Logistics and fleet operations
Software for Logistics and Fleet Operators
Dispatch happens on the phone and a whiteboard, proof of delivery arrives as a photo in a group chat, and the only person who knows where everything is is the dispatcher.
Where it hurts
If more than two of these are true, there is a project here
We hear these from dispatch managers, fleet managers and operations directors more than anything else.
- Loads are assigned by phone call and remembered, not recorded
- Customers call to ask where their delivery is because there is nothing to show them
- Proof of delivery is paper, or a photo that lives in somebody's phone
- Telematics data sits in one portal and the job data sits in another
- Nobody can say what a route actually cost versus what it was quoted at
What we build
The pieces that usually matter first
Driver app
Jobs, navigation handoff, status updates, offline tolerant
Dispatch board
Live view of loads, drivers and exceptions in one screen
Proof of delivery capture
Photo, signature and timestamp attached to the job, not a chat thread
Customer tracking page
A link the customer opens instead of calling you
Telematics integration
Vehicle location and hours joined to the job record
Route and cost reporting
Planned against actual, per route and per customer
Systems we connect
None of this works in isolation
Whatever we build has to agree with the systems that already hold your numbers.
- ERP integrationREST, SOAP or direct database access, depending on the vendor
- QuickBooks integrationREST API via the Intuit developer platform
- Xero integrationREST API with OAuth 2.0
- WhatsApp Business integrationWhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API)
How we start
Small, and in production
One depot or one lane, four to six weeks, with the driver app in real hands before anything else gets built.
- Mobile App Development for logistics and fleetsOne codebase, both stores, shipped and maintained properly.
- Web App Development for logistics and fleetsFast, maintainable web products that your team can keep building on.
- AI & Automation for logistics and fleetsPut AI where it removes work, not where it looks impressive.
FAQ
Common questions
Can you work with our existing TMS or telematics?
Yes, and usually we should. Samsara, Motive and most TMS platforms expose APIs, so we read from them rather than replacing them. Where the data is locked behind a portal only, a scheduled export is often enough.
Our drivers lose signal. Does that break it?
It should not. Driver apps need to work offline and sync when the signal returns, which means queueing actions locally and handling conflicts deliberately. Anything built on the assumption of constant connectivity fails in this industry.
How is this different from buying an off-the-shelf TMS?
If an off-the-shelf product fits your operation, buy it, it will be cheaper. Custom is worth it when your operation does something the products do not model, which is usually the case in specialised freight, or when the licence cost per driver stops making sense at your headcount.
What does a project like this cost?
Scope decides the number, and we quote it line by line after a call rather than before. We run two delivery tracks: a blended squad at roughly $24 to $45 per hour for straightforward builds, and a senior-only pod at roughly $75 to $120 per hour where architecture, security review and a compressed timeline matter. Most first projects here land in the four to six week range.
Keep exploring
Other operations we build for
- Fintech and bankingBalances are stored and updated rather than derived from a ledger
- Manufacturing operationsOperators log production on paper, and somebody types it in the next morning
- Field service operationsScheduling is a shared calendar and a lot of phone calls
- Healthcare operationsPatient intake is a clipboard, then re-typed into the system
- Retail operationsStore tasks go out by email or group chat with no way to see completion
- Agri and food processingEach machine holds its own data and nobody joins it up
Let's talk
Tell us what you're building.
Get a free 30-minute strategy call. You'll leave with a clear plan, a realistic estimate and our honest opinion, whether or not you work with us.
- Email usmail@voliom.com