Guide for pool service techs

How to optimize a pool service route

To optimize a pool service route: put pools that are close together on the same day, fix where the day starts and ends, keep the notes each stop needs, and re-run the stop order every time the list changes. The goal is less windshield time between pools, not just a shorter map line.

Maintained by the Lapsheet team · Updated October 2026

Every minute between pools is a minute nobody pays for. Most routes are not slow because the tech drives badly; they are slow because pools were added to whatever day had a gap, years ago, and the order was never revisited.

Here is the order to fix it in, from the change that saves the most driving to the one that saves the least.

Five steps, biggest saving first

1. Group pools by area per dayGive each part of town its own day. Moving one far-off pool to the day you are already nearby often saves more than any re-ordering.

2. Fix the start and endHome, the supply house, or the first pool: set the real start and end so the order fits your actual day.

3. Respect fixed-time stopsGated communities, commercial pools and 'before 10am' customers go in first; let the rest flow around them.

4. Keep stop notes with the stopGate codes, dogs, where the equipment is. Minutes lost at the gate add up as much as minutes on the road.

5. Re-optimize on every changeNew customer, cancellation, skipped pool: re-run the order that morning, not next season.

Then drive in your maps appLet Apple Maps or Google Maps handle traffic and turns once the order is set.

Before and after a route clean-up

Habit	Optimized route	Grown-over-time route
Which day a pool goes on	By area	Whichever day had room
Stop order	Re-run on each change	Same as when it was set up
Gate codes and notes	Saved per stop	In the tech's head
Navigation	Maps app, one tap per stop	Typed in each time

Pool route optimization — FAQs

What is windshield time?

Windshield time is the part of the working day spent driving between stops instead of servicing pools. It is unpaid time, so cutting it is the quickest way to fit more pools into the same day.

What is route density?

Route density is how close together the pools on one day's route are. A dense route (many pools in a few neighbourhoods) means shorter drives; a sparse one spreads the same number of pools across town.

How often should I re-optimize my route?

Every time the list changes: a new customer, a cancellation, a skipped pool or a callback. With an app it takes one tap, so there is no reason to keep driving yesterday's order.

Should I start the route at home or at the supply house?

Start where you actually start. If you pick up chemicals first most mornings, set that as the start point; an optimized order from the wrong start point is not optimized.

Do I need expensive software to optimize a route?

No. Lapsheet's free tier optimizes up to 20 saved stops, 3 times per session, and hands each stop to Apple Maps or Google Maps. Pro removes the limits for $7.99 a month, flat per company.

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