Transport Planning and Truck Loading: The Benefits of an All-in-One Approach

Optimizing truck loading is far from being just the “cherry on top.” It’s not simply a Tetris game for a given truck. The real challenge lies further upstream: loading optimization is at the service of routing optimization. It enables much deeper improvements in transport performance. It also brings many other benefits: higher filling rates, no leftover at docks, balanced load distribution, better priority management, support for upselling… So how can transport and loading planning be combined to boost overall transport efficiency?
Truck loading and routing optimization software

I. The Integrated Approach: Routing + Loading

Transport optimization is not just about reducing kilometers traveled or filling trucks more efficiently. The key is to find the right balance across all trade-offs to achieve a global optimization of the transport plan.

An integrated approach makes it possible to:

  • Choose the shipping timing and prioritize order lines
  • Select the most suitable containers and design palletization and 3D loading plans
  • Optimize delivery routing
  • Account for production and receiving capacities
  • Manage constraints such as weight, volume, incompatibility, stability, stackability, oversized items…
  • Respect business-specific requirements: compartments, trailer types, handling methods…

Tackling these decisions in synergy leads to significantly higher productivity gains and ensures solutions that are consistent in real-world operations (last-in-first-out, weight distribution, etc.).

II. Use Case: A Market Leader in Home Improvement

For a major player in home furnishing and equipment, the heterogeneity and oversized nature of products made loading plans particularly complex (leftovers at docks, half-empty trucks, unfeasible routes, etc.).

With Route&PackSolver, the company achieved an optimal transport plan that accounts for palletization, pallet positioning and oversized bulk within trucks, as well as vehicle routing.

Results: 20% fewer trucks used, filling rate above 90%, and zero leftover at docks.

Contrary to popular belief, complete data is not required to optimize loading. It is possible to work at different levels of granularity (from pallet equivalent down to SKU), even with partial data that can be gradually refined and enhanced.

The main data required includes:

  • Packaging characteristics
  • Container and support characteristics
  • The list of locations
  • Order lines


A high-performance transport plan cannot be designed independently from loading. These systemic decisions allow companies to significantly improve efficiency while strengthening the reliability and sustainability of their supply chains.

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