--- title: UPS Trucks Don’t Turn Left and Neither Should You description: The decision to keep right is the result of a complex mathematical problem that has saved UPS millions of dollars. canonical: https://time.com/4727707/ups-no-left-turns/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-04-21T13:51:13.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:45:07.384Z og:title: UPS Trucks Don’t Turn Left and Neither Should You og:description: It has saved UPS millions of dollars og:url: https://time.com/4727707/ups-no-left-turns/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: UPS Trucks Don’t Turn Left and Neither Should You twitter:description: It has saved UPS millions of dollars twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # UPS Trucks Don’t Turn Left and Neither Should You > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=204fc23d-2a3a-433b-8012-c7041127607f&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: These 200 Mile-Per-Hour Race Cars Are Driven By Computers [Watch (HLS stream): These 200 Mile-Per-Hour Race Cars Are Driven By Computers](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/9gJmhScM.m3u8) (0:58)  _Published 2017-03-01. Roborace, the driverless car championship that has been under development for more than a year, unveiled its vision for the future on stage Monday at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona._ by [Cailey Rizzo / Travel + Leisure](https://time.com/author/travel-leisure/) ## Cailey Rizzo / Travel + Leisure Apr 21, 2017 1:51 PM UTC by [Cailey Rizzo / Travel + Leisure](https://time.com/author/travel-leisure/) ## Cailey Rizzo / Travel + Leisure Apr 21, 2017 1:51 PM UTC UPS drivers will never turn left—and other drivers should consider doing the same. If you follow a delivery truck along its route, you will see it avoid left turns. This isn’t some superstition involving packages and cross-traffic turns. It’s actually the result of a complex mathematical problem equation that has saved UPS millions of dollars. Vehicle routing problems were developed in 1959 as a way to organize moving objects. Basically [these types of problems](http://neo.lcc.uma.es/vrp/vehicle-routing-problem/) take into account of variety of factors to determine the best way to get from point A to B. One of these equations is [working inside UPS trucks](https://priceonomics.com/why-ups-trucks-dont-turn-left/) to help drivers find the best possible way to deliver their packages (Google Maps this program is not). UPS’s vehicle routing software has determined that turning left is a waste of time and money. (Well, not left specifically. The rule applies to countries where cars drive on the righthand side of the road.) Although reducing cross-traffic turns may increase time spent to get to a destination, it reduces chances of an accident and eliminates time spent waiting for traffic to make a turn (which wastes fuel). The policy was announced back in 2004 and has since helped the company use 10 million gallons less fuel, emit 20,000 less tonnes of carbon dioxide and deliver 350,000 more packages. However some left turns are unavoidable. The company says that left turns make up less than 10 percent of all UPS truck turns. So what is there to learn from all of this? Although the whole thing may seem far-fetched, Mythbusters put UPS’s rule to the test and found that eliminating left turns does save fuel. [As _The Conversation_ argues](https://theconversation.com/why-ups-drivers-dont-turn-left-and-you-probably-shouldnt-either-71432), if everybody agreed to no longer turn left, it could translate into massive savings and reduced carbon emissions from everybody on the road. But (unfortunately) people are generally unwilling to change their ways unless it benefits them personally. Although right turns only would eliminate waits at intersections, it could also tack on extra time to a drive. But for those who are willing to consider an extra couple of minutes in exchange for fuel savings, eliminating left turns on upcoming road trips could actually be the wisest decision you make behind the wheel. _This_ [_article_](http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/ground-transportation/why-ups-trucks-dont-turn-left) _originally appeared on_ [_TravelandLeisure.com_](http://travelandleisure.com) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] We all believe the future of automotive industry is going to be driverless, electric and connected, but we don't see anything like this in racing right now, so it's the place where we push the boundaries. [ MUSIC ] Today if you take young people, Most of the people, they don't want to drive anymore. They don't want to own the cars. And this is, exactly, it represents the future. 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