Top dispatch route software

One software = enormous solutions.

Indeed, dispatch routing software has brought a paradigm shift in the transportation and logistics industry. This one-stop software solution does everything from managing routing operations to dispatching tasks.

Imagine the time and resources saved when dispatchers and managers can effortlessly plan, optimize, and assign routes with just a few clicks. Earlier, it used to consume hours when done manually, but dispatching software helps streamline the work and improves performance across all parameters.

This streamlined approach increases productivity and improves overall customer satisfaction by ensuring timely deliveries and services. So, one-click driver dispatching is your go-to solution.

With a range of dispatch routing software, select one option that meets your requirements, like route optimization, real-time tracking, integration with an existing platform, and accurate ETAs and notifications. The right solution will help you optimize routes, improve customer service, and get control of overall operations.

Let’s look at the top 10 best dispatch routing software to choose from, which saves time and fuel consumption.

The Best Dispatch Routing Software

Upper

star(5.0)
Best Route Dispatching Software

Starting price

$80/month

Free trial

7 days

Key features

One-click dispatch, Track drivers’ location, Collect proof of delivery

Upper is the top route dispatching software that makes it effortless to dispatch multiple routes to multiple drivers. Using this software, users can plan the most efficient routes for deliveries/services, considering factors like location & time, time window, service time, priorities, and vehicle type.

Once you have planned & optimized routes, then you can dispatch those routes to your drivers as per their availability. Automate dispatch operations quickly and streamline your routing process with multiple drivers effortlessly.

Features

  • Simply import a CSV or Excel file to add hundreds of stops at a time
  • Plan and optimize routes based on time or distance as per your preference
  • Plan driver routes considering factors like time window, service time, priorities, and vehicle type
  • Dispatch multiple routes to multiple drivers effortlessly with Upper’s one-click dispatch
  • Prioritize urgent deliveries and delight your customers
  • Schedule optimized routes in advance and dispatch them to drivers
  • Drivers can collect proof of delivery with photos, notes, and e-signatures
  • Swap routes between drivers in case of emergencies and make last-minute changes on the fly
  • Choose between left or right curbside delivery to avoid taking unnecessary turns, saving delivery time and fuel
  • There is no need to re-plan the entire route again; reverse it in a tap
  • Drag & drop any stop and update your timeline automatically
  • Make quick modifications even after routes are optimized with a multi-selector tool
  • Monitor driver’s compliance with optimized routes in real-time by looking at their movements actively
  • Use the customer notification feature to keep your customers informed about their delivery status or with accurate ETAs
  • Upper allows verifying incorrect & duplicate addresses before you optimize the route
  • Set priority deliveries while planning the route
  • Have the routes be dispatched to the drivers through multiple channels with just one click
  • Get highly detailed reports and analytics to improve business operations
  • Archive planned routes and refer to them whenever you require
  • A dedicated driver app that allows dispatchers to allocate tasks and drivers to communicate delivery status and details
  • Integrate Upper with other business platforms with our API

What People Say About Upper

Saved 10 hours per week & delivering 3x more meals with Upper Route Planner. It’s easy to take proof of delivery, the speed is great, it’s super super fast!Curve parker

Flower2Go

Ben Parker,

Delivery Manager of Flavors2Go
Ben parker

Samsara

star(4.1)
For Large Enterprises to Streamline Operations

Starting price

N/A

Free trial

30 days

Key features

Dispatching routes in a click, Tracking progress, Real-time visibility into activities

Samsara is a well-known dispatching software for trucks, buses, delivery vehicles, and more. Instead of manually calling drivers to see where they are, Samsara lets you instantly track vehicle location, route progress, and late or missed stops. With just a few simple taps, you can dispatch routes to drivers and track progress.

One of the solutions that Samsara offers is the vehicle diagnostics tracker that monitors the health of your fleet vehicles and suggests optimal maintenance times accordingly. Samsara adds a GPS tracking feature with vehicle diagnostics for better delivery management.

Pros

  • Samsara has a massive product lineup with many hardware solutions for you to implement and use with its routing system.
  • The advanced AI camera and fleet management systems from Samsara allow you to track your driver’s actions to avoid future liabilities.
  • Samsara software provides real-time visibility into fleet activities, asset locations, and operational data.
  • Get detailed reports and visualizations that help identify trends, optimize operations, and improve overall performance.

Tate. F

Everything you need is included and in one place. Fleet tracking, cameras, HOS, safety, performance, and dispatch tools all live in one place. Additionally, the team is very responsive in creating one-off or custom integrations should you need them.

Cons

  • Customers report that the driver app from Samsara needs to be more responsive and glitchy when used, as it has a lot of problems with editing logs.
  • According to past customers of Samsara, the customer service is not up to the mark, and they often employ unethical sales tactics to sell the product.
  • Samsara’s breadth of features and functionalities may be overwhelming or unnecessary for smaller businesses with more straightforward operational needs.

Mihail. S

Driver app is hard to use, and it’s slow. Hard time to edit logs. Crossing border glitches. Don’t give a warning to the driver in case the driver forgets to do DVIR.


Onfleet

star(4.7)
Best For Last Mile Businesses

Starting price

$500/month

Free trial

14 days

Key features

Dispatching in a few taps, Monitor driver’s progress, Analysis & improvement

Onfleet is a dispatching software that comes with several useful features. One of its key features is real-time driver tracking, which allows dispatchers to monitor their drivers’ progress in real-time. This helps to optimize routes and improve overall efficiency.

Onfleet offers route optimization that manages traffic patterns for drivers to reach their destinations quickly. Onfleet’s USP lies in customer communication. Dispatchers notify customers to inform them of their delivery status and estimated delivery time

Pros

  • The user interface of Onfleet is easy to use for new dispatchers due to its clean and intuitive design.
  • The built-in driver chat window is very convenient if you want to communicate last-minute details to staff members.
  • Onfleet’s KPIs are represented visually, making it very easy and quick to grasp, leading to faster analysis of business operations.

Jillian. T

With us needing to do 2,000 deliveries per day, we really needed a straightforward and high-capacity route optimization too. OnFleet is that and everything more. I love that there’s a driver app, in-app communication, and real-time tracking.

Cons

  • The pricing of Onfleet is relatively high, considering the features that it offers to customers.
  • The accuracy of the ETAs could be more dependable, as the time estimates are often too pessimistic.
  • The software doesn’t have mobile support for dispatchers.
  • Adding drivers and assigning them to teams is quite a lengthy process.

Hannah. K

The price point feels a little bit too high since the last increase


Omnitracs

star(3.6)
Best For Fleet Businesses

Starting price

$500/month

Free trial

N/A

Key features

Increase driver safety, Efficient routing, One-click dispatch

Omnitracs is a leading provider of fleet management solutions that work with companies to handle their fleets while enhancing safety and cutting costs effectively. They offer companies cloud-native routing solutions to track the real-time location of their cars, keep an eye on driver behavior, and plan the best routes.

The software offers tools to reduce travel time and fuel consumption by optimizing routing and dispatching while considering variables like traffic, weather, and road conditions.

Moreover, it also provides various safety and compliance options, such as electronic logging devices (ELDs), driver scorecards, and vehicle inspections.

Pros

  • Reliable software to track the service hours for drivers and vehicles to ensure compliance with safety standards.
  • Because Omnitracs has a wide range of fleet management products, it is easy to set up the routing software alongside hardware solutions like ELDs.
  • Omintracs makes it very easy to download reports and upload dispatch and delivery addresses with its quick data import and export features.

Ben W.

The software works great & has options to fit any business size and type. For the nursery industry, flexibility in routing options & fluctuating product size all worked great as RTS offers easily changeable capacities.

Cons

  • Omnitracs uses a map system that feels very outdated, which can impact drivers’ overall clarity of operations.
  • The customer service department of Omnitracs could be more helpful with the issues you are facing.
  • The reliability of the software is not good as the software sometimes shuts down while drivers are driving to the destination.

Erin M

Customer service is completely atrocious. One person would tell you one thing, and another person another thing.


