Delivering to the same sites each week?
If your business sends stock to the same branches every week, you should not have to rebuild the delivery plan from scratch each time. A regular multi-drop courier route gives you an agreed starting point: the collection, the usual stops, the delivery windows and the vehicle needed.
The work comes in keeping that plan up to date. This week’s load may be larger, one branch may need a return collected, or a customer’s goods-in hours may have changed. A familiar route still needs the right instructions for the day.
Decide what repeats and what varies
Start with the pattern of work. List the days you need transport, the collection point and the sites that receive a delivery on every run. Then identify occasional stops, seasonal peaks and any collections made along the way.
For example, a supplier might deliver to four trade counters every Tuesday, with a fifth stop needed only once a month. Explain that pattern when requesting a quote rather than presenting all five as a weekly requirement.
Also make clear whether you need a continuing arrangement, a short series of runs or a one-off route. ACS can discuss regular multi-drop deliveries and day hire, with the scope and availability agreed before the work starts.
Keep one current list of site instructions
A full address is only the beginning. Record the entrance the driver should use, the receiving hours, the unloading method and a contact who will be available during the delivery window.
A useful list includes:
- Site name, full address and postcode.
- Normal opening hours and any fixed delivery appointment.
- Goods-in contact and telephone number.
- Gatehouse, booking reference or call-ahead instructions.
- Vehicle access restrictions and loading or unloading equipment.
Keep the latest version in one place and nominate someone to maintain it. A new contact number is easily missed if it is buried in an email while the warehouse keeps using an old delivery sheet.
Confirm who is responsible for telling recipients about the run. A regular Tuesday delivery can still cause a delay if the usual receiver is on leave and nobody else knows it is coming.
Allow for the busiest part of the route
The vehicle needs enough capacity for the maximum load it carries at any stage. That is often the load leaving your warehouse, but it may be larger later if the driver collects returns, equipment or stock from another site.
Imagine a van leaves with six cartons, delivers two at the first stop and then collects four more. It now carries eight cartons, even though it started with six. Weight and the space those cartons occupy both need to be allowed for.
Provide the normal load and explain how much it can vary. Include dimensions, gross weights and whether anything must stay upright or cannot be stacked. You can use our vehicle size guide as a starting point, but every stop must also be accessible to the proposed vehicle.
Discuss returns in advance, including their packaging and where they need to go. Do not assume an outward delivery booking includes an unlisted collection or a return to your warehouse.
Agree a workable schedule
A route needs time for loading, travel and the work at each stop. Ask your sites how long unloading usually takes, including signing in, finding the receiving team and completing paperwork.
A five-minute handover at a trade counter is different from a pallet delivery with a gatehouse queue. If the plan assumes every stop takes the same time, the later deliveries may soon fall behind.
Mark fixed appointments clearly and separate them from preferred arrival times. A customer who would like a morning delivery may have some flexibility; a warehouse with a booked slot may not. Agree those requirements before promising a schedule to recipients.
For repeat work, use what happens on the first few runs to improve the plan. If one stop regularly takes longer than expected, adjust the allowance or discuss a better receiving time.
Prepare each load in delivery order
Label every item with its destination and any relevant reference. Where several cartons belong to one stop, numbering them “1 of 3”, “2 of 3” and “3 of 3” makes the handover easier to check.
Agree the stop sequence before loading so the first delivery is accessible without unloading goods for later customers. Loading order must also allow the goods to be secured safely throughout the run.
Keep a clear record of what is going to each address. If an item is removed because it is not ready, update the delivery list and tell the transport team. Otherwise, the driver and recipient may spend time looking for something that was never loaded.
Agree how changes will be handled
Set a time for confirming each run’s stops and load with the transport provider. Changes after that point may still be possible, but an extra address, heavier load or new appointment can affect the vehicle, timing and price.
Nominate a contact who can make decisions while the route is underway. Agree what should happen if a site is closed, goods are refused or a recipient asks for delivery elsewhere. The driver needs clear authority before changing the job.
Specify what delivery confirmation is needed at each stop. Review incomplete deliveries and recurring delays together, so the next run benefits from what you have learned.
Arrange a regular route with ACS
Send us the stop list, frequency, typical loads and required delivery windows to discuss a regular route. Include occasional collections, returns and anything that varies from week to week.
For a straightforward one-off van run, use the online quote form and add the extra stops in the required order. For regular work or fixed appointments, call 01234 385970 to discuss the schedule before booking. HGV routes require a manual quotation.