Get drivers to the right entrance with Mapbox Geocoding

Leading on-demand logistics companies building with Mapbox see that 70% of failed deliveries in the last 100 meters occur in the final 10 meters.. The latest release from Mapbox addresses the ‘final meters’ problem by adding building entrance data to the Mapbox Geocoding API, now available in public preview for addresses across the United States.

From the last mile to the last meters

In on-demand logistics companies and drivers are under increasing pressure to move efficiently and avoid mistakes. Small differences in navigation data can lead to delays, failed deliveries, and mounting costs. Problems often occur after the driver arrives at the destination. Inefficient or misplaced drop-off locations are estimated to account for 19% of logistics costs arising from support requests, dwell time, lost packages, missed rides, and redeliveries. 

Getting a driver or courier to exactly the right door is harder than it should be, especially in dense cities and large buildings. Even if a rooftop geocode is correct, a pin placed in the middle of a building does not tell a driver the best door to use or how to avoid extra walking. Internal analysis with delivery partners shows that around a third of drivers lose time because they cannot find the right door

Mapbox Geocoding introduces entrance data

The Mapbox Geocoding API now returns specific building entrance location data, enabling routing to and visualization of door locations. The initial public preview release covers entrance door locations for over 100 million addresses in the United States.

The entrance location data is included in the API response alongside the rooftop coordinates for an address. Companies using Mapbox geocoding can now shift the experience from simply “you have arrived at your destination” to “this is the door you enter.”

To see entrance data in action, enable entrances in the geocoding playground. 

Entrance data improves efficiency and accuracy for geocoders

Companies building with Mapbox geocoding can now route drivers to within five meters or less of a precise door location, educing wrong-side-of-building arrivals and time spent searching for the right door. 

The result is that drivers can complete more deliveries (or rider pickups and dropoffs) per hour, spend less time per stop, and place fewer calls to support teams. Customers benefit from orders and rides that arrive faster, with fewer missed deliveries or messages to drivers.

Enable and test entrance data today

Entrance data is publicly available in the Mapbox Geocoding API (version 5 documentation) and version 6 documentation. To access entrance data, add just one new parameter to API queries: entrances=true

The API will then include a new property in the API response, found within the routable point array:

"routable_points": [
    {"name": "default", "latitude": 40.6716, "longitude": -111.506529},
    {"name": "entrance", "latitude": 40.6719, "longitude": -111.506531, “accuracy”: “high”}
]

Note: While entrance data is in public preview, request parameters, response structure, and data availability may change. Please refer to the latest Mapbox Geocoding API documentation.

How to test entrance data

Initial testing of entrance data is best done using a simple offline comparison that can be run quickly at scale: 

1. First, run existing geocoder locations and Mapbox entrance points against the same set of addresses. 
2. Then, compare each result to a known reference point (for example, a past delivery location or other ground-truth coordinate) and measure which point is closer to the reference.

The resulting distance-to-reference metric quantifies how often Mapbox entrance data places drivers closer to the correct entrance. The metric can be directly correlated to the efficiency gains, reduced dwell time, and lower support volume that would result from deploying Mapbox entrance locations in a production environment.

Frequently asked questions

What is entrance data in the Mapbox Geocoding API?

Entrance data provides coordinates for actual building entrances instead of a single point in the center of a building. The door-level precision helps to route drivers to the correct door.

Does using entrance data have an associated cost? 

During the public preview, entrance data is included in the existing price of the Mapbox Geocoding API with no extra charge. When entrance data moves to general availability, pricing may be subject to change. Please refer to the latest Mapbox Geocoding API documentation.

Where is Mapbox entrance data available today?

Entrance data is currently available in public preview in the United States, with expansion to more regions planned soon.

How do I enable entrance data in the Mapbox Geocoding API?

Add the parameter entrances=true to existing Geocoding API requests, and use the entrance property in the routable_points object. No additional setup is required. Read the documentation.