Mobile App for Freight Transportation
A logistics company with a hundred trucks loses up to 15% of revenue due to non-optimal routes and lack of digital waybills. Drivers fill out paper logs, dispatchers spend hours coordinating changes, and clients complain about delays. We solve this problem with a mobile app that automates the entire process—from planning to delivery confirmation.
Ensuring Accurate Multi-Stop Truck Routing
A truck route is not just from A to B but a set of waypoints with addresses, time windows, and stop types (loading/unloading/customs). Directions API (Google or Mapbox) supports waypoints, but heavy transport requires restrictions: height, weight, road type. Google Maps Directions API has avoid parameters (highways, tolls, ferries) but no specific truck restrictions. For that—HERE Routing API with truck profile or TomTom Routing API with dimensions. According to HERE Routing API Guide, restriction parameters include vehicleDimensions and vehicleLoadType.
| API | Truck Support | Waypoints | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps Directions | Partial | 25 | avoid-parameters |
| HERE Routing | Full (truck profile) | 50 | Height, weight, road type |
| TomTom Routing | Full (truck profile) | 100 | Dimensions, dangerous goods |
HERE Routing API processes truck routes 2x more accurately than Google Maps Directions API due to optimized algorithms for commercial transport. The waybill is a digital document in the app. The driver sees a list of points—each with address, contact, time window, operation type. On arrival—confirmation via GPS (automatically if the device is within 200 meters of the point) or manually. Average waypoints per route—15, maximum—50.
Making Photo Confirmation Reliable
The driver photographs the cargo upon pickup and delivery. Requirements: photo with geotag and timestamp, no tampering (gallery blocked, only camera from within the app). On iOS—UIImagePickerController with sourceType: .camera. Coordinates are taken from CLLocationManager at the moment of shooting, written to EXIF via CIFilter or CGImageDestination. On Android—CameraX with ImageCapture.OutputFileOptions, coordinates from FusedLocationProviderClient added to EXIF via ExifInterface. GPS accuracy—up to 10 meters.
Photos are uploaded to the server with retry logic—on the road there might be EDGE or no network. Multipart/form-data upload with pause/resume: on Android—WorkManager with Constraints on network, on iOS—URLSession.uploadTask with background session (URLSessionConfiguration.background).
Electronic Signature of the Recipient
A field for finger signature—PKCanvasView (iOS) or custom View with Path drawing on Canvas (Android). The signature is saved as PNG + timestamp + coordinates, attached to the waybill. Important: clear canvas for the next delivery and warn if trying to save an empty signature.
Tracking and Dispatcher Communication
Background tracking—similar to a driver taxi app: ForegroundService on Android, location background mode on iOS. But for a truck, the update interval can be increased: once every 30-60 seconds is enough for fleet monitoring, which significantly saves battery. Chat with dispatcher—simple real-time chat via WebSocket. For freight transport, voice messages are important: the driver cannot type while driving. AVAudioRecorder (iOS) / MediaRecorder (Android), upload audio to server, auto-play at dispatcher.
Integration with Tachographs and Telematics
Advanced level: integration with onboard OBD-II adapter via Bluetooth (ELM327 or similar). CoreBluetooth / Android BluetoothGatt to read data: speed, mileage, fuel consumption. This data supplements GPS tracking and gives the dispatcher a complete picture of vehicle condition. Fuel savings from route optimization can reach 25%. The subscription cost for HERE Routing API starts from $1000 per month for commercial use.
Example restrictions for HERE Routing API
- Set dimensions (height, width, length, weight) via parameter
vehicleDimensions. - Specify cargo type (
vehicleLoadType). - Enable
avoidTollRoadsandavoidTunnelsfor dangerous goods. - Get a route considering all restrictions.
Why Choose Flutter for Logistics App Development
Flutter provides a single codebase for iOS and Android, speeding development by 30% compared to native solutions. For logistics this is critical: fast time-to-market and easy maintenance. Comparison:
| Criterion | Flutter | Native (iOS + Android) |
|---|---|---|
| Development speed | 30% faster | Baseline |
| Performance | 60 fps for UI | 60 fps |
| Access to native APIs | Via platform channels | Direct access |
| Maintenance cost | One codebase | Two separate teams |
We use Flutter 3.x with Dart, integrate native modules for camera, geolocation, and Bluetooth. For backend—Firebase Cloud Messaging for push notifications and REST API for data exchange.
What's Included in Turnkey Work
- Analysis of transportation business processes and formation of technical specifications
- Design of order and route structure (ER diagrams, API specification)
- Development of driver client (iOS + Android, Flutter)
- Development of dispatcher panel (Web or mobile app)
- Backend integration (REST/GraphQL, Firebase/Supabase)
- Field testing on real routes—up to 1000 orders per day
- Publication on App Store and Google Play
- Documentation and staff training
Contact us for a consultation—we will evaluate your project and offer the optimal solution.
Timeline and Pricing
Development timeline—from 12 to 20 weeks depending on complexity. Pricing is calculated individually after detailed requirements analysis. Order a preliminary estimate: send a description of business processes and current pain points—get a prototype solution in 3 days.