How much travel buffer should you leave between appointments?

Build the buffer from its parts

• Pack-down after the first service
• Expected drive or travel time
• Parking and access
• Setup before the next service
• A proportionate uncertainty margin

Use a range, not wishful thinking

Review ordinary, easy and difficult transitions in your area. A buffer based only on the quickest journey will fail on normal days; a buffer based only on the worst case may make too few slots available.

Let distance change the answer

If one customer is five minutes away and another is across the service area, a single fixed gap cannot be precise for both. Variable travel estimates become more valuable as the geography changes.

Worked example

Allow 10 minutes to pack, 20 minutes for the expected drive, 5 minutes to park and 10 minutes to set up. The operational transition is 45 minutes before considering an additional margin for local uncertainty.

Review without overcorrecting

• Record the cause of delays.
• Update service duration when the work overruns.
• Update travel rules when journeys are wrong.
• Keep a safety margin even when estimates improve.