Driver App for a Regional Freight Operator
Mobile driver app with route optimisation, proof of delivery and real-time dispatch updates. Replaced paper run sheets and phone-based dispatch for a regional freight company.
Regional freight and distribution operator — WA metro and regional
A freight company running 18 trucks across Perth metro and regional WA. Daily deliveries ranged from 80–120 drops. Drivers received paper run sheets each morning, filled out paper proof-of-delivery slips, and called dispatch by phone for updates.
The office had no real-time visibility into where drivers were, which deliveries had been completed, or what time customers could expect their freight. Customer service handled constant "where is my delivery?" calls.
What needed to change
Paper run sheets and phone dispatch. Drivers picked up their printed run sheet at 5am and were essentially offline for the day. Route changes required a phone call to each affected driver. Run sheets got wet, lost or were illegible.
No real-time tracking. The office did not know where any truck was or which deliveries had been completed until the driver returned at the end of the day with a stack of paper POD slips.
Proof of delivery was unreliable. Paper POD slips were often incomplete — missing signatures, no time stamps, no photos. Disputes with customers about delivery times and conditions had no reliable evidence trail.
What we built
A mobile driver app with route optimisation, real-time dispatch, digital proof of delivery and GPS tracking — paired with a dispatch dashboard for operations.
Driver App
Android app for drivers with today's route, turn-by-turn navigation, delivery instructions and digital proof of delivery — signature capture, photo evidence and timestamp.
Route Optimisation
Automated route planning based on delivery locations, time windows, truck capacity and traffic. Re-optimises in real time when new pickups or changes are dispatched.
Dispatch Dashboard
Web dashboard for the dispatch team — real-time GPS positions of all trucks, delivery progress, ETA calculations and the ability to push route changes directly to drivers.
Customer Notifications
Automated SMS/email to customers with delivery ETA and real-time tracking link. Reduces "where is my delivery?" calls to customer service.
How it works
Dispatch creates the run
Dispatch loads delivery jobs into the system. Route optimisation calculates the best sequence based on locations, time windows and truck capacity.
Driver receives the route
The optimised route appears on the driver's app with turn-by-turn navigation and delivery instructions for each stop.
Driver completes each delivery
At each drop, the driver captures proof of delivery — digital signature, photo of goods, GPS timestamp. Takes 30 seconds vs 2+ minutes for paper.
Dashboard updates in real time
Dispatch sees each delivery completed as it happens. GPS positions update continuously. Any delays or issues are visible immediately.
Customer receives ETA notification
Customers get an SMS with a tracking link 30 minutes before estimated arrival. The link shows the driver's real-time position.
Measurable outcomes
Our drivers were skeptical at first — they had been using paper run sheets for 20 years. Within a week they did not want to go back. The nav is better, the POD is faster, and they do not have to call the office every time something changes.
How we delivered it
Ride-Alongs & Discovery
2 weeksSpent 3 days riding with drivers and 2 days in the dispatch office. Mapped the complete delivery workflow from job creation to POD filing. Identified pain points for drivers, dispatch and customers.
App & Backend Build
6 weeksBuilt the driver app with offline capability, the route optimisation engine, dispatch dashboard and customer notification system. Integrated GPS tracking and digital POD capture.
Testing & Pilot
3 weeksPiloted with 4 drivers for 3 weeks. Refined based on real-world feedback — improved navigation, added quick-capture for POD, and optimised battery usage for all-day GPS tracking.
Full Rollout
1 weekRolled out to all 18 drivers. Trained dispatch team on the dashboard. Launched customer tracking notifications. Decommissioned paper run sheets and POD slips.
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