In 2026, the reverse logistics it is no longer “an extra” that is managed as it can. It is a structural part of the operation: returns, home collections, convenience points, removal of packaging, management of clean waste... and, increasingly, real circularity (recomerce, refurbishment, recycling and return of materials to the chain).

The problem: The reverse costs money, time and capacity. And if you don't plan well, you eat up the margin.

What is reverse logistics (really) in 2026?

When we talk about reverse logistics, we are talking about the “back” flow from the customer or end point to a warehouse, a hub, a sorting point, a reconditioning workshop or a waste manager.

And that involves much more than “picking up a package”:

• Pickups and returns (ecommerce, retail, B2B).
• Exchanges (delivery and pick up at the same stop).
• Removal of packaging (cardboard, plastic, pallets) on common routes.
• Pick-up at convenience points (lockers, shops, associated points).
• Return classification: resale, refurbishment, recycling, destruction.
• Traceability: collection test, condition of the package, incidents, times.

In Spain, the volume of returns and their complexity are already on the radar: e-commerce closed 2025 with 15.2 million returns (data published in January 2026).
And the operating cost doesn't magically go down: industry studies aim to cost increases per package and to the need for technological investment to contain it.

Why reverse logistics “breaks” operations if you treat it like an appendix

Reverse logistics burdens three things if you don't integrate it:

1. Route planning
   Delivering 120 “drop only” stops is not the same as mixing deliveries + pickups + exchanges. Times change, windows, priorities... and the reality of the street.
2. The capacity of the vehicle
   Conversely, the vehicle “fills up” in the middle of the road. If you don't control capacity (weight/volume/units), you're faced with:
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   1. collections that don't fit,
   2. routes that break,
   3. reattempts,
   4. and a cost that goes up silently.

3. The customer experience
   The return is part of the purchase. And at the same time, a poorly managed return is one of the biggest sources of friction (and calls). It's no accident that brands are fine-tuning policies and processes.

The future isn't “free returns forever” (unless someone pays for the party)

For years, the market pushed “returns-friendly” as a competitive advantage. But the pendulum is moving: more and more retailers are limiting returns or charging fees (especially for returns by mail), leaving free options in store or at specific points.

Recent and commented examples in industry media:

• Fees for mail-order returns on brands such as Zara or H&M, among others, and more pressure to use more efficient return channels (store/point).
• Large retailers expanding return windows in campaigns, but introducing fees in some return methods.

Operational translation: “everything free, everything easy, everything through messaging” doesn't scale when costs and environmental impact go up. If the customer wants “total convenience”, the market is starting to say: perfect, but then you charge (or a more efficient channel is encouraged).

And here's a key idea for 2026: it's not just about reducing returns; it's about designing a cost-effective system to manage them when they occur.

Circularity: turning the inverse into a useful (and measurable) operation

Cost-effective reverse logistics usually has one of these outputs:

• Recommerce (resale).
• Reconditioning (second life).
• Recycling (material returns to the system).
• Return to supplier (B2B closed circuits).

The important leap is to move from “collecting returns” to “managing returns with a clear destination”.

Real case of circularity: Ecoembes MillAzul (clean cardboard on the usual route)

A very interesting example is MillAzul, an Ecoembes pilot test in Coslada (Madrid) to facilitate the recycling of cardboard in stores for an approximate period of Three months, as an efficient solution for cardboard generated in your daily activity. Generating a new business model for the parcel delivery company, while ensuring that the truck was always full.

In projects of this type, the big challenge is not “the idea” (picking up clean cardboard sounds easy), but Fit it into the real operation without adding a brutal extra cost: same vans, same routes, same day... but adding the collection of clean waste with total traceability.

That's where technology makes the difference: if you can plan deliveries and collections together, controlling capacity and times, circularity ceases to be a “pretty” pilot and becomes a sustainable and cost-effective service.

What changes when you integrate deliveries + collections into the same plan

If your operation mixes direct and reverse, you need to answer very specific questions:

• What stops are submits, what are Pick-up And what are they swapping?
• What pickups can go in any vehicle and which do they require? minimum capacity?
• What happens if a route is already “loaded” with deliveries and also has 15 pickups?
• How do you prioritize if there are different time windows and SLAs?
• How do you avoid “empty” kilometers to pick up something that you could have picked up “in passing”?

