tucsonsduke wrote:If I just drive the route a few times without setting an explicit destination, but while keeping Waze open, will Waze learn that this is a faster way? Do I need to program a route manually to have it route me on this trip and if so how do I do that?

You can just drive the way you want and Waze may adjust the routing. If it keeps trying to route you another way, you could always stop navigation mode and just drive with Waze running.

There is no way to manually program a route. All routing is served to the client from the Waze routing server (or in some cases if you don't have network connectivity the client can route on it's own - but the routing is generally not good). Keep in mind there is also an alternative routes button that may give you additional routing options.

Waze may or may offer the route that you had driven on future, similar trips. Waze will always try to route you the fastest way if you have that set in the options.

Waze is supposed to learn your favorite way (even if not the fastest) and present that option on the alternative routes screen with an icon of a heart. Based on feedback from other Wazers and confirmation from Waze support - that feature is currently not working.

Waze has decent algorithms and can modify certain map elements as Wazers are driving. Although to confuse you even more - if there are some serious underlying map issues such as streets that don't connect properly, etc. Waze may never present the route with these types of issues. In those cases, the route will need to be following in the Waze Map Editor checking all segments, junctions, and turn restrictions along the route.

tucsonsduke wrote:If I just drive the route a few times without setting an explicit destination, but while keeping Waze open, will Waze learn that this is a faster way?

Welcome! There are a few reasons that Waze might not suggest the best route.

1. Missing/inaccurate information
a. Waze lacks speed data for the desired route, or the data suggests the route is unrealistically slow (solution: drive the route a few times)
b. Waze's speed data for the routes it does suggest is unrealistically fast (solution: drive the other routes a few times, and/or wait for other Wazers to do it)

2. Road type: on longer routes*, Waze only looks at major road types* except for the beginning and end of the trip. If your route depends on a "lesser road" in the middle of a longish trip, Waze won't suggest it. (Solution: reclassify roads if appropriate)
* Where "longer" is >= 10km, and "major road type" >= Primary Street, IIRC)

3. Map problem
a. A restricted turn (or disconnected segment) will prevent Waze from suggesting a route
b. A connection where there shouldn't be one may cause Waze to think that one (or several) routes are better, even though they are not possible in reality.

The fun part is figuring out which one (or more) of these are the cause in your case, then watching it work.

Thank you, I'll try just that

On closer examination of the map there's a few places where the road breaks. I'll be able to edit and fix the road after my next trip, when Waze records me as having driven there.

Thanks for the help guys!