Shore Point Distributing Unlocks Savings by Automating its Route Planning

Shore Point Distributing Company, Inc., a longstanding New Jersey beer distributor serving restaurants, bars, and beer stores for 90 years, recognized the need to adapt to the evolving distribution landscape. In a strategic move to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, the company transitioned from manual planning processes to Descartes’ dynamic route planning and optimization solution.

“We’ve cut our driver overtime in the past two years tremendously. The number of trucks we send out daily has also declined due to the implementation of the route planning software. Our routing supervisors are able to route more efficiently and quicker, allowing them to focus on other operational tasks rather than being stuck behind the computer screen.”

Pete Kozelnik, Logistics Manager, Shore Point Distributing Company, Inc.

Discover why automated route planning is the most effective way to approach today's dynamic, high-demand environment and make the most of your planner's time.

Covering 2,000 square miles daily with a fleet of 80 trucks transporting a diverse range of alcoholic beverages, Shore Point grappled with excessive overtime, truck reloads, and inefficient routing due to outdated paper-based planning processes. Seeking a modern route planning solution, the company turned to Descartes, drawn to its extensive product capabilities, domain expertise, and consultative approach.

The business implemented Descartes’ route planning, execution, and mobile solution to solve its route planning challenges. This software-as-a-service solution enables users to effortlessly plan, dispatch routes, and monitor progress in real-time while capturing crucial proof-of-delivery details. The intuitive solution optimizes routes for enhanced customer service and efficiency and accommodates dynamic and static routing processes.

Shore Point has seized the solution’s dynamic planning capabilities to generate the most cost-effective delivery routes and stop sequences based on the specific combination of customers and order mix. The optimization software is able to do what a human can’t: consider all the combinations of route paths and sequences to produce the best financial option while meeting customer delivery requirements.

Now that routes are as efficient as possible, drivers can complete single runs without returning to a depot, significantly reducing miles and driver overtime.

From the start, Descartes provided the company with guidance on how to utilize the solution so they could achieve the greatest benefits based on their unique route planning needs.

“The Descartes team has been a pleasure to work with from start to finish, said Kozelnik. “They are always available if needed by phone and quick to assist with any questions or concerns with the software. They are an excellent choice for anyone looking to get automated routing for their company.”

Driver overtime hours are down 32% for the current year.

The number of routes dropped by 35% in the first year.

Routing supervisors can route more efficiently and faster, freeing them up to focus on other operational tasks.