This is not solved by “adding one more stop”. It is solved with joint optimization.

How Routal helps make reverse logistics profitable (and not a margin hole)

At Routal, reverse logistics is not managed as an exception: it is integrated into the same planning as delivery.

1) Integrated delivery and collection planning

You can build routes where they live together:

• deliveries to the customer,
• collections of returns,
• picked up at convenience points,
• and exchanges (delivery + pick up at the same stop).

The result: fewer kilometers, less improvisation and fewer reattempts.

2) Vehicle capacity to ensure feasible pickups

The key that a lot of operations overlooks: A pickup doesn't always fit.
Routal takes into account the Vehicle capacity to assign pickups to routes where they are actually possible (depending on volume/units/weight, depending on the operating model).

This avoids the classic “yes, we pick it up” which becomes:

• “it didn't fit”,
• “stop by tomorrow”,
• “we duplicate route”,
• “and the margin disappears.”

3) Street monitoring and execution

The reverse requires evidence and information:

• pickup confirmation,
• incidents,
• real times,
• traceability per stop.

And the better you close that cycle, the easier it is to:

• reduce calls,
• anticipate problems,
• and make decisions about return policies based on data (not on intuition).

Advantages of reverse logistics when you do it right

Using the advantages of reverse logistics as a lever (not as an inevitable cost):

• Better customer experience (scheduled and reliable collections).
• Lower cost per return (integration into existing routes).
• More real circularity (less waste, more reuse).
• Data to decide (which products return the most, where, why and how much it costs).
• Defensible profitability: you can keep a good service without giving it away.

2026 is about balancing service, cost and circularity

Reverse logistics will continue to grow, but the market is making one thing clear: It's not sustainable that it's free and unlimited... unless the customer pays that cost or you turn it into an optimized operation.

If your operation already makes (or is going to make) returns, collections, exchanges or circularity like clean cardboard/packaging, the question is not whether you do it: it is How do you plan it to be profitable.

Routal it's designed just for that: deliveries + collected in a single schedule, with Vehicle capacity, optimization and operational control so that circularity is not a “parallel project”, but part of everyday life.

If you want to talk about your operations and how we could help improve their efficiency, Let's talk.

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‍Last mile, innovation, R&D, R+D+i, smart cities.

Urban logistics is undergoing its biggest transformation in decades. The growth of e-commerce, the pressure to reduce emissions and the saturation of cities have focused on a critical point that often goes unnoticed: loading and unloading areas.

This is where it is born SMART BAYS — Smart City with Flexible and Connected Management in Urban Loading and Unloading Zones, a strategic R+D+i project aligned with the European mission of Smart and Climate-Neutral Cities 2030 .

And yes, Routal is at the center of this innovation.

The real problem of the last mile in cities

Urban Merchandise Distribution (DUM) is one of the biggest challenges of urban mobility. Today, loading and unloading zones operate under a model:

• Static
• Not very flexible
• No real-time monitoring
• No integration with planning tools

The result:

• Double-row vehicles
• Urban congestion
• Increase in CO₂ emissions
• Drivers wasting time looking for a place
• Skyrocketing operating costs

SMART BAYS was created precisely to transform this model.

What is SMART BAYS?

SMART BAYS is a project of research and development (R+D+i) which proposes a new management model:

🔹 Dynamic loading and unloading zones

🔹 Real-time intelligent assignment

🔹 Connected monitoring

🔹 Urban digital twins

🔹 Advanced algorithm with AI

The project integrates technologies such as:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Big Data
• IoT
• Blockchain
• Digital Cufflinks

And it will be validated in multiple Spanish cities (Madrid, Zaragoza, Seville, Donostia, Valencia, Vitoria, Malaga), with a desire for European scalability.

The main objectives of the project

SMART BAYS proposes a structural transformation:

1. Create an algorithmic model for flexible management of CyD zones.
2. Design a real-time monitoring system.
3. Develop a digital twin to simulate urban scenarios.
4. Reduce emissions and unnecessary kilometers.
5. Improve road safety and traffic flow.

Expected impact:

• 🔻 -10% in logistics costs
• 🔻 -10% in CO₂ emissions
• 🔻 -80% in extra kilometers looking for parking
• 🔻 -50% in incidents due to improper parking

We are not talking about theory. We're talking about measurable efficiency.

