About this episode

This is the third in a three-part series about Mapbox tools for logistics. Now that our local business has orders stacking up, they need to chain all of the deliveries into an efficient route. Learn how to put together an Optimization API request to get the best order for the set of deliveries. In this live-coding session, we’ll learn how to assemble an Optimization API request, work with the results, and plot the order on the map.

You’ll learn how to...

• Formulate an Optimization API request
• Extract the relevant information from the response
• Plot the order of deliveries on the map

Code-along resources

1. Here's the gist from John – paste in your token in to get it working.

2. Here is our Optimization API documentation.

3. Use this Location Helper tool for finding lat/long coordinates.

4. Check out these Optimization API use cases and demos: FedEx, Optym, Flower Delivery demo.

Q+A‍

Can a developer use their own geometries for service areas?
Yes, definitely.

What does the pricing look like for developers who want to use this in their apps for a fleet of drivers using those apps on mobile devices?
Generous free tier for developers. See our pricing page.

Is there a max of 12 stops? Are there alternate endpoints that allow for more stops? (Understanding that calculations become more and more time-consuming.)
Generally, Optimization API limits are 12 coordinates per request, 25 distributions per request, 300 requests per minute. Mapbox is willing to increase the number of stops, if necessary. Contact our team for a more in-depth conversation.

Optimization takes traffic data into account – how is traffic data coverage in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia?
Yes, live traffic data factored into the Optimization API, and coverage is global.