Shortest route vs best route question.

My previous company paid that way and mandated fuel stops which essentially tied you to their 'route suggestion' as they called it. The average variance was 14% paid vs actual.

I dealt with it by finding a much better company that pays practical miles, doesn't route us or mandate fuel stops and my variance between paid and actual is now less than 1%

I have to agree with a21cav. Follow your routing they give you until you get some time in. Once you learn your way around and what roads are good and what roads aren't, then you can start learning the shortcuts.