System having automated route generation and optimization

1. A system for managing waste services by a service vehicle, comprising:

a locating device configured to generate a location signal indicative of a location of the service vehicle;

a sensor configured to generate a service signal indicative of a waste service being performed by the service vehicle;

an input device; and

a processing unit in communication with the locating device, the sensor, and the input device, the processing unit being configured to:

make a determination that the service vehicle has made a plurality of service stops based on the location and service signals;

automatically generate at least one service route shown as a geometric shape including the plurality of service stops, wherein the geometric shape encompasses, touches, or passes through electronic representations of the plurality of service stops;

display the at least one service route and the plurality of service stops on a map in at least one graphical user interface on the input device;

receive drag and drop input from a user in association with the geometric shape;

responsively organize the plurality of service stops into a custom route;

receive a selection from the user regarding a desired type of service vehicle to complete the custom route; and

selectively adjust at least one of a size and a shape of the geometric shape based on the selection.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the geometric shape is one of a circle, a polygon, and a line.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the geometric shape has at least one of a size and a shape corresponding with a type of the service vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

receive an identity assignment of a particular service vehicle to complete the custom route; and

selectively communicate information regarding the custom route to the input device of the particular service vehicle based on the identity assignment.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause the information to be displayed within the at least one graphical user interface.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the service vehicle is one of a plurality of service vehicles, each separately equipped with the locating device and the sensor; and

the at least one service route includes a plurality of service routes, each associated with a different one of the plurality of service vehicles.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processing unit is configured to display the plurality of service routes and the plurality of stops on the map.

8. A method for managing waste services by a service vehicle, the method comprising:

generating a location signal indicative of a location of the service vehicle;

generating a service signal indicative of a waste service being performed by the service vehicle;

making a determination that the service vehicle has made a plurality of service stops based on the location and service signals;

automatically generating at least one service route including the plurality of service stops, wherein the at least one service route is shown as a geometric shape including encompassing, touching, or passing through electronic representations of the plurality of service stops;

displaying the at least one service route and the plurality of service stops on a map in at least one graphical user interface;

receiving drag and drop input from a user in association with the geometric shape;

responsively organizing the plurality of service stops into a custom route;

receiving a selection from the user regarding a desired type of service vehicle to complete the custom route; and

selectively adjusting at least one of a size and a shape of the geometric shape based on the selection.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein displaying the at least one service route as the geometric shape includes displaying the at least one service route as one of a circle, a polygon, and a line.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the size and the shape of the geometric shape corresponds with a type of the service vehicle.

11. The method of claim 8 , further including:

receiving an identity assignment of a particular service vehicle to complete the custom route; and

selectively communicating information regarding the custom route to the particular service vehicle based on the identity assignment.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the service vehicle is one of a plurality of service vehicles; and

the method further includes automatically generating a plurality of service routes, each associated with a different one of the plurality of service vehicles.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein displaying the at least one service route and the plurality of service stops on the map includes displaying the plurality of service routes and the plurality of stops on the map.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer-executable programming instructions for performing a method for managing waste services by a plurality of service vehicles, the method comprising:

generating location signals indicative of locations of the plurality of service vehicles;

generating service signals indicative of waste services being performed by the plurality of service vehicles;

making determinations that the plurality of service vehicles have made a plurality of service stops based on the location and service signals;

automatically generating a plurality of service routes including the plurality of service stops;

displaying the plurality of service routes as geometric shapes encompassing, touching, or passing through electronic representations of the plurality of service stops on a map in at least one graphical user interface;

receiving drag & drop input from a user in association with the geometric shapes; and

responsively organizing the plurality of service stops into at least one custom route;

receiving a selection from the user regarding a desired type of service vehicle to complete the custom route; and

selectively adjusting at least one of a size and a shape of the geometric shape based on the selection.