The depot is the most overlooked number in route planning because it feels like a fact rather than a decision.
Why it matters
The first and last legs are often the longest of the day, and they produce no revenue. A technician living on the far side of the service area pays that twice daily. Multiply by 250 days and the choice of start point is worth more than most route optimisation.
It also shapes territory. The natural territory for a technician is the one around where their day begins, and when those two drift apart, mileage rises permanently.
How you notice it slipping
Start and end points are recorded as the office address for everyone, including the technicians who start from home. Territories are drawn without reference to where people live. New hires are placed on the map by headcount rather than geography.
What to do
Record the real start point per technician and let the planner use it. Then, when hiring for a growing area, treat home location as a genuine criterion. It is one of the few routing improvements that costs nothing and lasts as long as the employment does.