Set avoidance zones
Create avoidance zones in Upper by drawing a Restricted Area on the map under Coverage. Stops inside the zone get flagged so you can route around closures and no-go areas.
Upper handles avoidance zones through Restricted Areas in your Service Area settings. You draw the area on a map, give it a name, and save it. From then on, any stop that falls inside that area is flagged as being inside a restricted zone, so you can spot it and route around it.
A note on labels: Your workspace may show Technician and Service wording (for example "Assign Technicians") instead of Driver and Delivery. The steps are the same either way.
Why this matters
Some areas you simply do not want your drivers entering — a downtown block closed for an event, a gated community whose access point your vehicles can't use, or a neighborhood outside your service commitment. A Restricted Area lets you mark that boundary once on the map. After that, Upper flags any stop that lands inside it, so a problem stop stands out before a route goes out the door rather than after a driver is already on the way.
Before you start
- You need access to Settings to open the Coverage section.
- It helps to know roughly where the boundary sits before you start drawing — a quick sketch makes the map step faster.
Create a Restricted Area
Open Settings
Go to Settings, then open Coverage > Service Area. The Service Area screen lists any zones you already have, with their Area Name, Area Type (Allowed or Restricted), and Status, alongside a map.
Start a new restricted area
Click the + (add) button above the zone list. In the dropdown, choose Create Restricted Area.
Name the area
In the Area Name field, type a name you'll recognize later — for example "Downtown construction" or "North side gated community." The name is required; you can't save without one.
Draw the boundary on the map
Use the map to draw the area you want to restrict. You can switch between Map and Satellite views and search for a location to zoom to. Click Draw Area to outline the zone on the map.
Save
Click Save. The new Restricted Area appears in the zone list with a status of Active.
What a Restricted Area does
- Stops inside the area are flagged. Upper marks a stop that falls inside a Restricted Area as being inside a restricted zone. The stop is flagged, not removed — it stays in your list so you can decide what to do with it.
- You can keep more than one. Allowed and Restricted areas can both be active at the same time.
- Areas can be assigned to drivers. Service areas are defined here under Coverage and can be assigned to specific drivers from the user list, so coverage can differ per driver.
Service Area also has an Allowed Area type, which marks where you do want to work rather than where to stay out. A Restricted Area is the no-go version. This article covers the Restricted Area.
After you create a zone, run a route with a stop near the boundary and check whether stops inside the area get flagged the way you expect. That confirms the boundary is drawn where you intended.
Common uses
| Use case | When to apply |
|---|---|
| Construction or closures | A street, intersection, or block that's temporarily blocked |
| Gated communities you can't enter | A permanent boundary around an access point your vehicles can't use |
| Out-of-service neighborhoods | Areas outside your service commitment or safety policy |
Troubleshooting
Related
Optimize for time vs distance
Upper optimizes routes in two modes — Time minimizes total completion time, Distance minimizes total miles. Pick by what matters more: windows or fuel.
Add or remove stops from an optimized route
Add new stops or delete existing ones on a route in Upper, then re-optimize so the sequence stays efficient. Edit any route in the route builder.