Automate and optimize snow plow routing
Every public works department has a geographic information system (GIS) that holds its streets and a route system that holds last season's plow routes. Most still run those same routes every storm, whatever breaks down or calls in sick. Let's decide, storm by storm, which truck treats which street, in what order, and when to break off for salt.
One solve plans every street, every truck, and every reload
Timefold solves segment assignment, traversal order and direction, salt reloads, and driver assignment as one optimization problem. Mandatory tiers, contractual regain times, legal turns, vehicle permissions, salt capacity and stock, shift limits, and driver rules are enforced as hard constraints, so every route can actually be driven. Within those rules, the model shortens the longest route and treats high-priority streets first, then cuts deadhead, trucks, and overtime.
Where Timefold goes beyond static route sheets
Four places where static route sheets fall short. Timefold bakes each one into the model.
The longest route sets the finish time
The model shortens the longest route, so the work spreads across the fleet instead of piling onto one truck.
Routes drivers will actually follow
No prohibited turns, no banned U-turns, and no truck on a road it is not permitted on.
Salt reloads are part of the route
Each truck reloads at an open dome with stock left, at the point in its route where the hopper runs low.
Replans when a truck goes down
Treated streets drop out, published routes stay familiar, and the model reshuffles only what it must.
Every storm is a race against the clock, with a fixed fleet and limited salt
Snow operations run on trucks, licensed drivers, and salt, and all three are scarce in a storm. Route design decides how fast the main roads come back, how many trucks it takes, and how much of their time is spent deadheading.
To bring priority roads back after a storm
Residents and leadership judge a storm by how fast the main roads come back.
Of tons of road salt spread every winter
Every redundant pass spreads more of it, and every reload trip costs plow time.
Every plow on the road needs its own licensed driver
So every truck a better plan saves is a driver rested for the next shift.
Brings different breakdowns, call-outs, and priorities
So a static route sheet is out of date before the first truck leaves.
Constraints the model expresses today
When scheduling works, everything works.
Less waste. More control. Teams that trust the plan.