How are Shift Distances Calculated?

Shift distances within the Relief Buddy app are calculated in 2 different ways depending on what you're doing. 

The primary way distance is calculated on the Relief Buddy platform is via straight-line distance, direct distance, Euclidean, or most commonly know as-the-crow-flies distance between two points. These terms all refer to the shortest possible distance between two locations, ignoring any obstacles or detours.

When searching for shifts on the shift search page the platform uses the as-the-crow-flies method to quickly calculate the distance and give users a guide on how far away the shift is. 

Example of "Shift Search" showing the as-the-crow-flies distance:

The second way distance is calculated using the real-world travel distance, which will be longer than as-the-crow-flies because of the need to follow roads or other routes. The real-world travel distance is only calculated when viewing the shift details and there is a travel allowance set. 

Example of "Shift Details" showing the real-world travel distance:

To tell if a Travel Allowance is offered look for this symbol on the "Shift Search" page.

Important Note: If Travel Allowance is not offered, then only the as-the-crow-flies distance is used. If a shift is later updated with Travel Allowance, the system will automatically calculate the real-world travel distance and apply that to the shift.

Visual example as-the-crow-flies distance vs real-world travel distance: