Dispatching

Dispatching is the process of assigning a driver to a route and sending it to their mobile app. It is the bridge between route planning (done by dispatchers in the web dashboard) and route execution (done by drivers in the field).

Dispatching Workflow

1. Review the Route

Before dispatching, review the draft route:

• Verify the stop list is correct
• Ensure no stops need to be added or removed
• Check that the route has been optimized for efficient travel

2. Assign a Driver

Each route needs a driver. Drivers can be assigned in three ways:

• Zone default: If the service zone has a default_driver_id, it is automatically inherited by generated routes
• Manual assignment: Select a driver from the dropdown on the route detail page
• API: Set driver_id when creating or updating the route

3. Assign a Vehicle (Optional)

Vehicles can be assigned similarly:

• Zone default: Inherited from default_vehicle_id on the zone
• Manual assignment: Select from the vehicle dropdown
• API: Set vehicle_id on the route

4. Dispatch

Click the Dispatch button (or update the route status to dispatched via API). This:

1. Changes the route status from draft (or optimized) to dispatched
2. Sends a push notification to the assigned driver's mobile device
3. Makes the route visible in the driver's mobile app
4. Records the status change in the audit log

From the API

PUT https://api.nextroute.app/api/routes/:id
Authorization: Bearer <token>
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "status": "dispatched",
  "driver_id": "driver_abc123",
  "vehicle_id": "vehicle_def456"
}

Route Status Progression

Bulk Dispatching

You can dispatch multiple routes at once from the Daily Routes view:

1. Go to Daily Routes
2. Select the date
3. Check the routes you want to dispatch
4. Click Dispatch Selected

All selected routes are dispatched simultaneously, and each assigned driver receives a push notification.

Driver Notification

When a route is dispatched, the assigned driver receives:

• Push notification on their mobile device with the route name and date
• The route appears in their active routes list in the mobile app

Drivers can view the route stops, navigate to addresses, and begin completing stops once dispatched.

Undispatching

If you need to pull a route back (e.g., driver called in sick):

1. Change the route's driver to a different team member
2. The new driver receives a notification
3. Or change the status back to draft if the route should not be executed today

Note: Once a route is in_progress, it cannot be undispatched. Individual stops can still be modified.

Related

• Daily Routes — route lifecycle and stop statuses
• Driver Mobile App — how drivers interact with dispatched routes
• Live Tracking — monitoring routes in progress