Platform Updates & Release Notes

What Changed

Previously, RouteTraq AI generated optimized routes based on schedule frequency and zone data. Routes were static between optimization runs. With v4.8.0, the engine now ingests live fill-level data from IoT sensors and recalculates collection priority in real time.

• Bins above the configured fill threshold are automatically added to the active route, even outside scheduled collection windows
• Bins below the minimum fill threshold are deprioritised and skipped on the current run, with the next scheduled visit auto-adjusted
• Supervisors receive push notifications when bins exceed emergency overflow thresholds
• Per-zone sensitivity settings allow different thresholds for residential, commercial, and recycling streams
• All dynamic re-routing decisions are logged with reasons, enabling full operational audit trails

How to Enable Dynamic Re-Routing

Navigate to RouteTraq > Settings > Dynamic Scheduling and toggle Fill-Level Triggers to enabled. Set your default threshold percentages per waste fraction. Connected IoT sensors will begin feeding data to the scheduler immediately.

For full setup instructions, see the Dynamic Re-Routing Configuration Guide.

Performance Impact

Internal data from the pilot programme across 14 municipal customers showed:

• 12% average reduction in total fleet kilometres driven per month
• 94% reduction in bin overflow incidents in high-density residential zones
• 18% improvement in collection crew utilization rates
• Average fuel saving of £1,240 per vehicle per year at current fuel prices

Requirements

Dynamic re-routing requires at least one connected IoT bin sensor per collection zone. WASTRAQ supports all major sensor manufacturers via native connectors. API-based sensor integration is also available. Contact your customer success manager if you need sensor supplier recommendations.

Custom Invoice Templates

The new template builder in Billing > Invoice Templates supports full logo and brand colour customisation, custom header and footer text, configurable line-item formats, and PDF/email delivery preferences per customer account.

• Drag-and-drop field ordering for invoice line items
• Conditional sections (show VAT breakdown only for VAT-registered accounts)
• Per-customer template overrides for white-label deployments
• Template preview with live data before activation

Waste Fraction Itemisation

When enabled, the billing engine automatically generates separate line items for each waste fraction collected during the billing period. General waste, recycling, food waste, and green waste are itemised separately with individual unit rates applied. This feature is particularly valuable for municipal contracts where waste fraction costs are reported separately to environmental agencies.

Xero Credit Note Reconciliation

The Xero integration now handles credit notes bidirectionally. Credit notes raised in WASTRAQ are pushed to Xero automatically. Credit notes reconciled in Xero are reflected in the WASTRAQ billing dashboard within 15 minutes. This resolves a long-standing reconciliation gap that required manual journal entries.

Extended Offline Mode

Previously, the Driver App stored 24 hours of route data offline. With v3.2, the cache extends to 7 days. Collection confirmations, photos, GPS location stamps, and issue reports are stored locally and automatically synced to the WASTRAQ platform whenever connectivity is restored — whether via Wi-Fi, 4G, or 5G.

This is critical for drivers operating in rural areas, underground facilities, or building basements where mobile signal is inconsistent.

• All collection confirmations queue locally with exact timestamps
• Photos are compressed for storage efficiency without quality loss
• Sync happens automatically — no driver action required
• Sync status indicator added to the app toolbar

Redesigned Navigation Interface

The in-cab navigation screen has been redesigned with driver ergonomics as the priority. Turn instructions now use 40% larger text. The next-stop indicator occupies the full top third of the screen. Collection confirmation buttons are now at thumb height for one-handed operation while seated.

10-Second Issue Reporting

The new issue reporting flow reduces the tap count from 9 to 3 for the most common issue types. Drivers select a pre-set issue category, optionally add a photo, and confirm. GPS coordinates and collection point details are attached automatically. Supervisors receive the report in real time on the dashboard.

