A method is provided, which optimizes a represented route of a traveling object. The method herein provides route representation compatible with various sampling protocols and accounts for high velocity states and near stand still states. In addition, route representation can be optimized for a given number of waypoints, accommodating a maximum waypoint storage file size. Waypoints are captured and significance scores are calculated and compared. The least significant waypoint is discarded in favor of a subsequently captured waypoint and the significance of waypoints surrounding the discarded waypoint are recalculated. By quantified waypoint selection the user can obtain an optimized route representation with quantified errors from a manageable number of waypoints.