Paragon Software Systems Addresses Unique Needs of Convenience Store Deliveries

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Aug 19, 2014) - Paragon Software Systems, Inc, a leader in vehicle routing and scheduling optimization software, offers solutions to address the unique needs of convenience store deliveries. As many big box retailers are building smaller footprint stores in local neighborhoods, this results in a dramatic increase in the number of delivery points per route, with smaller delivery volumes. All of these deliveries have to be planned and managed effectively to meet customer delivery requirements, while keeping costs contained.

"With the changing face of big box retailers moving into local neighborhoods, the number of deliveries dramatically increases per truck. Anyone trying to manage this sort of growing operation manually will be faced with a huge and difficult task. Route optimization is a complex process, with many variables and constraints that need to be taken into consideration. Using an automated route optimization solution helps to streamline processes, produce realistic and achievable plans and ensure that costly transportation resources including fuel are used as efficiently as possible," said William Salter, President and CEO, Paragon Software Systems.

The convenience sector is thriving and growing fast, with projections of sales of $856.5 billion this year. Big box retailers like Wal-Mart are opening convenience store locations at an ever-increasing rate due to consumers' appetite for convenience shopping. Some analysts predict the convenience sector to represent almost 25 percent of the grocery market by 2019.

Convenience store deliveries are complex due to a number of parameters, such as restricted delivery time windows, smaller order volumes with increased frequency, limited parking for delivery trucks, door height restrictions that limit truck sizes, local road restrictions, etc. Paragon Software Systems automates the planning and scheduling of optimized routes that lower mileage, reduce fuel usage, and improve driver productivity.

Using a highly developed algorithm designed specifically for optimizing road-based transportation operations, Paragon's software uses digital mapping to calculate the most effective delivery and collection sequences with accurate journey times, allocating loads to appropriate vehicles and drivers accordingly. This ensures that the schedules are geographically feasible to meet promised arrival time windows, while improving fleet utilization and productivity through efficient routes with minimal total mileage incurred and empty running reduced. Reducing miles to offset fuel costs, balancing efficiency, optimizing the transportation network, and enabling sustainability are some of the key benefits of Paragon's software for the convenience store market.

About Paragon Software Systems:

Paragon Software Systems, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is a leading provider of truck routing and scheduling software solutions. Paragon's advanced planning systems have been proven to cut transportation costs and improve efficiency across a wide range of distribution operation types and industry sectors. Paragon's North American truck routing software clients include George's Inc., AgReliant Genetics, Linde, McLane, National Food Corporation, and many others. The software is used for the daily route optimization of transportation schedules; rationalizing fixed routes; managing transportation resources; strategic logistics planning; and managing home delivery orders with dynamic routing. Paragon Software Systems, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Paragon Software Systems plc, the UK's number one provider of transportation routing and scheduling software. Paragon has over 3,300 systems installed at more than 1,000 client sites in 50 countries worldwide. For more information visit www.paragonrouting.com/us.