Pre-Built Compliance Report Templates

The module ships with seven pre-configured report templates covering the most common municipal reporting requirements:

• Monthly waste tonnage by fraction and collection zone
• Collection frequency SLA adherence by ward and route
• Vehicle fleet emissions (CO₂, NOₓ) and fuel consumption
• Recycling rate by household and commercial account
• Missed collection rate and complaint resolution times
• Depot operational hours and crew utilization
• Year-on-year diversion rate from landfill

GDPR-Compliant Data Export

All personal data exports (customer records, driver data, GPS histories) now include a GDPR compliance layer. Exports can be scoped by data category, date range, and data subject type. A processing record is automatically generated for every export, satisfying Article 30 Record of Processing Activities requirements.

Scheduled Report Delivery

Reports can be scheduled for automatic generation and email delivery to named recipients. Municipal finance officers, environmental managers, and elected members can receive tailored report packs without requiring platform access.

Key Analytics Metrics Explained

The Fleet Analytics dashboard surfaces six core operational metrics that are most directly linked to cost and service quality in waste collection operations:

• Fleet Utilization Rate — percentage of available vehicle hours spent on active collection versus idle, travelling to/from depot, or under maintenance
• Route Adherence Score — how closely drivers follow the planned RouteTraq AI route, measured by stop sequence accuracy and deviation distance
• Fuel Cost Per Tonne Collected — the single most powerful efficiency metric, normalised by waste volume to account for collection density differences between zones
• First-Time Collection Rate — percentage of scheduled stops successfully completed on the first visit, without requiring a re-run
• Average Stop Dwell Time — time spent at each collection point, used to identify bottlenecks and inform crew training priorities
• Maintenance-Driven Downtime — vehicle downtime caused by scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, linked to your vehicle service records

Building a Cost Reduction Case

Use the Analytics > Custom Reports section to build a comparison between your current operational baseline and a RouteTraq-optimized scenario. The report engine can model fuel savings, mileage reduction, and crew hour savings across your full fleet based on your actual route data.

Most WASTRAQ customers who run this analysis before and after optimization identify between 22% and 38% in recoverable operational cost — a figure that is compelling for budget submissions to finance committees or for annual route contract renegotiations.

Setting Recycling Targets

Navigate to Recycling > Target Management to configure diversion targets. Targets can be set at organisation, depot, zone, or individual route level. The platform calculates current performance versus target in real time and highlights underperforming zones in the supervisor dashboard.

• Dry recycling (paper, card, plastics, metals, glass) tracked separately by fraction
• Food waste diversion tracked against residual waste volumes
• Garden/green waste with seasonal adjustment settings
• WEEE and hazardous waste logged separately for regulatory compliance

Contamination Detection and Driver Alerts

When a driver identifies a contaminated recycling container, they log the contamination type via the Driver App in under 10 seconds. The contamination record is geo-tagged, time-stamped, and linked to the specific collection point in the system. Repeat offenders can be flagged for customer communication via the portal or by post.

Supervisors can set contamination rate thresholds that trigger automatic notifications. When a route exceeds the threshold, the supervisor is alerted and the data is included in the weekly recycling quality report.

Open Data API for Smart City Platforms

WASTRAQ's REST API supports authenticated read access to aggregated, anonymised operational data that smart city platforms can consume. Published datasets include:

• Real-time vehicle locations (anonymised fleet positions, not individual driver data)
• Zone-level waste volumes and recycling rates updated daily
• Service exception rates by ward for public transparency dashboards
• Fleet emissions data in kg CO₂e per tonne collected

Integration with Smart City Platforms

WASTRAQ has pre-built connectors for the most commonly deployed smart city platforms. Direct integrations are available for Cisco Kinetic, Microsoft Azure IoT Hub, AWS IoT Core, and FIWARE-based city platforms via the NGSI-LD API standard. For cities running bespoke urban data platforms, our open REST API handles all required data exchange formats including JSON-LD and GeoJSON.

Sensor Infrastructure Sharing

Cities that already have deployed IoT infrastructure — lamp-post sensors, environmental monitors, or existing bin sensors — can feed that data directly to WASTRAQ alongside dedicated waste sensors. This reduces the sensor deployment cost for waste management digitalisation projects and leverages existing smart city investment.