Axon Trucking Software

star(4.6)
Best For Trucking and Transportation Business

Starting price

N/A

Free trial

N/A

Key features

Dispatch management, Live Driver Tracking, Routing, and Work Order Management

Axon Trucking Software stands out as the best trucking and transportation software that claims to slash your trucking admin workload and tasks in half of the current time. The software helps you to accomplish your tasks faster, keep your drivers happy, and generate file fuel reports with a click of a button. If Axon is there to manage your trucking operations, then there is no stress you have in your mind.

Being the only trucking software that is totally integrated in real-time, Axon software will automatically and instantly update all related areas of your business. From dispatching to billing, driver pay to fuel management and accounting, this dispatch planning software makes each operation smoother.

Pros

  • The software offers live tracking that helps users track drivers with locations 24/7.
  • It is easy to use and tech-friendly, allowing any non-technical person to access it easily.
  • Add or delete drivers from the system and track fuel & mileage for IFTA reports in just a few clicks.

Kerby B.

Customizable, easy to use. Endless space. Axon is always making useful updates. We can run IFTA reports, sales tax, any report imaginable. All aspects of trucking can be done in this one system!

Cons

  • Many of the users think that the software is quite pricey and is heavy on their budget.
  • Importing reports to Excel is quite tricky.
  • Payroll and IFTA features can be more user-friendly.

Steve. D

Taxes are not easy to do. It would be nice to have a quicker method. It would be great to do taxes by the quarter.


Route4Me

star(4.4)
Best For Logistics Service Businesses

Starting price

$199/month

Free trial

7 days

Key features

Dispatching routes in a click, Real-time tracking of vehicles

Route4Me is a routing and dispatching software that claims to be capable of completing your entire route planning procedure within 60 seconds. It is the best option for dispatchers as the sooner they plan the route, the sooner they can dispatch it to the drivers.

Using this dispatch mapping software, you can ensure that you stay updated throughout the delivery process, as the driver app can still function with brief periods of connectivity loss. Any data that fails to be uploaded due to a loss of connectivity is resent as soon as the driver app is reconnected to the internet.

Pros

  • Route4Me is excellent in terms of connectivity, as it connects with GPS apps with a single click.
  • Stops can be moved and rearranged even when a route is being carried out, making it easy to accommodate last-minute changes.
  • Route4Me provides real-time tracking of vehicles and deliveries, enabling businesses to monitor the progress of routes.

Matteo. G

Very easy to use, with a fantastic interface that doesn’t require any kind of training. Platform speed is very high, and API availability makes Route4Me the standard de facto route planning system.

Cons

  • There needs to be more support for issues, as the only way to submit a complaint is by raising a ticket, which usually ends up being inconclusive.
  • Sometimes, when the site is under heavy load, it cannot process requests properly and often crashes completely.
  • Users with intricate routing requirements may need to assess whether Route4Me can handle their needs.

Stacy. S

Sometimes, I can’t get a job to show up on the route where it is supposed to. When I need to rearrange the jobs, it will throw one job way out in the left field, so to speak, and all but ignore it. And then I have to report it as a problem on the map so customer service can fix it for me.


Intellishift

star(4.5)
Best For Businesses that have heavy fleets and large field operations (50+ vehicles)

Starting price

$16.99/month

Free trial

NA

Key features

Delivery Tracking, Dispatch Management, Vehicle Tracking, and Historical Reporting

Intellishift is the best fleet intelligence platform that is mainly designed to help businesses with 50 or more vehicles. The software is best known for firms in the building materials, transportation, civil engineering, and construction. In addition, this end-to-end solution integrates vehicle, equipment, and asset data along with critical data from your other systems across your organization.

The software allows delivery businesses to gain complete visibility and control over their fleet operations and safety data to make daily informed decisions.

Pros

  • The customer service team is helpful and always happy to help when in difficulty.
  • Users find the software easy to use and have a nice look to the eye.
  • AI dash cam feeds show driving speed and lower insurance premiums by improving safety.

Pavlos M.

