel shipper, accounting for 38 percent of  volume in 2020, followed by UPS (24 percent), Amazon (21 percent), and  FedEx (16 percent). Google’s solution may eventually be embraced by smaller third-party curriers looking to capitalize on e-commerce’s overflowing workload or other retailers looking for cost savings and more control of last mile delivery.

• Google Launches Last Mile Fleet Solution and Cloud Fleet Routing API to Help Fleet – Google
• Introducing Last Mile Fleet Solution: Maximize fleet performance from ecommerce order to doorstep delivery – Google
• Google launches last-mile and cloud fleet routing solutions – Freight Waves
• Google launches new tools to help businesses optimize their delivery operations – TechCrunch
• Global Parcel Volume Exceeds 131 Billion in 2020, up 27 Percent Year-Over-Year, Finds Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index – Pitney Bowes
• Retail Speaks – Seven imperatives for the industry – McKinsey
• The last-mile delivery challenge – Capgemini
• Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index Reveals 37 Percent Parcel Volume Growth in US for 2020 – Pitney Bowes/Business Wire