How Do Couriers and Parcel Delivery Apps Like uParcel Plan Their Routes?
Er Cai Fang
Senior Product Manager
Delivery Companies and App Providers like uParcel use dispatch software which is often offloaded onto their own internal systems. This means route planning, forecasting, and bookkeeping are done in house.
We’ve all experienced the frustration of missing the delivery guy. It may be that you don’t know there is a parcel waiting for you, or it could be an address mix up with your courier or parcel delivery company. For most people, this would be a minor inconvenience, but if you are running your own business, it becomes more difficult.
Delivery Companies and App Providers like uParcel (and many major courier companies) use dispatch software which is often offloaded onto their own internal systems. This means route planning, forecasting, and bookkeeping are done in house. The obvious advantages of this are that the companies are more in control of the delivery and ability to provide a much more efficient service.
The process of route planning is incredibly complex, and the main aim of this is to ensure parcels are delivered as quickly and as economically as possible. Naturally, with an ever-increasing demand for deliveries, companies are employing technologies that can make their routes more efficient. A delivery driver's job is made easier by efficient route planning and AI-powered route optimizers, which help streamline the entire dispatching and delivery process.
There are several benefits to this kind of delivery management system.
Increased Customer Satisfaction: Customers want to receive their parcel within a certain time frame. We all know how frustrating it can be when you order something online and you are not able to track and contact your delivery guy.
Decreased Cost: Dispatch Software means that the company can target the most cost-effective areas for delivering parcels. The cheaper your gas, the more you save.
Reduce Planning Time by 95%: This way it can increase your delivery driver’s productivity and delivery efficiency. It means that you can earn more.
Route Optimizer: Accepted jobs on the app will be optimised and arranged based on date, time and distance.
With uRoute, our recently released Artificial Intelligence Delivery Management Solution System. You can now use the same AI powered delivery management system that uParcel currently using to manage delivery requests to match it with our verified freelance delivery agents.
uRoute can be your solution to a more efficient fleet management, delivery management and route planner for your business. Read more here.
Try it for FREE. For more information on our system’s features click here
Email at sales@uroute.co to get in touch with our sales team for a demo session or any inquiries.
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1.7m Van vs 2.4m Van: Which Size Do You Need?
Both the 1.7m and 2.4m van get booked for the same kinds of jobs in Singapore, furniture moves, Carousell pickups, office relocations, event logistics runs. They look similar on a booking screen, and at base rates the price difference is only $10. But they carry meaningfully different loads, and picking the wrong one means either an overflow on the day or paying for space you do not need. This guide covers what each van actually fits, the weight limits, the half-van option, and a simple way to decide before you book. The 1.7m Van: Cargo Dimensions, Weight Limit and Best Uses The 1.7m van is the smaller option. Despite the name, the usable cargo space is 1.6m (L) × 1.2m (W) × 1.0m (H), the “1.7m” refers to the vehicle class, not the internal dimensions. This matters when measuring furniture: if your longest item is 1.6m or under, the 1.7m van fits it; anything beyond that needs the 2.4m or a lorry. Specs: 1.7m Van (Full) Cargo dimensions 1.6m × 1.2m × 1.0m Max weight 350 kg Base rate From $52 Fits well: 1–2 sofa pieces, armchairs, or a small sofa set 2–3 flat-pack furniture boxes (standard IKEA-sized cartons) A bicycle plus 3–5 boxes 10–15 standard cartons Studio or single-room moves Carousell pickups with one or two bulky items Does not fit: Items longer than 1.6m - a king-size bed frame, 6-seater sofa, full dining table, or display rack typically exceed this Loads heavier than 350kg - gym equipment, shelves packed with books, and stacked appliances add up faster than expected More than 15 standard cartons The 2.4m Van: Cargo Dimensions, Weight Limit and Best Uses The 2.4m van has cargo dimensions of 2.3m (L) × 1.2m (W) × 1.2m (H). The 70cm gain in length and 20cm gain in height make a real practical difference: longer furniture pieces fit, more carton rows stack, and heavier loads are within spec. Specs: 2.4m Van Cargo dimensions 2.3m × 1.2m × 1.2m Max weight 500 kg Base rate From $62 Fits well: King-size bed frames, full dining