This software is easy to use with many features that can make your life easier. You can see all your orders and routes on the map. So planning becomes child’s play. It gives a very detailed analysis of your working day/period. The support team is great. Quick responsive, and willing to help. Track-POD loosens your hands and really helps you control your delivery business.

Cons

  • The GPS sometimes takes too long to update and bring the site to live time.
  • Some of the GPS units fail to operate occasionally.
  • Some of the users find it quite costly.

Maggie S

I dislike how inaccurate the locations can sometimes be. The circumference circle shows the trucks sometimes being blocks away from where they are, which makes it hard to give accurate ETA’s to customers and doesn’t help me track trucks when they are running late on deliveries.


Degama DTMS

star(4.5)
Best For Medium to Large Asset-based Transportation Companies within the USA and Canada

Starting price

$16.99/month

Free trial

NA

Key features

Dispatch Management, Routing, Order Management, and Live Driver Tracking

Degama DTMS is a fully cloud-based trucking management software that can be easily integrated with your current software solutions. The dispatch tracking software is widely used by medium to large transportation companies to streamline their daily operations related to routing, billing, fleet maintenance, and more on a centralized platform.

Moreover, the company has developed a custom TMS, enabling users to save time on trucking and freight operations through automation and integration. So, suppose you are looking for a dispatch solution that helps you with planning & scheduling, monitoring activity, and driver communication. In that case, Degama DTMS is the best option to simplify everything.

Pros

  • A perfectly integrated system that even non-tech-savvy people can easily access.
  • The software has the best customization ability to customize processes to work better with the flow of businesses.
  • It lets schedule pick-up times, modify routes, track dispatchers, and assign orders to specific drivers.

Pavlos M.

The easiest way to describe it is a perfectly integrated system. i.e., we are not combining pieces here and there. Everything flows perfectly with very few hiccups. When we do hit a snag, it is generally dealt with very quickly.

Cons

  • The routing feature of the software takes more time to calculate routes than expected.
  • Lack of features to help interline freight with connecting carriers.

Sheila B

The time to get DTMS to calculate our route cycle times took longer than expected. The interface with Shaw proved to be trickier than initially anticipated. The GL module needs some improvements.


Descartes

star(4.0)
Best For Multiple Industry Verticals Like Carriers, Forwarders, and LSPs

Starting price

$16.99/month

Free trial

NA

Key features

Real-Time Monitoring, Delivery Tracking, Dispatch Management, and Real-Time Updates

Descartes is the popular route planning software that makes planning and optimizing routes hassle-free, allowing you to save time on manual methods. The software will enable you to decrease costs, improve service, increase productivity, and reduce the environmental impact of your fleet.

You can create optimal routes using fewer trucks, miles, and drivers, saving fuel consumption and cost. This dispatch route planner solution offers seamless mobile integration for real-time tracking, performance, and compliance.

Pros

  • The software is easy to use, making it easier for users to access without hassle.
  • It optimizes delivery routes based on multiple variables such as distance, traffic, and delivery windows.
  • Schedule appointments in real-time and streamline planning and productivity for mobile workers.

Luis C.

It is very easy to use on daily operations, nice user interface, and always gets the job done.

Cons

  • The user must fill in unnecessary data entry to submit a routing request.
  • The users find it quite expensive compared to its features.

William B.

Lots of unnecessary data entry is required to submit a routing request. There should be an option to save repetitive information.


Tookan

star(4.3)
Best Choice For On-demand Delivery Businesses

Starting price

$129/month

Free trial

14 days

Key features

Monitor delivery activities in real-time, Third-party API integration

Tookan is the ideal delivery management solution if your delivery or service agents handle a lot of transactions, as it has unique features that allow you to track their actions. Tookan offers an agent wallet that shows you all of their monetary transactions in real-time.

Their app can also generate barcodes that authenticate any delivery or service instantly. However, this can get expensive as Tookan charges you based on the number of tasks you complete while using it.

Pros

  • Flexibility in subscription plan options as addons allows businesses to scale up features according to their requirements.
  • Tookan offers a lot of features to monitor delivery activities and agents’ actions on the go to managers and dispatchers.
  • It has sector-specific solutions for various industries like food delivery, waste management, and cannabis.

