Better Trucks: Creating More Reliant Delivery Systems
- 28East
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
Better Trucks is a last-mile delivery network on a mission to create tech-first and radically transparent delivery systems.
Their engineering strategy is deeply aligned with Google Cloud and Google Maps, which power their APIs, routing systems, and machine learning models.
These platforms also help them plan, price and execute delivery routes for a growing multi-market network.
Single-Vehicle Routing with Google Maps Platform
Before implementing full-scale route optimisation, Better Trucks initially used Google Maps Platform’s Routes API for single-vehicle delivery routing and ETA calculations.
Core products like Geocoding, Distance Matrix, and the Maps SDKs were integral in powering address resolution, mapping, and visibility across our suite of tools.
For their drivers, they leveraged the Navigation SDK to provide real-time, traffic-aware, turn-by-turn guidance on the road.
More recently, the Address Validation API has become an essential tool for improving address quality before packages even hit the network.
These building blocks provided a solid foundation for the more advanced multi-vehicle route optimisation used today, enabling them to scale effectively.
The Shift from Single-Vehicle to Fleet-Wide Optimisation
The Routes API has been essential for Better Trucks’ expansion, helping them optimise routes for hundreds of vehicles operating simultaneously, across an entire fleet.
During this transition, they partnered with Woolpert Digital Innovations, a premier Google Partner, to assist in scaling from single-vehicle to fleet-wide optimisation.
With the help of Route Optimisation, they could create routes for multiple vehicles, taking into account real-world constraints such as:
Delivery density.
Vehicle capacity.
Time windows.
This solution not only helped reduce manual route building but also minimised operational guesswork as they expanded.
Introducing Checkpoint: A Last-Mile Innovation
As part of ongoing efforts to enhance the last-mile experience, Better Trucks developed Checkpoint, an address validation and correction service.
Checkpoint was officially launched in 2025 and is now used by Uber Freight and other customers in its network.
Address validation has always been a significant challenge in last-mile delivery, and Checkpoint addresses this by combining AI, human review, and real-time customer interaction.
This results in higher first-attempt delivery success, lower costs, and an improved experience for both shippers and end customers.
How Better Trucks Uses Route Optimisation
Route Optimisation is crucial to operations, driving smarter route design, fair driver compensation, and real-time performance insights that ensure efficiency asthemscale.
Smarter route design
They rely on the Route Optimisation API to design daily delivery routes across areas.
By factoring in package volume, vehicle capacity, distance, and estimated delivery time, the API generates optimised routes that mirror real-world conditions.
This approach allows them to fine-tune groupings and route planning far more effectively than traditional methods.
Driver route pricing
Route Optimisation also plays a central role in how they price routes for drivers.
The duration estimates generated by Route Optimisation help set fair and accurate pay based on actual delivery times, ensuring that drivers are compensated for the time and effort required for each route.
This pricing model maintains consistency across different markets and delivery densities, reducing hidden work and ensuring fair compensation.
Supporting driver choice and flexibility
Accurate duration forecasts give drivers visibility into expected route lengths before they receive their route assignments.
This transparency helps drivers align routes with their schedules, leading to greater satisfaction and smoother operational flow throughout the day.
Performance insights
The data accumulated from Route Optimisation provides valuable performance insights that allow for monitoring and improving networks.
By benchmarking delivery speed, measuring efficiency, and identifying key areas for improvement, they ensure that operations remain efficient and continue to evolve.
28East’s Role in Enhancing Last Mile Efficiency
The success of last-mile delivery hinges on optimising every step of the process, from route planning to driver compensation.
By leveraging powerful platforms like Google Cloud and Google Maps Platform, we help businesses create scalable, efficient, and transparent delivery networks, just like Better Truck.
As your trusted partner, 28East can help:
Streamline your API management.
Integrate cutting-edge solutions.
Ensure your systems are ready to scale.
Whether you’re focused on route optimisation, real-time performance insights, or improving last-mile delivery experiences, 28East’s expertise can help your team rise to the challenge.
Get in touch to find out more.
Comments