When you’re running a business, learning how to capitalize on your available data is essential. After all, you’ll want to use this data to help establish new trends, focus points, and other marketing efforts to accelerate your business goals. Driving radius maps can help business owners measure the time or distance between different locations from a centralized point on a map. Many companies and organizations will use these maps in different ways. Typically, a driving radius map will help owners with business site selection, logistics, catchment area analysis, and sales territory planning.
What is a Drive Time Map or Driving Radius Map?
The drive time map or driving radius map is a tool that allows business owners to draw a radius around a central location in miles or kilometers from any particular area. Individuals can draw on the map or enter an address into the tool to quickly determine a distance from a center point and any individual markers that fall within the radius of that distance.
Depending on the third-party mapping software, limitations may exist on the number of radii your map may include. For example, Maptive allows individual users to add unlimited radii to the map, exporting data from each radius individually or all at the same time. Users can then edit each radius or group’s color, name, and opacity.
How to Create a Radius Map with Third-Party Mapping Software
If you’re adding a radius map to your data, start by opening the mapping software you’d like to use. Select the Distance Radius or Drive Time Polygon Tool and choose your starting point. From there, open the map with the data you want to show on the radius.
Pick your starting location by finding an existing point on the map. You’ll want to click on the spot so the map marker popup appears, then find and click the “Draw Radius” option from the mapping software. You’ll notice an address populates on the menu of the screen. Choose the proximity distance you want to evaluate and select a color from the tool window. Once you’ve input your values, you’ll need to click on “Add Proximity Radius” to see it appear on the map.
Users can always customize the proximity radius on the info popup, selecting anywhere within the circle to view the popup. Once the menu appears, you can customize the popup by clicking the settings option.
How to Export the Locations within the Radius Circle
To export all locations or data points within the radius circle, click anywhere within the process and wait for the popup window to appear. Select the export locations icon on the screen and choose how you’d like to receive the information.
Adding Radius Circles to Individual Markers Versus Groups
This option allows users to add radius circles to groups instead of individual markers. To add different radius circles to groups, switch the location to the group setting. Make sure your group is activated in the Grouping Tool, adding the proximity radius under the settings. The new radius circles will automatically generate for the locations within the group.
To drag the radius to a new location, set the limitations on the map. Double-click the center of the radius with the computer mouse. Click anywhere in the radius and drag it to a new location. Once you’ve repositioned the radius to where you’d like it, check the box at the top to save. To revert to the previous site without saving, choose the red x.
Different Uses for a Driving Radius Map
Using the Driving Radius Maps for Office Sites
Your employee’s drive to work will significantly influence productivity and the overall morale within your workplace. A driving radius map can optimize commute times while considering all outside insights like construction or traffic.
Catchment Area Analysis
Integrating the radius map can help owners develop a richer analysis of different catchment areas. With precise drive times established between locations, you’ll learn more about your business’s growth and future development in less time.
Optimized Delivery Routes
If you’re looking to improve the delivery routes or simply trying to revamp your company’s logistics, mapping software can help you visualize the core functioning. Radius maps can help businesses establish all efficient routes from all available locations while continuing to adapt to real-time traffic.
Ideal Consumer Assessment
When looking at mapping software, overlapping radius functions allow more than one radius simultaneously. This overlap enables current consumer targets, overlap in the service area, and insight into underserved physical populations.
