Assembled Cognoscenti just wondering if there is a gap in the software market; especially the smart phone "app" market The problem identified seems to be a variant of the 'traveling salesman problem' TSP; which is old and presumably has multiple algorithmic solutions and software implementations. Problem is how to distribute packages to multiple addresses, whilst minimising travel time, and waiting time for deliverer and deliveree ! Tentatively an algorithm might go something like this; 1/ Sort addresses into an order which minimises delivery time and explicitly returns travel times (This seems quite 'do-able' as a TSP application augmented with GPS functionality) 2/ Minimising waiting times might be accomplished by: , -ringing first drop-off address[1] and offer drop-off time based on 1/ if no response or time not acceptable , -drop the address off the list and resort list ( repeat1/); if time is acceptable suitably increment drop-off time for address [2] - ring second drop-off address [2] and offer drop-off time ; 3/ repeat until address list or deliverer is exhausted ( :-)) 4/ add yesterdays dropped addresses to new addresses , next day The reason I know , no such software is used by at least one courier company, is they told me contact numbers for their drivers is purely voluntary ! regards Rohan McLeod