tables, L-shaped or 3-seater + 2-seater sofa sets 20–25 standard cartons Pop-up retail or exhibition materials for event logistics Retail restocking runs for small-format stores 1–2 bedroom apartment moves with a moderate furniture load Multiple bulky items that would overflow a 1.7m in a single trip Does not fit: Items longer than 2.3m - scaffolding, modular shelving systems, or long timber panels need a lorry Loads over 500kg Pallets - a loaded pallet typically requires a lorry with a tailgate The 2.4m van does not have a half-load option. If you book this size, you book the full vehicle. Side-by-Side Comparison 1.7m Van (Full) 2.4m Van Cargo length 1.6m 2.3m Cargo width 1.2m 1.2m Cargo height 1.0m 1.2m Max weight 350 kg 500 kg Base rate From $52 From $62 Half-load available Yes — from $35 No Approx carton capacity 10–15 20–25 Best for 1–2 furniture items, bicycle, small hauls Longer furniture, 20+ cartons, event runs The price gap between a full 1.7m and a 2.4m van is $10 at the base rate. When a load sits on the borderline, the extra 70cm of cargo length, 20cm of height, and 150kg of weight capacity in the 2.4m often make that $10 the better call rather than risking an overflow on the day. The Half-Van Option on the 1.7m The 1.7m van offers a half-load booking for lighter items that do not fill the vehicle. 1.7m Half-Van 1.7m Full Van Max weight 50 kg 350 kg Cargo space 1.6m × 1.2m × 1.0m 1.6m × 1.2m × 1.0m Base rate From $35 From $52 The cargo dimensions are identical - the half-van is not a smaller vehicle, it is a reduced-capacity booking. It suits: A single bicycle or folded scooter 3–5 small boxes One flat-pack item such as a TV unit, bedside table or office chair Carousell pickups that are too large for a parcel courier but light enough to carry alone If the load exceeds 50kg or takes up most of the floor space, book the full 1.7m. Underestimating the load and booking half risks a failed pickup if the agent cannot accommodate the actual weight or volume. Add-Ons That Apply to Both Vans The van gets your load from A to B. These add-ons cover the loading, access, and handling at each end, both are available for the 1.7m and 2.4m: Add-On What It Covers Cost Extra manpower Additional agent to carry, load or unload heavy or bulky items +$40/person/trip Dismantle / assemble Furniture taken apart at pickup, reassembled at delivery +$30/piece Pallet jack For stacked pallets or items that cannot be hand-carried +$20/jack No lift access (stairs) Agent carries load up staircase levels where no lift is available +$10/level Wrapping service Protective wrapping for furniture or fragile items +$5/piece Return trip Agent brings a signed document back from the dropoff location +$15 The stairs add-on is one of the most commonly missed costs at booking. Many Singapore residential buildings, particularly older HDB blocks, walk-up shophouses, and estates undergoing lift upgrading, require delivery agents to use the stairs. HDB’s estate upgrade information details which developments are in active upgrading cycles if you need to check before booking. A practical example: delivering a wardrobe from a Toa Payoh 4th-floor flat with no cargo lift to a Clementi condo. Add-ons, one extra agent ($40) + three levels of stairs ($30) + wrapping ($5), brings the total add-on cost to $75 on top of the van rate. Knowing this upfront avoids a budget surprise when the agent arrives. Choosing the Right Van Size Before You Book Three questions settle the decision: 1. How long is your longest item? Measure the full assembled length of the longest piece. Under 1.6m → 1.7m van is physically possible. 1.6m–2.3m → 2.4m van. Over 2.3m → you need a lorry. 2. What does the total load weigh? Add up each item. Under 50kg with just a few pieces → half-van worth considering. Under 350kg → 1.7m full works. 350–500kg → 2.4m. Over 500kg → move to a 10ft lorry. 3. How many cartons or pieces are there? Count items and visualise stacking. 10–15 cartons → 1.7m. 20–25 → 2.4m. Beyond 25 → 10ft lorry. If the load sits at the edge between two sizes, the smaller gap in price almost always favours choosing the larger van. An overflow that cannot be loaded costs more in time and rescheduling than the difference in vehicle rate. Booking the Right Van in Singapore Measure once, book correctly, and the delivery runs without surprises. For loads that go beyond what either van can carry, four pallets, large appliances, or bulk restocking runs, the guide to van and lorry delivery in Singapore covers the full range, from the 1.7m half-van up to the 24ft lorry. uParcel’s van and lorry delivery service covers both the 1.7m and 2.4m van, with same-day on-demand booking and flat-rate pricing across Singapore. All add-ons are selectable at the time of booking. The service holds a 4.9 Google rating from 9,500+ Singapore delivery customers.
