Map Mishaps Throw Last-Mile Drivers Off Course

Retail, E-commerce, Last Mile DeliveryNearly all last-mile delivery drivers say they would be more effective if they had better maps, according to a new report from Mapillary, a street-level imagery platform that uses computer vision to automate mapping. The delivery industry is racking up $2.5 billion in wasted salary and $611 million in extra miles due to bad maps, the report finds. One-third of drivers say they could save upward of five hours each week if they had detailed, up-to-date maps. Other inefficiencies include: Extra miles: 78% of drivers report driving more than five extra miles per day due to bad routes, with 22% reporting between 15 and 25 extra miles and 11% reporting between 25 and 50. Drop-off locations: 72% take more than four minutes to find the exact location for a typical delivery, with 36% taking more than seven minutes and 14% taking more than 10 minutes. Delivery windows: 96% waste significant time during the day waiting for delivery windows, with 76% wasting more than 15 minutes and 35% wasting more than 30 minutes. Parking availability: 62% take more than four minutes to find parking, while 32% take more than seven minutes. Parking tickets: 57% receive multiple parking tickets per month, with 33% racking up more than eight tickets. Undelivered packages: 86% take packages back as undeliverable; 38% take back more than 25 packages per week.When it comes to specific map challenges: 99% of drivers say they would be more effective if they had better maps. 95% report problems with maps, including longer routes, long distances from drop-off locations, and road closures. 38% encounter issues with maps every day they work, with 12% reporting issues with every delivery. 50% say that a map problem during one delivery delays deliveries for the rest of the day. 92% say maps have significant room for improvement.Better maps will result in more deliveries at a faster pace, saving companies millions of dollars each year, the survey finds. With increasing consumer demands for speedy delivery times and big retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart providing same-day delivery, the pressure is on for logistics companies to achieve faster last-mile delivery and optimal customer experiences.