Where does Routal fit into all this?

This is where last-mile innovation becomes truly powerful.

Within the consortium of 15 technological entities, universities, clusters and large logistics operators, Routal leads research in route optimization adapted to dynamic loading and unloading areas .

Routal's goal at SMART BAYS:

Develop an optimization model that:

• Plan routes considering dynamic availability of CyD seats
• Direct the driver to the nearest free space
• Integrate automatic space reservation
• Reduce waiting times
• Minimize emissions
• It adapts to demanding sectors such as HORECA, Pharma and Food

In other words:

connect last-mile planning with the reality of urban space in real time.

This completely changes the current paradigm.

From static zones to smart zones

Today, a planner designs routes without knowing if the driver will be able to park.

Tomorrow, with SMART BAYS + Routal:

• The system knows occupancy in real time.
• The algorithm optimizes considering availability.
• The driver receives intelligent instructions.
• The city obtains metrics for urban governance.

We are talking about truly connected urban logistics.

Applied Innovation, Not Theory

SMART BAYS is not an isolated pilot. It is a project with:

• 15 entities that are experts in logistics, mobility and technology
• Validation with real operators: food, pharmacy, vending, hair distribution

And above all:

a clear vision of a smart city applied to the last mile.

Why does this position Routal as a center of innovation?

Because Routal doesn't just optimize routes.

Routal:

• Research new algorithmic models.
• It integrates AI in complex urban scenarios.
• It collaborates with universities and technology centers.
• He actively participates in strategic R+D+i projects.
• Develop solutions aligned with climate neutrality.

While others talk about optimization,

Routal is redefining the digital infrastructure of the last mile.

The future of the last mile will be connected or it won't be

Innovation in urban logistics doesn't just involve electrifying fleets.

Go through:

• Digitizing urban space
• Integrate data in real time
• Automate decisions
• Reduce invisible friction

SMART BAYS demonstrates that the intelligent management of loading and unloading areas is a key element in transforming urban mobility.

And Routal is at the heart of that transformation.

Would you like to be part of this new generation of urban logistics?

If you're managing last-mile operations,

if you work in urban mobility,

if you are part of a public administration,

or if you simply want to reduce costs and emissions...

It's time to learn how Routal can help you plan the last mile with real intelligence.

👉 Innovation is no longer optional.

It's strategic.

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If your delivery operative lives in Survival mode (last-minute changes, impatient customers, new drivers every week and planners putting out fires), choose a route optimizer It's not about “putting directions on a map”. It Goes From Reduce stress, Standardize processes And Keep the service stable, even when the day turns twisted.

And here comes the uncomfortable part: In many companies, the “route optimizer” is still a person. The typical essential figure: “Leave it to X, who knows the city better than Google”. Spoiler: it's usually expensive.

In this article I leave you a Comparative list of optimizers 2026, highlighting Routal And comparing it to Circuit, Route4Me, Onfleet... and with the most common (and dangerous) alternative: manual planning.

The real problem with the cast: low training, high turnover and a very stressful environment

In the last mile, chaos is no exception: it's context.

• Drivers with Little Training (or Too Little Time to Train): you need the tool to be intuitive from minute 1.
• High turnover: if your operations depend on “key people”, every loss breaks your service.
• Operational stress: incidents, absences, peaks in demand, time windows... everything requires reacting quickly without losing control.
• Invisible cost: “Where's my order?” calls, redeliveries, extra kilometers and planners redoing routes by hand.

A good route optimizer doesn't just calculate the “shortest” order. It also helps you to Operate with Rules, monitor And Communicate ETAs with reliability.

What a route optimizer should have in 2026

If you're comparing tools, these are the capabilities that (today) make the difference:

1. Real usability: let the planner plan quickly and the driver doesn't get lost (or fight with the app).
2. Complex restrictions: time windows, capacity, zones, priorities, service times, skills, etc.
3. Reoptimization and incident management: last-minute changes without blowing up the day.
4. Real-time monitoring and operational visibility.
5. Communication with the customer: tracking and ETAs (fewer calls, more trust).
6. Constant support: when something happens, you need a response (not a “queued ticket”).

