The lineup gets built at 5 a.m.
Someone matches drivers, vans and routes on a whiteboard before the doors open. One late text and the whole board gets redone.
For delivery fleets
Get every route a driver and a van before the first stop.
Tell OnlineScheduling how your fleet runs, in your own words. Every route gets a driver who can drive it and a van that isn't booked at the shop.
How your business runs
The lineup starts before sunrise.
A delivery day starts before sunrise. Drivers check in at the yard, pick up a van and head out on a route, like Route 7 on the north side at 9 a.m. Many keep a regular route; others fill in wherever they're needed. Loaders work the dock, and vans and box trucks take turns going in for service.
Every morning, someone matches drivers, vans and routes. The box truck rated over 26,000 lb needs a Class B driver, vans over 10,000 lb hauling interstate freight need a driver with a DOT medical card, and cold routes need a refrigerated van. Then the busy season arrives: late November through Christmas for parcels, and Valentine's, Mother's Day and Christmas for florists. Routes and drivers grow faster than the fleet.
Drivers, helpers and loaders The yard, docks and service bay Vans, box trucks and refrigerated vans
Where scheduling breaks
Five ways a morning lineup falls apart.
Most fleets build the lineup on a whiteboard, a spreadsheet and a string of early-morning calls. That works until someone calls out.
Someone is always out.
Drivers call out, get hurt or leave, and new ones are still learning. Finding a cover who can drive that van takes a string of calls.
Not every driver fits every van.
A box truck rated over 26,000 lb needs a Class B license, and a van over 10,000 lb hauling interstate freight needs a driver with a DOT medical card. Put the wrong person in the seat and that route can't run.
Vans miss their time at the shop.
A van booked in for inspection ends up on tomorrow's plan. Or it comes back from the shop and nobody puts it on a route.
Peak season breaks the plan.
December brings more routes, more new drivers and a few rental vans. A lineup that worked in October falls apart by the second week.
Say how it works
Your rules, in plain words.
Tell OnlineScheduling how your fleet works, the way you'd tell a new dispatcher. It reads each rule back, and nothing changes until you confirm.
Licenses, shop times, cold routes and ride-alongs are all just rules. Every schedule is checked against them.
Say “always” or “try to,” and it knows which rules can bend.
A rule in plain words
“Only drivers with a Class B license drive the heavy box truck.”
Routes this week Week of Oct 12
MonTueWedThuFri
Route 7
Route 9
Route 2
Van 3
Jordan
Box truck has a Class B driver
Your five building blocks
Five building blocks, in fleet words.
Every schedule is made of the same five pieces. Here's what they look like at the yard.
What you schedule
DriversHelpersLoadersThe yardLoading docksService bayVansBox trucksRefrigerated vans
When it's needed
RoutesDock shiftsRide-alongsPeak-season routes
Who's on it
Maya drives Van 12 on Route 7, north side, Tuesday at 9 a.m.
When it's not free
Days offServiceInspectionRepair
Classes and appointments show as busy time, from each driver's own calendar.
How it works here
Your rules, in your own words. “Cold routes always get a refrigerated van.”
When plans change
Twelve vans, one driver out.
It's 5:40 a.m. You have twelve vans, twelve routes, and Theo just called in sick. You say “Theo is out today.” Route 9 runs the heavy box truck, so it needs a Class B driver. Sam has one and is free until evening, so Sam takes Route 9, and Lena covers Sam's dock shift. Nothing new lands on Van 3, because it's booked at the shop at 2 p.m.
One rule can't hold: Jordan is new and was riding with Theo, and no trainer is free. You hear which rule and why, then say “Jordan rides with Sam today. Sam knows the north side.” Every route has a driver and a van before the first stop.
Theo is out today.
Done. Sam has a Class B and is free until evening, so Sam takes Route 9 in the box truck, and Lena covers Sam's dock shift. Van 3 keeps Route 3 only, so it's back before its 2 p.m. shop time.
One rule can't hold: new drivers ride with a trainer, and no trainer is free for Jordan. Allow it once?
Peak season adds routes. The rules come along.
It's the first Monday in December. You say “Add two south-side afternoon routes through Christmas Eve. Ava and Marco start today.” Priya and Sam take the new routes, and Ava and Marco ride along for their first three days. Each route gets a van that's back from a morning run and not booked at the shop.
Ask your assistant
Ask from the yard. Drivers see it in their calendar.
Connect OnlineScheduling to the AI assistant you already use, like ChatGPT, Claude and Muse, and schedule by asking. Drivers connect their own calendar from a phone or computer browser, so their routes show up where they already look. No app to download.
Your AI assistant Connected to OnlineScheduling
Theo is out tomorrow. Who can take Route 9 in the box truck? Sam and Omar have a Class B and are free tomorrow morning. Book Omar? Yes. Which vans are free Thursday morning and not booked in for service? Vans 4, 8 and 12 are free Thursday morning. Van 3 is at the shop until noon. Add a cold route Saturday at 7 a.m. for the market order. Added Route 14 for Saturday at 7 a.m. with refrigerated Van 5. Priya is free. Book her?
OnlineScheduling · nowOmar's calendar updated: Wednesday, Route 9, 6:00 a.m.
OnlineScheduling · nowOmar's calendar updated: Wednesday, Route 9, 6:00 a.m.Google Calendar Apple Calendar Outlook
Questions
Delivery fleet questions, answered.
Something else on your mind? Ask when you request access. We read every request ourselves.
Does it plan my stops or the order of stops?
No. You name your routes, and it puts a driver and a van on each one.
Can it plan shifts inside hour limits?
Yes. Write your limits as rules, like “No shift runs past 14 hours from check-in,” and every schedule is checked against them.
Where do drivers see a route change?
In their own calendar. Drivers can also add, drop or swap shifts, and managers can change the schedule by hand.
Can one account run more than one yard or depot?
Yes. One location or many, each with its own rules plus global rules.
Do drivers need an app?
No. Each driver needs an account, then connects their own calendar from a phone or computer browser.
Can I start from the spreadsheet I use now?
Yes. Upload what you already have.
Request access
Bring us your hardest fleet rule.
We're opening access in stages. Tell us how your fleet runs, and we'll reply within one business day.
1Tell us how you schedule.
2We read every request ourselves.
3We reply within one business day.
Your hardest rule, for example “Only Class B drivers take the heavy box truck.”
Tell us who you are, what you schedule and the rule your current tool can't handle. It's one short form.
Request access