In my lab today we had a discussion over the proper way to say the word “Route” dictionaries and professional linguists who were consulted give both “root” and “rout” as acceptable pronunciations, leaving us no wiser than before.
But online, we find this Dialect survey (color matching the map).
“26. route (as in, “the route from one place to another”)
a. rhymes with “hoot” (29.99%)
b. rhymes with “out” (19.72%)
c. I can pronounce it either way interchangeably (30.42%)
d. I say it like “hoot” for the noun and like “out” for the verb. (15.97%)
e. I say it like “out” for the noun and like “hoot” for the verb. (2.50%)
f. other (1.40%)
(11137 respondents)“
As a north-easterner myself, It was always take Root 29 or Root 95, but in the South, we were on Rout 85. In the midwest, it seems more Rout than Root. In any case the “e” is superfluous, as it doesn’t modify in a consistent way, since we already have a double vowel. The word is also superfluous, since we already have the word “road” from the same root. Damn French imports.
Etymology online says: route (n.)
early 13c., from O.Fr. rute “road, way, path,” from L. rupta (via) “(a road) opened by force,” from rupta, fem. pp. of rumpere “to break” (see rupture). Sense of “fixed or regular course for carrying things” (cf. mail route) is 1792, an extension of the meaning “customary path of animals” (early 15c.).
See also this on Highway Linguistics
David Levinson, Transportist 
I don’t care whether people say “root” or “rout” for highways (I’m sure I switch between both), but I do get really annoyed when people talking in the context of networking use “rooter” when talking about routers.
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I thinks its more important to focus on those who run the route than the pronunciation of the word. People don’t realize how important the route is until they need to use it. Id like to share a glimpse into those who use these roads everyday.
A Glimpse on the Life of a Driver Hauling a Vehicle all Over the Country
If you think that the driver who is tasked to do the job of hauling a vehicle have an easy time doing it, then you are wrong. A person who is thinking of engaging in a car shipping or transporting business should gain a full understanding about some facts linked to this industry. While this is a fascinating business for those who enjoy driving long distances, doing this for a profession is tough. This requires tough people who are capable of smoothly handling all the tasks at hand regardless of the distance that they need to drive. Drivers in this field should also have the experience in handling heavy-duty and highly dangerous cargo transportation. This is the main reason why you need to be really careful when choosing an auto transporter if you are thinking of shipping your car to another place.
The life of a driver under the shipping industry is hard considering that they are usually required to transport vehicles at destinations far-off. Their job even requires them to drive for more than three days while consuming another three or more days to go back. What is harder about their job is that they need to be away from their family for several days just to get paid. Because of the somewhat exhausting job, it is no longer surprising why drivers under this field find it hard to stick to the profession for a long time. The tough challenges in the road while spending time away from family are already enough reasons for some drivers to quit the job. So you really have to make sure that you pick someone who is dedicated enough to complete the hauling and shipping tasks that you want done.
Hauling a vehicle and shipping it is also considered to be an extremely challenging task considering the bulky nature of some of the vehicles that are in need of shipping. Because of this, the life of a driver under this industry requires courage so they will never have a difficult time dealing with the daunting task of driving for prolonged hours and days and ensuring that they do not face accidents along the road. There are even drivers who are already living in their vehicles. The vehicles have already become their home considering the long destinations that they need to reach. It is where they rest for a few minutes or hours, eat and drive again. This holds especially true for long haul truck drivers.
Most auto transport companies make sure that they hire the right amount of people to ensure that the process of hauling a vehicle and shipping it is safely completed. There are those that hire lead drivers who are fully responsible for everything that is related to the shipping process. A lead driver in this industry is someone who takes responsibility in immediately informing the owner of the vehicle for any needed repairs. He is also responsible in the proper scheduling of fuel stops and oil changes while also driving even at night. A second-seat driver may also be around to help in completing all the paper works including the fuel receipts, permits, log book, bill of lading and the specific directions for delivery and pickup. Taking into consideration all the tasks that need to be completed when working in an auto transport company as well as the fact that drivers live in an area smaller than bathrooms, it is safe to assume that the lives of these drivers are among the most challenging not to mention the most dangerous ones.
Reference:
http://www.toprankautotransport.com/a-glimpse-on-the-life-of-a-driver-hauling-a-vehicle-all-over-the-country/
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