Comparison: Routal vs manual vs Circuit vs Route4Me vs Onfleet

1) Routal: the simplest, most efficient solution with the best support

Routal is designed to make the operation work Even if the equipment changes And the day comes crooked: quick planning, powerful restrictions, monitoring and communication, without turning the tool into a master's degree. Routal is positioned as a complete platform for Optimize and Monitor Last-mile operations and Communicate the estimated time of arrival In a precise way.

Where it shines especially

• Usability: plan routes in a very short time (without “setting up an airplane”).
• Complex operations with restrictions: time windows, capacities, zones, priorities, service times... (without going crazy).
• Support and support: a live, operation-oriented help center (planner, constraints, drivers, customers, integrations).
• Comprehensive platform: from planning to delivery and customer experience (and with integration capacity).

Impact when there is little training and high turnover
With Routal, you reduce dependence on the “hero employee”: anyone on the team can plan and execute according to rules, not memory.

Positioning data (if you want to use it in marketing): Routal reports savings of “+30% gas” and “90% of time” in planning/management, in addition to monitoring and communicating ETA. Use it as a claim with context (depends on the use case).

2) Manual optimizer: “the person who knows everything”... but is not as good as you think

Manual planning usually seems cheap because it already “exists”: someone with experience, an Excel, WhatsApp and Google Maps. But in 2026, that system has serious side effects:

What usually happens

• It Doesn't Scale: the more stops, the more chaos.
• It is not reproducible: If that person is missing, drop the service.
• It doesn't really optimize: Intuition doesn't calculate all possible combinations (let alone with restrictions).
• It Eats Your Margin: extra kilometers + redeliveries + time planner redoing routes.
• It increases stress: because everything depends on putting out fires manually.

If your company lives with turnover, peaks in demand or strict time windows, the manual ceases to be “artisanal” and becomes An Operational Risk.

3) Circuit (Circuit/Spoke): more basic at the functional level, great user experience

Circuit usually stands out for Simple user experience, especially for less complex scenarios or small teams. There is recent content that describes it as a tool designed to simplify planning, with a clear and easy interface for drivers.

When It Fits

• If you prioritize Facility and you don't need too much operational complexity.
• If your operation is more “linear” (fewer restrictions, fewer exceptions).

Where it may fall short

• When You Need Advanced Rules, complex restrictions or a lot of operational flexibility.
• When you go from “planning” to Manage Operation in Real Time with incidents.

4) Route4Me: very complex, many add-ons, high price

Route4Me is known for being powerful and with a large ecosystem, but its own structure of plans and packages may involve more complexity of purchase and configuration (model with different options/packages).

When It Fits

• Organizations that want a highly configurable “lego” and are willing to invest time in implementation and learning.

Where it slows down in stressful environments

• In operations with Little Training Or High turnover, complexity translates into friction.
• If every need is solved with an add-on, it's easy for cost and maintenance to grow.

5) Onfleet: specialized in on-demand (dispatch, tracking and POD)

Onfleet is clearly positioned as a last-mile management platform, with real-time tracking, customer notifications and proof of delivery (POD), in addition to auto-dispatch/optimization oriented to dynamic scenarios.

When It Fits

• If your operation is very On-Demand (orders come in all the time and you assign the “best” driver in real time).
• If you prioritize visibility, POD, and communications.

Where it may not be your best option

• If your main challenge is Complex planning (lots of restrictions and fine rules) and you're looking for a balance between power and ease for the team.

Quick summary (in case you're deciding this week)

• Do you want the best balance between usability + power + support for operating with stress and rotation? → Routal.
• Are you looking for something simple and with good UX for less complex cases and little support? → Circuit.
• Do you need a very “enterprise”, configurable system, with more complexity and possible add-ons? → Route4Me.
• Are your operations on demand and do you value dynamic dispatch? → Onfleet.
• Are you still doing manual planning? → eye: this is usually the biggest bottleneck in 2026.

Why Routal usually wins in companies with complex operations (without killing the team)

When there are low training, high turnover and stress, what you need is not “a tool with a thousand buttons”, but one that:

• Sea Easy to Adopt,
• Holder Real Restrictions,
• I'll Give You Real Time Control,
• And have Constant Support when the day gets complicated.

That's exactly where Routal usually stands out.

If you are comparing a route optimizer For 2026, the key question is:

‍Do you want a tool that your team will actually use, even when people change and plans change?
Routal is designed for that. If you want to know the tool, you can request a demonstration without obligation here.