Pennye J.

Its ease of use and the ability to set various filters to scale the routing based on time or distance.

Cons

  • Customers report that customer service could be improved regarding effectiveness and support.
  • Tracking freezes at times, and it becomes hard to track the driver’s location, affecting operations’ overall visibility.
  • The customer support team is not responsive, so you might have to wait long for answers.

James L.

Not working as it should, and no contact from Tookan support.

Common Features To Look for in Dispatch Routing Software

Routing and Dispatching: The most common feature that plays an important role is routing and dispatching. Using this feature, you can optimize the shortest or most efficient routes, considering traffic conditions, distance, and weather. Meanwhile, dispatching makes it easier to assign routes to your drivers as per their availability. With a few clicks, you can assign routes, track progress, and overall look at overall operations.

Live Driver Tracking: Get real-time visibility into the driver’s location and updates on routes, and get help knowing the status of your delivery drivers’ whereabouts. The real-time location information and route updates will help you plan the next deliveries and resource allocation.

Proof of Delivery: Dispatch software should have a proof of delivery feature that allows drivers to click photos of successfully delivered items and signatures from your customers and add additional notes, if any. It will boost the overall transparency with your customers and build trust.

Customer Notifications: Another crucial feature is customer notifications and accurate ETAs, making customers updated and notified. The accurate estimated arrival times to deliver orders will keep them accountable for their orders.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is dispatch routing software?

    Route dispatch software is designed to assist businesses in efficiently managing and optimizing their delivery or service routes. It is commonly used by companies involved in logistics, transportation, field service management, and other industries that require planning and dispatching routes for their mobile workforce.

  • WWhat features should you look for in dispatch routing software?

    In the vast ocean of dispatch system software, choosing the right one for yourself can be challenging. Still, here are some top features to look out for in dispatch routing software to see if it is suitable for the needs of a business.

    • Route optimization
    • Instant dispatching
    • Ability to configure route on demand
    • Progress monitoring
    • Route scheduling
  • How much does it cost to get dispatch routing software?

    Typically, dispatch routing software comes in the neighborhood of under $200 and grants most of the advanced features that are needed for your business. The primary deciding factor behind the cost of dispatch routing software is your usage and business requirements.

  • How does Upper differ from other dispatch routing software options?

    Upper stands out from other dispatch routing software options in several key ways:

    • Easy to use: Upper is renowned for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design. It simplifies the dispatching process, making it easy for dispatchers to plan, optimize, and assign routes with just a few clicks.
    • Advanced features: Upper is known for its range of advanced features, like route planning, optimization, route scheduling, proof of delivery, customer notification, and a dedicated driver app.
    • API Integration: Upper allows you to integrate route planner API with your current software and solution seamlessly to optimize routes and dispatch operations.
  • Is a mobile app available for drivers to use with Upper?

    Yes, Upper offers a dedicated mobile app for drivers, allowing them to access route information, receive dispatch notifications, and collect proof of delivery.

Conclusion

Dispatch routing software is a boon to businesses that desire higher operational efficiency and greater customer satisfaction. It single-handedly holds the potential to wipe out all the issues plaguing the logistics industry, such as delivery delays, miscommunications, and more.

Though not all dispatch routing software is made equal, some are inherently superior to others, while others are simply overpriced for what they bring. Choosing between so many options can take time and effort for many individuals.

If you’re ready to supercharge your dispatching process and unlock new levels of efficiency, try Upper today with our Experience firsthand how Upper can transform your operations and propel your business toward success in the fast-paced world of transportation and logistics.

Author Bio
Rakesh Patel
Rakesh Patel

Rakesh Patel, author of two defining books on reverse geotagging, is a trusted authority in routing and logistics. His innovative solutions at Upper Route Planner have simplified logistics for businesses across the board. A thought leader in the field, Rakesh's insights are shaping the future of modern-day logistics, making him your go-to expert for all things route optimization. Read more.

https://www.upperinc.com/blog/dispatch-routing-software/