Assigning trips: driver suggestions vs. single-click assignment
A guide for dispatchers on when to use each method and what to be aware of.
Want to use single-click assignment?
This feature is not switched on by default, but it is easy to get set up! Ask your tenant admin to get in touch with our support team at help@tobicloud.com and we will get it enabled for you right away.
The two ways to assign a driver
Driver suggestions
Suggested assignment
The system evaluates all available drivers and presents you with a validated shortlist. You pick from the suggestions.
How to trigger:
- Click the 3-dot menu on a trip card in the Trips & Routes pane → Suggest drivers
-
Double-click a trip card to open trip details — driver suggestions load automatically
Single-click
Single-click assignment
Click a trip card, then click directly on any driver card to assign immediately. No suggestion list is generated.
How to trigger:
-
Single-click a trip card to select it
- Click on any driver card on the map or driver list
- Assignment is made instantly
What each method checks before assigning
| Validation check |
Driver suggestions |
Single-click |
| Driver on leave |
✓ Checked — blocked at database level |
✗ Not checked |
| Driver availability & current run |
✓ Checked — real-time status verified |
✗ Not checked |
| Vehicle category match |
✓ Checked — e.g. wheelchair-accessible vehicles |
✗ Not checked |
| Driver can reach pickup on time (ETA) |
✓ Checked — distance & time validated |
✗ Not checked |
| Gender-based passenger restrictions |
✓ Checked — enforced |
✗ Not checked |
| Seating configuration compatibility |
✓ Checked |
~ Partially checked |
| Driver / vehicle / fleet exclusions |
✓ Checked |
~ Partially checked |
| Account-level restrictions |
✓ Checked |
~ Partially checked |
| Service type compatibility |
✓ Checked |
~ Partially checked |
| Pickup time within schedule window |
✓ Checked |
✓ Checked |
| Driver busy state |
✓ Checked |
✓ Checked — in specific scenarios |
| Shift timing |
✓ Checked |
✗ Not checked |
What single-click still validates
Single-click is not a free-for-all. The following checks still run, though they rely on data already loaded in the UI rather than a fresh database query:
Always checked
- Pickup time falls within a valid schedule window
- Driver busy state (in specific scenarios)
Partially checked (using pre-loaded data)
- Seating configuration compatibility
- Driver / vehicle / fleet exclusions (passenger-based)
- Account-level exclusions
- Service type restrictions
⚠ Important: pre-loaded data may be out of date
Single-click validations are based on data already loaded on screen — not a live database check. If a driver's status changed after the page loaded (e.g. they were assigned another run), single-click will not catch it. Always manually confirm driver availability before assigning.
When to use each method
Use driver suggestions when...
- The trip has specific vehicle requirements (e.g. wheelchair-accessible)
- The passenger has gender preferences or driver exclusions on file
- You need confidence that the driver can reach the pickup on time
- This is a standard assignment with no extreme time pressure
- You want the system to do the vetting for you
Use single-click when...
- You already know exactly which driver you want
- Speed is critical and you've manually confirmed the driver is free
- You're reassigning after a cancellation and time is tight
- You've already reviewed driver status and vehicle suitability yourself
💡 Tip: when in doubt, use driver suggestions
Driver suggestions take a few extra seconds but protect you from assignment errors that are hard to catch and costly to fix mid-trip. Reserve single-click for situations where you have full visibility of the driver's current state.