Lorry Delivery Price in Singapore: What Affects the Cost
Getting a lorry delivery quote in Singapore often feels like a moving target. The base rate looks straightforward, but by the time you factor in your actual load, your building’s lift access, and whether you need help carrying things upstairs, the final number can look quite different. This post covers uParcel’s actual lorry and van delivery rates, the factors that push the price up, and the add-ons that most real deliveries end up needing. If you are trying to budget accurately before booking, this is what you need to know. uParcel Lorry and Van Delivery Rates in Singapore uParcel operates a range of vehicles from a half-van up to a 24-foot lorry, all on a flat-rate islandwide basis — no surge pricing regardless of where in Singapore you are sending to. Vehicle Load Space Max Weight Base Rate 1.7m Van (Half) 1.6m × 1.2m × 1m 50 kg From $35 1.7m Van (Full) 1.6m × 1.2m × 1m 350 kg From $52 2.4m Van 2.3m × 1.2m × 1.2m 500 kg From $62 10 ft Lorry 2.9m × 1.4m × 1.7m 700 kg From $102 14 ft Lorry 4.2m × 1.7m × 1.9m 900 kg From $162 24 ft Lorry 7.0m × 2.0m × 2.0m 5,000 kg From $232 Lorries are available in open or covered configuration, and with or without a tailgate — the right combination depends on what you are transporting and how it needs to be loaded. These are the published starting rates. What changes that number is covered below. What Actually Drives the Final Price The base rate gets you the vehicle and the driver. These are the factors that determine whether you pay the minimum or significantly more. Vehicle size vs your actual load The single biggest cost driver is choosing the right vehicle. Underestimating your load means the agent may not be able to proceed, or you will need to rebook a larger vehicle. Measure your items before selecting: A single bicycle, a TV set, or two flat-pack boxes → 1.7m van (half) A full sofa set or 20–25 cartons → 2.4m van Four pallets of goods or large appliances → 10 ft lorry Six pallets or a full retail restocking run → 14 ft lorry Retail moving, 18+ pallets, or full warehouse transfers → 24 ft lorry Weight limits Each vehicle has a maximum weight, and it matters independently of space. A load that fits physically in a 10 ft lorry but weighs more than 700 kg needs the 14 ft lorry instead. If you are shipping dense or heavy goods, tiles, machinery parts, stacked inventory, calculate weight alongside dimensions. Open vs covered lorry An open lorry is cheaper to configure but exposes your items to weather. A covered lorry costs slightly more but is the right choice for electronics, furniture, paper goods, or anything that cannot get wet. If your delivery window includes a risk of rain or your goods are sensitive, covered is the safer option. Tailgate access A tailgate attachment lets the agent lower heavy items from the lorry bed to ground level hydraulically, without manual lifting. If you are moving appliances, machinery, or anything that cannot be hand-carried safely off a lorry, you will need a tailgate-equipped vehicle. Booking one without a tailgate for a job that requires one will delay the delivery on the day. Location surcharges uParcel’s rates are flat-rate islandwide, locations like Jurong Island, Tuas, or Changi are served but carry a long-distance surcharge. If your pickup or dropoff is in a restricted or industrial zone, check for this when booking. Fuel surcharge A temporary fuel surcharge of $1 applies on top of published rates across all vehicle types, with an additional $1 increase to the long-distance surcharge. This is reflected in the final booking cost. The Add-Ons That Most Bookings Actually Need This is where lorry delivery quotes most often surprise people. The vehicle gets your goods to the building, but it does not automatically get them inside, up the stairs, or assembled. uParcel offers a full set of add-ons that can be selected at booking: Add-On What It Covers Cost Extra Manpower An additional agent to help carry, load, or unload +$40 per man per trip Dismantle / Assemble Furniture disassembly before transport and reassembly on delivery +$30 per piece Pallet Jack Agent brings and operates a pallet jack for stacked pallets +$20 per jack No Lift Access (Stairs) Agent carries your load up each floor level with no lift +$10 per level Wrapping Service Agent wraps items in protective materials before loading +$5 per piece Return Trip (Document) Agent brings a signed document back from the dropoff location +$15 A realistic example: A family moving a sofa set and wardrobe to a 4th-floor HDB flat with no cargo lift would add: 1 extra man ($40) + stairs surcharge for 3 floors ($30) + wrapping for the wardrobe ($5). That is an additional $75 on top of the vehicle rate, a number worth planning for rather than discovering on the day. The Half-Van Option: Useful More Often Than You Think Most