The situation
A small-to-mid US fleet operator running dispatch, maintenance, and driver paperwork across WhatsApp and four separate Excel files. Four spreadsheets. No single system of record. When the dispatcher was out, the operation stalled.
The specific problem
- Dispatch assignments lived in a group chat.
- Maintenance schedules lived in a separate spreadsheet that nobody outside the mechanic could read.
- Driver documents (license, medical, CDL) lived in individual emails.
- Nothing reconciled. A truck could be dispatched while its insurance was expired and no one would know until a ticket landed.
What we built
One web app. Dispatch board, driver check-in, maintenance scheduling, document storage with expiry alerts. Role-based access so the dispatcher, the mechanic, the drivers, and ownership each see their slice. Replaced four spreadsheets and the WhatsApp thread with one system of record.
Shape of the build
- Web app (React + Node), operator-led from day one.
- Dispatch board with real-time driver status.
- Driver mobile check-in (web, no app install required).
- Maintenance scheduling with expiry alerts on documents and PM intervals.
- Document vault with role-based access and audit trail.
Where it is now
Live, in production. The dispatcher uses it as the single system of record. Drivers check in on their phones. The mechanic gets alerts before insurance or PM lapses. When the dispatcher takes a day off, the operation keeps moving because the board is not in her head any more.
Why this shape fits the pilot
This is exactly the shape of the 30-Day Pilot Build. Three working modules — dispatch, driver check-in, maintenance — live in 30 days. Document storage and the reporting layer came after the pilot.