Hi, here are screenshots of some cases where Waze suggested a longer route than the usual one, even though there weren’t even any traffic jams at the time.
The logic isn’t clear to me.
Additionally, in older versions of the app, it was possible to understand the direction/lane where the traffic jam was located; today, you have to zoom in a lot on the screen to understand which side of the route the traffic jam is on.
In short, I’m sorry to report that Waze is no longer really used for navigation because it’s misleading.
What you’re describing regarding a longer route can happen for all sorts of reasons. The problem is that to find out exactly what happened on that specific trip, you need to send a log and then report the issue to the company in detail.
What I suggest is that the next time you encounter a route that you think is longer than another—not by a minute (which is negligible) but more—take a screenshot of the suggested route and the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival), then drive the way you think is shorter. Take a screenshot when you’re nearing your destination so they can see the ETA you get near the destination, and that it’s much earlier than the ETA that was suggested to you. At the end of the trip, send a log of the trip (via the Help menu (Help), click “Send Log”). Note the time you sent it. Afterwards, write a description of the problem here along with the time the log was sent, your device details (e.g., Galaxy S25), the operating system (e.g., Android), and the app version (go to Settings – About, and it’s written there). State what your starting point and destination were.
After all this, it will be possible to report the problem to the company. It’s not certain they’ll find the bug, but there’s a chance.
Regarding the direction of traffic congestion, you’re welcome to suggest returning to the previous view in the Waze Suggestion Box.
I suggest checking if Avoid main roads happens to be selected in your route preferences.
You’re marked on a motorcycle… maybe it’s related
You’re right, Waze has made the same mistake with me several times, but when I checked Google Maps, it made the same error. I got home in 40 minutes; if I’d listened to Waze, it would have taken an hour and a half!!! This has happened more than once, so unfortunately, I no longer trust Waze until there’s a notice from the company that the issue has been fixed. Fortunately, I was born in '73 and know it all by heart with high intuition, but the new generation is in trouble.