lorry delivery providers quote by the full vehicle. uParcel’s half-van option is worth knowing about because it directly lowers the cost for loads that do not fill an entire van. The 1.7m van half-load carries up to 50 kg within the same 1.6m × 1.2m × 1m space at $35 versus $52 for the full van. For a single piece of furniture, a bicycle, a rolled carpet, or a handful of bulky boxes, this is the more accurate way to match your cost to your actual load. If you are unsure whether your items fill a full van or half, err on the side of booking a half and contacting uParcel support to confirm before the booking is locked. What to Factor Into Your Budget Before Booking A useful way to estimate your real cost before you reach the checkout: Start with the right vehicle - measure dimensions and calculate total weight before choosing Check your delivery location - long-distance zones carry a surcharge; lifts affect access costs Count your items needing assembly - if anything needs dismantling to move safely, add $30 per piece Assess whether a second agent is needed - for anything heavy or bulky going above ground floor, add manpower Check if it’s an open lorry job or covered - weather-sensitive goods always need covered Add the $1 fuel surcharge - this is applied on top of the published base rate For most single-item or small-load deliveries (a sofa, a gym equipment set, a few pallets of stock), the final cost lands somewhere between the base rate and the base rate plus one or two add-ons. Plan for that range and you will not be caught short. Booking a Van or Lorry in Singapore uParcel’s van and lorry service is booked on-demand, same-day booking is available, and rates are flat across Singapore with no surge pricing. For full vehicle specs, current base rates, and to book directly, visit the uParcel van and lorry delivery. If your load is somewhere between sizes or you are not sure which vehicle fits, the booking interface lets you specify dimensions and weight or you can reach the team for a quick recommendation before you confirm.
Corporate Gift Delivery in Singapore: Year-End Bulk Guide
Every December, admin and marketing teams across Singapore face the same job. Sixty hampers for clients, two hundred gift boxes for staff working from home, a batch of wine sets for partners across three business parks. The gifts are chosen, but getting each one to the right door before people leave for the holidays is a different problem. Corporate gift delivery in Singapore goes wrong in predictable ways: a missing unit number, an office reception that closed early, a condo guardhouse that refused a parcel, or a gift that arrived after the recipient flew off on leave. Most of these failures start before the courier is even booked. This guide walks through the full process: preparing the address list, packing and labelling, booking many deliveries at once, choosing between same-day and scheduled delivery, handling office, condo and HDB addresses, and keeping proof that every gift arrived. It applies whether you are an HR team sending staff gifts or a gift seller fulfilling a corporate order. Start With a Clean Address List A clean address list prevents most failed deliveries. Build it as a spreadsheet from the start, one row per gift, because that same file can become your bulk booking upload later. Each row should carry: Recipient name and mobile number: the rider calls this number if the recipient cannot be found, so a general office line is less useful than a direct mobile. Six-digit postal code: Singapore's six-digit postal code identifies a single building, not a single unit. Block, street, unit number and building name: for an HDB block or condo tower, the postal code alone only gets the rider to the building. Without "#08-123", the gift goes nowhere. Address type: mark each row as office, condo, HDB or landed. This decides delivery timing later. Gift variant and any note: "Hamper B, contains alcohol" or "Fragile, glassware" helps whoever packs and whoever delivers. Before you finalise the list, run three checks: Postal code against building name. Look up anything unfamiliar on OneMap, the Singapore Land Authority's national map, and fix mismatches. A typo in one digit can send a rider to the wrong estate. Duplicates. The same client often appears twice under different contacts. Decide whether they get one gift or two before you pack. Home addresses for staff. If you collect personal addresses for gifting, tell staff what the address is for and keep the file restricted. The PDPC's advisory guidelines on key concepts in the PDPA treat a residential address as personal data, so consent, purpose and reasonable protection all apply. Collect addresses through a short form rather than email replies. A form with fixed fields for postal code and unit number removes most of the formatting cleanup. Pack and Label Every Gift