Tag: Georoute

The UK’s postmen and postwomen are having their rounds assessed – by a computer program called ‘Georoute’.

Georoute is routing software, designed to maximise efficiency of collection and delivery arrangements for postal operators. Royal Mail is using Georoute to help improve efficiency by ensuring that routes are well planned.

There are potential problems however. Some postal workers say that it will be used as a method of timing walks without taking into account varying weather conditions and indeed the working speed of any particular postie, let alone extras like recorded or special delivery items which take extra time. Some even claim that it can be as much as an hour out.

To be fair, Georoute isn’t human. It can only work with the information supplied to it and since it doesn’t actually do deliveries itself, it does lack that all imprtant human factor. One wonders if the expence of introducing it will make sufficient savings to make it worthwhile but clearly its difficult to allocate or change existing postal walks purely on a paper map.

Computers are extraordinarily good at working out complex calculations that would tax even Einstein but to be really accurate, the software needs set figures to work from. Variables can only create ‘averages’ at best. The concern for postal workers is that it will be used to create set time frames in which they are expected to carry out their duties, that doesn’t take into account the variables, and could mean they are not paid fairly.