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Real-time delivery tracking for your customers can be added to an existing driver app for about $5,600 (€5,000)excl. VAT in building blocks (tracking page, notifications, map), or included in a complete project of around $20,200 (€18,000)excl. VAT. It cuts down on where-is-my-delivery calls and wasted trips to customers who are not there.
“Where is my delivery?” is probably the question your customer service team hears most. Every call takes time, and every customer who is out when the driver arrives means a second trip. Real-time tracking solves a good part of the problem, as long as it shows the right information at the right time. Here is how I design it, what to avoid, and what it costs.
What customers actually want to know
Customers are not trying to watch a dot on a map for three hours. They want to know whether to stay home or at their receiving dock, and until what time. The useful information, in order:
- Confirmation that the delivery is scheduled, with a date and time slot.
- Departure of the vehicle, with an estimated arrival time.
- Approach: “your driver will arrive in about 20 minutes” or “you are the next stop”.
- Delivery completed, with the proof (photo, signature) or the reason it failed.
Each stage triggers a text or email notification with a link to a tracking page. A business customer can also add instructions (access, on-site contact) or ask to reschedule, which avoids a wasted trip.
How it works technically
Tracking relies on the driver’s app. Without it, there is nothing to track. The typical setup:
- the driver app sends its position at regular intervals during the route, and at each stop confirmation;
- the server recalculates the estimated arrival time for upcoming stops, based on actual progress and a routing service;
- the tracking page shows the status, the estimated time and, on approach, the position;
- notifications go out automatically at the chosen stages.
The estimated time gets more accurate as the day goes on: an estimate given the day before is really a time slot, while one given three stops away is far more reliable. It is better to say so in the messages than to promise precision that does not exist.
If you do not have a driver app yet, start there: I describe its features in driver app: routes, proof of delivery, signature.
What to show, and what to keep hidden
A driver’s location is personal data about an employee or subcontractor. In France, the CNIL (the data protection authority), in its guidance on geolocating employees’ vehicles (in French, checked in October 2026), accepts tracking a transport service as a purpose, but excludes permanent monitoring and collection outside working hours, and sets a retention period of two months in principle. It also requires informing the employees concerned. Other jurisdictions have their own rules.
I turn that into simple design choices:
| Information | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Estimated arrival time | Always shown: it is the useful information |
| Number of stops before yours | Shown: reassuring and not intrusive |
| Vehicle position on the map | Only on approach, for the stop concerned |
| Driver’s name or photo | First name at most, if it helps the handover |
| Route history | Never visible to the customer |
| Tracking link | Expires after delivery |
These choices are confirmed with your data protection officer or legal counsel. This page is not a substitute for their advice.
The budget
There are two situations.
| Situation | Building blocks involved | Indicative budget |
|---|---|---|
| You already have an up-to-date driver app | Tracking page (customer area €2,500), notifications (€1,000), map (€1,500) | about $5,600 (€5,000)excl. VAT, adjusted in the quote based on what exists |
| Complete project: driver app + customer tracking | Base €6,000, accounts and roles €1,500, back office €2,000, customer area €2,500, map €1,500, notifications €1,000, ERP connection €2,000, ×1.1 factor | about $20,200 (€18,000)excl. VAT |
Usage costs billed by providers come on top: text messages, routing service, hosting. They depend on your volumes and are estimated during scoping. For your case, the estimator gives you a range, and all cost items are detailed in how much a delivery app costs.
When this is not the right solution
If your deliveries go out through a carrier or parcel network, they already provide a tracking number and page: just pass that link on to your customers from your website or confirmation emails. Building your own tracking adds nothing in that case.
In-house real-time tracking makes sense if you deliver with your own fleet, if your customers need to be present or prepare for receipt (dock, installation, fresh goods), or if tracking calls take up a visible share of your customer service team’s time. A full customer portal, with delivery history and documents, is a different topic: see how much a client portal costs.
Where to start
- Measure the problem: how many tracking calls per week, how many failed deliveries because no one was there.
- A free 30-minute discovery call to review your current tools.
- Scoping (1 to 2 weeks): notified stages, displayed information, retention period, fixed quote.
- Clickable mockups of the tracking page and messages, tested with a few customers.
- Development, a pilot on one route, then rollout with 3 months of support included.
Route and tracking features are also presented on the route planning app page.
Frequently asked questions
Does the customer need an account to track a delivery?
No. A unique link sent by text or email is enough: it opens a tracking page with no password, valid for the duration of the delivery. A customer portal with history can be added for regular business customers.
Should the driver’s exact position be shown on a map?
Not necessarily. An estimated arrival time and the number of stops remaining answer the customer’s question. The map position can appear only as the driver approaches, which limits exposure of the driver’s data.
How much do text notifications cost?
Text messages are billed per message by the provider you choose, on top of development. Email costs much less; many companies combine both depending on the stage of the delivery.
Can tracking work with subcontracted drivers?
Yes, if they use the driver app to confirm their stops. Without it, you can only show the statuses the subcontractor sends, with less precision.