the Same Way Consistent packing and labelling let a rider identify each gift in seconds, which matters when one vehicle carries dozens of near-identical boxes. Treat the gifts like a production run, not a stack of individual presents. Use an outer carton or mailer over decorative wrapping. Ribbon and gift paper tear in transit. Wrap the gift, then put it inside a plain outer box, or use a branded mailer box that already looks presentable. Print labels from the spreadsheet. Handwritten labels slow the rider down and invite errors. Print name, full address with unit number, mobile number and the booking reference if you have one. Place the label on the top face. Riders photograph the label at drop-off, so a label on the side or bottom makes proof of delivery harder. Cushion fragile items. Wine bottles, ceramic mugs and glass jars need dividers or padding so they do not move when the box is shaken. Keep perishables separate. Cakes, fresh fruit and chilled items should go out on their own same-day run, not sit in a batch that will be delivered over two days. Add a card inside, not on the outside. A personal note belongs inside the box. Anything written on the outside can get smudged or torn. Number the boxes to match the row numbers in your spreadsheet. If a box is returned or a recipient calls, you can find the right row in seconds. Book Many Deliveries at Once With Bulk Upload Booking fifty gifts one by one in an app is slow and error-prone, so most businesses book in bulk. The aim is to turn the spreadsheet you already built into delivery orders in one step. uParcel's bulk upload works this way: 1. Sign in to the uParcel web portal and open the Bulk Delivery module. 2. Download the sample Excel file. This is the template the system reads, so use it rather than your own layout. 3. Copy your address list into the template. Map your columns (name, mobile, address, unit number, notes) to the template's columns. 4. Upload the file. Each row becomes a delivery booking in one go, instead of fifty separate entries. 5. Review the bookings before confirming. Spot-check a few rows against your packed boxes, especially unit numbers. The full walkthrough is in the guide on how to use uParcel's bulk upload function. The benefit is less about speed than accuracy: the address you checked in the spreadsheet is the address the rider sees, with no retyping in between. For gift sellers who receive corporate orders every season, a regular volume of bookings can also be pushed through uParcel's API integration, so orders flow from your store system into delivery bookings without manual uploads. Choose Between Same-Day and Scheduled Delivery The right delivery speed depends on what is in the box and who is receiving it. Faster is not always better for corporate gifts, because an office gift that lands after the recipient has left for the day is effectively a failed delivery. Option Best for Watch out for 1-hour or 3-hour express A single urgent gift, such as a forgotten client hamper or a last-minute replacement Not economical for large batches Same-day delivery Perishables, cakes and fresh hampers; batches that must arrive on a specific day Book early in the day so office deliveries arrive within working hours Next-day delivery Non-perishable gift boxes sent in larger batches where a fixed day is less critical Count working days carefully around public holidays A practical pattern is to split the list. Send office-bound gifts on a mid-week same-day run so they arrive while people are at their desks, and send home-bound gifts by next-day delivery, timed for when recipients are likely to be in. uParcel offers same-day delivery island-wide, plus 1-hour and 3-hour express and next-day options, all bookable from the same account. You can compare the options on the same-day delivery service page. For a batch with heavy hampers or many cartons to one office, a van booking is usually more practical than sending each box separately. Handle Office, Condo and HDB Addresses Differently Each address type in Singapore has its own access rules, and planning for them is the biggest lever for a smooth gift run. This is why the spreadsheet has an "address type" column. Office buildings: Many commercial towers route all parcels through a central reception or loading bay, and some do not let riders go up to individual floors. Confirm with each client whether gifts should go to their own office reception or the building's mailroom. Many offices also wind down in the last week of December, so office gifts should land before the final working days of the year. Condominiums: Guardhouses often need the resident's name and unit number before letting a rider in, and some will hold parcels while others will not accept them at all. Add a note such as "Guardhouse may receive" or "Call resident on arrival" to the booking. If the recipient has told you