Add and manage vehicle features

You can define features for your vehicles that work as constraints when planning orders. For example, some vehicles may come equipped with refrigeration, while others have a lift gate or a ramp. These can be created as vehicle features in OptimoRoute. In this article, we will show you how to create and apply vehicle features. 

Who can use this feature
	All plans
	Users that have administrator privileges
	All regions

Creating vehicle features

You can create unlimited features for vehicles. Each feature requires a feature code which will be used for importing vehicle features and will also be used when assigning them to vehicles. 

To create vehicle features: 

1. Go to Administration→Vehicles from the top menu
2. From the left menu, go to Vehicles→Vehicle features
3. Click "Add feature" at the top of the skill table
4. Enter feature code 
5. Enter the feature name 
6. Enter an optional description to let people know what this feature is used for

Remember that features will serve as constraints when route planning and may disqualify drivers that are assigned a specific vehicle from receiving certain orders that do not have matching features.

Examples of vehicle features

Vehicle features are used to differentiate vehicles from one another based on certain criteria. Examples of features can be things like: 

• Refrigeration
• Lift gates
• Ramps
• Codes for the transportation of specific goods 
• If the vehicle is a secure vehicle
• If the vehicle is compatible with carrying pallets

Assigning features

In order for features to be used properly, they need to be assigned to both vehicles and orders. 

Assigning features to vehicles

To assign features to vehicles:

1. Go to the Administration→Vehicles
2. Double-click on the vehicle you want to add a skill to
3. When the vehicle detail window appears, choose "Vehicle features" from the tabs
4. Select the features you want the vehicle to have

You can also assign features to vehicles in bulk by selecting multiple vehicles at a time and clicking "Edit vehicles". 

Assigning features to orders

To assign vehicle features to orders:

1. Go to the Plan & Optimize→Orders
2. In the order table, choose the order you want to edit
3. When the order detail window appears, choose "Vehicle features" from the left menu
4. Select the vehicle features you want the order to have

You can also assign vehicle features to orders in bulk by:

• Selecting multiple orders at a time from the order table and clicking "Edit Orders",
• Or by adding the vehicle features to your import file. Separate multiple features with a semi-colon (;) in the Vehicle features column.

Routing results

The result of using vehicle features will be that the orders with a certain feature will be matched to a driver that is driving a vehicle that also possesses that feature. See an example of assignments below.

Let's say we have 3 vehicles: 

• Truck Alpha has Feature 1
• Truck Beta has Feature 2
• Truck Charlie has Feature 1 and 2

• Order A can go to either Truck Alpha or Truck Charlie because they both have Feature 1. 
• Order B can go to either Truck Beta or Truck Charlie because they both have Feature 2. 
• Order C can only go to Truck Charlie because it is the only one who has both Features 1 and 2. 
• Order D cannot be assigned to any truck because no vehicle has Feature 3.