Google Launches Integrated Last Mile Fleet Solution

Google is looking to tackle last mile delivery with the launch of an integrated suite of mapping, routing and analytics capabilities that assist fleet operators from the initial eCommerce order to the final doorstep delivery.

According to a company blog post Thursday (March 17), the Last Mile Fleet Solution optimizes every stage of the last mile delivery journey, from capturing valid addresses and mapping out routes, to tracking shipments and analyzing fleet performance.

The infrastructure is scalable and offers predictable pricing for each delivery. The solution also complements Google’s “On-demand Rides & Deliveries” tool, which is used by several global ride-hailing and on-demand delivery operators.

“Every year, millions of packages go undelivered or missing, often due to a wrong address being entered or consumers not being home to receive them. These delivery failures are frustrating for consumers and costly for fleet operators,” Shalin Mantri, group product manager, Google Maps Platform, said in the announcement.

“With Last Mile Fleet Solution, companies can improve their experiences with simplified address entry to help capture correct addresses,” Mantri continued. “Shipment tracking and up-to-date arrival times allow consumers to be ready and available to receive their packages. And detailed delivery locations can help drivers drop packages off at the right place, every time.”

Read more: 50% of Delivery Costs Occur in Last Mile, Putting Pressure on Transport Providers

Last mile delivery can comprise as much as 50% of total shipping costs, according to data from Capgemini Research Institute. According to Google, with the company’s Last Mile Fleet Solution, fleet operators can see what’s happening in real-time and help keep efficiency at its peak.

Real-time and predictive traffic also gives operators a full day of estimated arrival times, offering early notice when there are problems and delays. Insights can also be culled to better optimize fleet performance.

“Our promise to customers is that we’ll deliver their goods within 120 minutes of receiving their order, and efficient route planning and navigation is indispensable in helping us achieve that,” said Thomas Manthey, head of engineering, warehouse and logistics at flaschenpost.de. “We chose Google Maps Platform because no other provider supports us so well with data — from distance and travel time data for planning to real-time data while driving.”