My auto repair shop techs drive all over town every day, how do I stop wasting gas?
Short answerIf your auto repair techs drive a lot, the cause is usually parts runs, customer pickups or mobile calls. Batch parts orders into set daily runs, ask suppliers to deliver, and route any mobile jobs by zone so a tech is not crossing town for each one.
The explanation
A fixed shop should keep techs in the bay, so driving points to something else. The common sources are parts store runs, vehicle pickups and drop-offs, and mobile repair calls. Each one has a different fix.
For parts, set two fixed run times a day and have the service writer collect the list before each one, so no one makes a one-part trip. Many suppliers deliver on a schedule, which turns a tech's hour into bay time.
For mobile work, treat it as a route business. Pick service zones, group customers on the same day, and quote a window and not a time. For pickups, ask the customer to drop the vehicle off when possible, and charge for the pickup if you offer it. Whatever you choose, post the rule where customers can read it before they ask.
In auto repair shop
Mobile mechanics and shops that offer pickup both need zones. A shop that only works at its location mostly needs a parts-run schedule, not route software. All auto repair shop scheduling questions.
How Apex does it
In progress
Part of this is built. The rest is not. Status as of 2026-10-07; the badge shows the least-built feature involved.
Apex works toward scheduling by zone and includes a daily route optimization and a service area by zip, city or radius. The auto repair shop pack is built as a screen and is not connected to saved data yet.
- SC34Scheduling by territory / zone(In progress)
- SC05Route optimization (daily)(Built)
- BK07Service area by zip / city / radius(Built)
Apex Flow Scheduler is in early access. See how we label status.
Where this question comes from: we wrote it from research on common owner problems. It is not measured search demand.
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