Driver Suggestion Hierarchy

The Driver Suggestions feature helps dispatchers quickly identify the most suitable drivers for a trip. The system evaluates multiple factors such as fleet eligibility, driver availability, vehicle capabilities, and proximity to the pickup location.

By applying a structured filtering and ranking process, the platform ensures that only drivers who can realistically complete the trip are suggested, with the most appropriate options appearing first.

TL;DR

When suggesting drivers for a trip, the system:

1. Checks fleet and service area eligibility
2. Filters drivers who are actually available
3. Ensures the vehicle meets seating requirements
4. Calculates who can reach the pickup in time
5. Applies a reachability buffer
6. Ranks drivers by availability status

The final list prioritizes eligible drivers who can arrive the earliest and meet the trip requirements.

1. Fleet & Service Area Fit

The system first determines which fleets and drivers are eligible for the trip.

Fleet and Account Rules

• The system checks which fleets are permitted based on the trip’s account configuration and subcontracting rules.
• Only drivers from eligible fleets are considered.

Geographic Limits

• Drivers must operate within the service area where the trip is scheduled.
• Drivers outside the permitted geographic region are excluded.

2. Driver Availability

Next, the system filters the driver pool based on availability.

Drivers must have open capacity within their shift to be considered. The following drivers are removed from the pool:

• Drivers currently on break
• Drivers who are disabled or inactive
• Drivers who are already fully booked

This ensures that only drivers who can realistically take the trip remain in the candidate pool.

3. Seating & Vehicle Requirements

The system verifies that the driver’s assigned vehicle can meet the passenger’s seating needs.

Supported seating types include:

• Regular passenger seating
• Wheelchair seating
• Bariatric wheelchair
• Stretcher transport

Drivers whose vehicles cannot support the required seating configuration are automatically excluded.

4. Proximity & Travel Time

The system then evaluates how quickly each driver can reach the pickup location.

• Distance and travel time are calculated using routing services (such as traffic-aware distance calculations).
• Drivers who cannot reach the pickup location within the required timeframe are filtered out.
• Drivers who can arrive earlier are prioritized.

5. Reachability Buffer

• A tolerance window (buffer time) is applied to determine whether a driver can realistically reach the pickup location.
• If a driver cannot arrive within the configured tolerance, they are excluded.
• This buffer helps account for real-world variables such as traffic conditions and route deviation.

6. Driver Status Prioritization

Drivers who pass all filtering steps are then ranked based on their current status.

The prioritization order is:

1. Available — Highest priority; drivers ready to accept a trip immediately
2. Available but Offline — Drivers who are available but temporarily offline
3. Clear Soon — Drivers currently finishing another trip soon
4. Busy — Drivers currently engaged in another assignment
5. Arrived — Drivers already waiting at a pickup location
6. Enroute to Pickup — Drivers traveling toward a pickup location
7. Default / Unknown — Lowest priority

7. Special Conditions

Additional constraints may further refine the driver pool.

Examples include:

Wait-at-pickup requirements:

If the trip requires the driver to wait at the pickup location, only drivers capable of waiting are included.

Account or Service Type Restrictions:

Some trips may require specific service types (such as luxury vehicles or specialized transport). Drivers who do not meet these requirements are excluded.

8. Final Driver Suggestions

After all filtering and ranking steps are completed, the system produces the final list of suggested drivers.

The final ordering is based on:

• Fleet priority
• Earliest estimated arrival time
• Best capacity and service match

This ensures dispatchers see the most appropriate drivers at the top of the list, helping them assign trips quickly and efficiently.

Outcome:

Dispatchers receive a prioritized list of drivers who are eligible, available, capable, and closest to the pickup location, allowing faster and more accurate trip assignments.