Driver tracking is a relatively new feature for delivery providers.

This feature wasn’t possible before small, efficient, cost-effective GPS tracking devices were developed, along with software that manages the data those devices create.

Yet in recent years the hardware and software for driver tracking has rapidly evolved, and become commercially available for delivery providers of every size.

In this short piece, we’ll detail:

• Why leading delivery providers are upgrading their driver tracking…
  
• How to know if you need to upgrade your own tracking systems…
  
• And how to do so by choosing the right driver tracking technology

Why are leading delivery providers upgrading their driver tracking systems?

Leading delivery providers have kept up with this trend, and maintained cutting edge driver tracking systems.

Their systems collect driver location data in real-time, display it on a map, and offer a wealth of features that create a better delivery experience for everyone involved.

With this modern driver tracking technology:

• Dispatchers see problems in real-time, make preventative changes to avoid delays, and hold their drivers accountable.
  
• Drivers get more information and guidance on how to ensure they complete their deliveries on-time, in full.
  
• Customers gain more visibility and control over their delivery experience, and always know where their delivery is and when it will arrive, even if it’s delayed.
  
• Delivery Providers create happier customers, more efficient deliveries, and a more scalable, efficient, and effective business.

However, some delivery providers still haven’t upgraded their tracking systems. They either don’t have any driver tracking technology, or they have outdated tools that lack core features like displaying a driver’s location on a map.  

If you are one of them, it’s a good idea to take stock of your current tracking capabilities, and to decide if they are truly enough — or if it’s time to upgrade to a modern system.

Here are a few questions to help you make that decision.

Do you need to upgrade your driver tracking system?

Most delivery providers would benefit from upgrading their driver tracking system.

Take a few minutes to ask yourself the following questions. You’ll learn if you really have the tracking technology you need, or if you’re leaving some benefits on the table by using outdated systems. 

• Do I always know where my drivers are during a delivery?
  
• Can I easily see their location on a map, and watch them move?
  
• Are my drivers always taking the best possible routes to deliver an order?
  
• Can I see potential delays in real-time? Or do I always hear about them after the delivery has arrived late?
  
• Do I know if my drivers are working as I expect them to, or if they’re taking a break when they’re not supposed to?
  
• Do my customers know when their delivery has been picked up, where their driver is, and when to expect their order?
  
• How much time do my dispatchers spend manually tracking and updating deliveries?
  
• Am I ok with the level of certainty I have with how my orders are being delivered, or do I feel uncomfortable with what I don’t know or can’t see?
  

If you aren’t happy with your answers, it may be time to upgrade your driver tracking system. Here’s how.

How to upgrade your driver tracking systems

Upgrading your driver tracking systems is a technology challenge, solved by selecting the right hardware and software.

For hardware, there are many small, inexpensive GPS trackers on the market. Some delivery tracking systems can also use your driver’s smartphone to track their location with no other hardware needed.

For software, there are a few options on the market. When evaluating your options, choose one that provides the following features (at minimum). Your software must:

• Log a driver’s real-time GPS location on a map and show them moving, so dispatchers can proactively trouble-shoot any potential delays
  
• Collect, update, and display data on when the driver has picked up an order, and when they are projected to deliver it
  
• Send customers a tracking link where they can see their driver’s location, movement, and pick-up and estimated delivery times in an intuitive dashboard
  
• Automate most of the delivery tracking process, and removing as much ambiguity as possible
  
• Combine driver tracking with as many other delivery management features as possible, to create an end-to-end system for your dispatchers

By implementing a driver tracking system with these features, you’ll dramatically improve your ability to monitor your services, smooth out your internal operations, and ensure your customers always get their orders on time, in full.

To learn more about one delivery management platform with complete, modern driver tracking, click here.