the guardhouse will hold parcels, say so in the notes. HDB flats: Riders can usually go straight to the unit, so the unit number and a reachable mobile number matter most. If nobody is home, the gift may be left at the door only if your instructions allow it, so decide in advance whether high-value gifts need to be handed over in person. Landed homes: Gates and dogs are the common issues. A mobile number the rider can call on arrival solves most of them. Keep Billing and Records in One Place With a Corporate Account When several departments send gifts, billing and records get scattered across personal cards and expense claims. A corporate account keeps every booking under the company. With a uParcel corporate account: Bookings are billed on a monthly invoice instead of being paid card by card at checkout, which suits finance teams closing the year. Sub-accounts can be added for different departments, so HR's staff gifts and Sales' client hampers are booked separately but billed to the same company. Booking history sits in one place, which helps when you reconcile gift budgets or plan the next gifting round. You request a corporate account from the left-hand panel after logging in, and it is subject to approval, so apply a few weeks before the December rush. The guide on how corporate courier services make corporate delivery simple covers the wider set of business delivery needs a corporate account handles. Track Every Gift and Keep Proof of Delivery Tracking and proof of delivery turn "I think it arrived" into a record you can show a client or a manager. With a hundred gifts in transit, you need both. Live tracking: each booking can be tracked from pick-up to drop-off, so you can answer a "has it been sent?" message without calling the courier. Photo proof of delivery: uParcel riders photograph the parcel at the drop-off point, with the label and unit number visible. For a gift left at a reception desk or guardhouse, the photo shows exactly where it was placed. A simple status column: add "Delivered", "Failed" and "Re-booked" columns to your spreadsheet and update them from the tracking screen at the end of each day. Do not send thank-you or "your gift is on the way" emails before the gifts are actually picked up. If one batch slips by a day, the message becomes awkward. Plan for Failed Deliveries and Re-Delivery Even a well-prepared gift run will have a handful of failed deliveries. Planning for them in advance keeps them from turning into lost gifts. Common causes and fixes: Recipient not reachable: confirm mobile numbers before booking, and send a short heads-up message the day before so recipients expect a call. Office closed or reception refused: check building rules for any address where you have not delivered before, and avoid booking office drops on the last working day before a public holiday. Wrong or incomplete address: this goes back to the address list. Fix the row, then re-book. Condo guardhouse refusal: contact the recipient for an alternative, such as their office or a family member's address. Keep returned gifts in a labelled holding area, matched to their spreadsheet row. Re-book them as one small batch once you have corrected details, rather than one by one as they come back. Work Backwards From the December Peak December is one of the busiest delivery periods in Singapore, and corporate gifting competes with year-end online shopping for courier capacity. Christmas Day on 25 December and New Year's Day on 1 January are both public holidays, and many offices run on reduced staff in between. A simple timeline, counted backwards from your target delivery week: Six to eight weeks before: confirm the gift list and budget, apply for a corporate account if you do not have one, and order gift stock. Four weeks before: collect and clean addresses through a form. Chase anyone who has not replied. Two to three weeks before: pack, label and number all boxes. Fill in the bulk upload template. One to two weeks before: send office-bound gifts first, while offices are fully staffed. Final week before Christmas: send home-bound gifts and any perishables by same-day delivery, and use express delivery only for late additions and re-deliveries. Make the Gift Run as Personal as the Gift Corporate gift delivery in Singapore works best when it is treated as a small logistics project: one clean spreadsheet, consistent labels, deliveries timed to how each address type works, and a proof-of-delivery record for every box. The gift is what recipients remember, but a gift that arrives on time, at the right door, is what makes it land. uParcel's 4.9 Google rating from 9,500+ reviews comes largely from this kind of everyday delivery work. If you are planning a year-end gift run, the uParcel team can help you set up bulk bookings and choose the right mix of same-day, express and next-day delivery for your list.