Why Traditional Routing Algorithms Fail Roll-Off Operations

When traditional "last mile" optimization software is applied to roll-off operations, it'll put jobs into a sequence and help balance the work across drivers. It's not terrible—it gives dispatchers a good starting point. But let's call it 60% correct at that point. Then the real work of truly optimizing the day starts.

The 60% Problem

After the routing software does its thing, dispatchers have to look at the work that landed on each driver's queue and ask hard questions: Can their truck actually dump that compactor (might not have the right hydraulics)? Why are they doing two removals back to back when there's a delivery that could have been sandwiched in between to eliminate the time to return an empty back to the yard?

Humans are pretty dang good at cleaning this up. But it takes time—time that could be spent on higher-value work. And there's no reason we can't build algorithms that take into consideration the reality of roll-off from the start.

Every Job Is a Sequence of Events

Here's what traditional routing software misses: every roll-off job is a discrete sequence of events, not just a destination on a map.

• For a delivery: Load empty container → drive to job site → drop empty container
• For a removal: Drive to job site → load full container → drive to dump site → dump container → drive to storage yard → unload empty container

When you understand jobs this way, you can start looking for matches—other jobs that pair well and mean less time loading or dropping containers. We shave off a few minutes here and there, and over the course of a week, we shave off hours. That means a fleet can do more work with the same resources.

The Bar Is Too Low

Traditional software is popular in the solid waste industry because it's better than nothing. That's it. The bar is super low. Often "does it work" is the standard, not "is it excellent."

Klau targets excellence. We want to provide optimization that makes sense, increases productivity, doesn't frustrate drivers or dispatchers or customers, and is lightning fast. We find matching jobs so drivers spend less time returning empty containers to storage yards and less time loading containers for deliveries. Small wins add up to new capacity for increased revenue.

The Perfect Chain

Since containers come in all shapes and sizes (and hook styles), smart dispatch means matching drivers—and the truck they're driving—with the right jobs. We ensure the truck and container are compatible, then we match the jobs in their queue in a way that targets what we call a "perfect chain": where drivers never have to swap the container on their truck in order to start the next job.

The cost of breaking that chain? On average, 20-30 minutes across the industry for each container swap. Some haulers have their own transfer station, so it's just a couple minutes. Others may have agreements to store containers at the dump site. But at many operations, drivers have to drive to the nearest storage yard, adding significant time between jobs.

And it's not just time—there are opportunities for injuries every time a driver gets in and out of the cab. Every minute that expensive roll-off truck spends changing container sizes is another minute it's costing money instead of making money.

The Mixed Fleet Nightmare

I've heard the most frustration from haulers that grew through acquisition and now have mixed fleets of trucks and containers that are incompatible. For example, a hauler with cable hoists acquires a hauler with hook lifts. Now they have a fleet of trucks that can't haul every container they own.

One slip-up by a dispatcher can mean hours of lost productivity. A driver gets sent on a wasted trip only to find a full container they can't load. They get frustrated and no longer feel like they can trust the dispatcher. This shuffles the rest of their day around and could mean they go home late—or worse, miss time with their kids.

Drivers and dispatchers need to be on the same team. Bad dispatch erodes that trust.

What Roll-Off Really Needs

It's all about the small wins:

• Containers and trucks match
• Jobs pair well together
• Quick and easy rebalancing to handle guaranteed daily changes—breakdowns, sick call-outs, urgent jobs

Roll-off is a new challenge every day. Sure, it's the same fundamental task, but the job sites and challenges will be ever-changing from day to day. You need software that understands that reality, not software that was built for package delivery and retrofitted with a roll-off skin.

The Bottom Line

Traditional routing algorithms aren't wrong—they're just solving the wrong problem. Roll-off operations need purpose-built optimization that understands what makes this industry unique. That's exactly why we built Klau: not as another generic routing tool, but as a solution designed from the ground up for the specific challenges of roll-off dispatch.