Transportation Dispatch Software

Transportation & Logistics

Duration: 11 months (Mar 2018– Jan 2019)     •     Timeline: 2-week sprint cycle     •     Project Length: 11 months
Transportation & Logistics · Application UI/UX Case Study

The All-In-One Dispatch Operations Platform

Vantage is a centralized transportation platform that unifies dispatch, load tracking, and driver support into a single, role-based application. I led the end-to-end UI/UX design to give dispatchers, operations teams, and drivers clear visibility into freight while simplifying the workflows they use every day.

From real-time maps to detailed order timelines, this internal platform connects Human Resources, Safety, Sales, and Dispatch teams around the same source of truth — helping them assign loads faster, reduce errors, and support drivers on the road.

Role Senior UI/UX Designer · Research → Launch
Platform Enterprise web application · Internal use
Teams Served Dispatch · Operations · Safety · HR · Sales
Tooling Figma · Jira · GA4 · Ride-along research
Transportation dispatch dashboard UI with live map and load widgets
Load Assignment Speed
+18%

Faster load assignment after consolidating tools into a single, role-based dispatch dashboard.

Data Sources Unified
5+

Loads, drivers, tractors, trailers, vendors, and balances surfaced in one interface.

Departments Impacted
4

Dispatch, HR, Safety, and Sales aligned around the same live operational data.

Platform Type
Enterprise

Internal system designed to scale with new lanes, fleets, and departments.

Problem & Business Context

Dispatchers and operations teams were juggling multiple tools, spreadsheets, and legacy systems just to understand where freight, tractors, and drivers were at any given moment. Without a shared, real-time view, teams struggled to spot risks early, assign loads efficiently, or support drivers when issues surfaced on the road.

Vantage was designed as a single, scalable dispatch platform that provides a live United States map, centralized load tracking, and role-tailored views so each team can act quickly on the information that matters most.

Strategic Goals

  • Unify dispatch, driver, and operations data into one platform.
  • Improve visibility into loads, tractors, trailers, and routes across the U.S.
  • Streamline daily workflows and reduce manual tool-switching.
  • Support role-based dashboards for Dispatch, Safety, HR, and Sales.

Key Application Features

The application combines multiple tools into one experience, supporting dispatchers, driver managers, and back-office teams from first load assignment through delivery.

Live Map & Equipment View

Google Maps–powered live map with overlays for loads, tractors, trailers, and vendors. Filters allow teams to focus on specific lanes, geographies, or at-risk freight.

  • Google Maps API
  • Equipment overlays
  • Exception flags

Order & Route Details

Single-page views show customer data, stops, drivers, equipment, temperature deviations, documents, and conversations in one place, reducing hunt time and confusion.

  • Route timelines
  • Exception handling
  • Cross-team alignment

Driver Profiles & Utilization

Driver profiles aggregate assignments, history, hours, and paired drivers, giving Driver Managers real insight into capacity and performance trends.

  • Utilization view
  • Paired drivers
  • Performance history

Document Capture & Storage

Drivers use mobile apps to capture receipts, terminal documentation, and POD images that automatically sync into the dispatch system for faster settlements.

  • Mobile upload
  • Central repository
  • Audit-ready

Freight Finder & Assignment

Driver Managers search available freight, match loads to drivers, and send routing details straight to the driver app, reducing delays and back-and-forth calls.

  • Smart assignment
  • Searchable loads
  • Optimized lanes

Role-Based Dashboards

Widgets surface the most critical information by role: at-risk loads for Dispatch, incidents for Safety, and utilization and revenue snapshots for leadership.

  • Widget layout
  • Role-based views
  • Configurable

Key Screens & Interaction Highlights

Each screen balances dense operational data with clear visual hierarchy so dispatchers, Driver Managers, and back-office teams can make decisions quickly without losing context.

Live map screen with equipment and load overlays across the United States
Live Map screen displaying trucks, trailers, and active loads across the U.S., with real-time status chips and equipment overlays.

Live Map & Equipment View

Designed for fast scanning, the live map uses overlays and filters so dispatchers can quickly answer: “Where is my freight and who is available to help?”

  • Filter by loads, tractors, trailers, vendors, and balances.
  • Exception flags and color-coded states surface at-risk freight.
  • Zoomable and pannable to focus on lanes or terminals.
Real-time equipment visibility increased by 85%
Asset lookup time reduced to under 5 sec
Order details screen showing shipment timeline, stops, and documents
Order details with stops, exceptions, and supporting documents.

Order & Route Details

Order & Route Details screen showing stop-by-stop timelines, mileage, equipment requirements, and map-based routing for fast decision-making.

  • Timeline layout mirrors how dispatchers think about a load’s life.
  • Attached documents and notes live alongside the route, not in a separate system.
  • Exception states are reinforced with icons, color, and plain language.
Route clarity improved by 65%
Order-to-dispatch review time cut by 50
Driver profile screen with utilization history, current load, and conversations
Driver Profile screen featuring assignments, utilization chips, and activity history presented in a clean, dispatcher-ready dashboard.

Driver Profiles & Utilization

Driver profiles give Driver Managers a single place to see assignments, history, settlements, and conversations — reducing time spent piecing information together.

  • Utilization and recency chips highlight drivers who may need additional loads.
  • Conversations, notes, and incidents live on the same screen.
  • Link-outs to related orders and equipment keep context intact.
Driver profile lookup time reduced by 70%
Load utilization insights available in under 3 sec
Driver profile screen with utilization history, current load, and conversations
Driver HOS dashboard displaying real-time timelines, remaining drive hours, and compliance widgets for faster dispatch decisions.

Driver – Hours of Service (HOS)

Hours of Service gives Driver Managers and Dispatch a unified, real-time view of each driver’s remaining drive time, breaks, recaps, and potential violations — eliminating constant ELD checks and improving assignment accuracy.

  • Time-remaining indicators show who is safe to assign, who’s nearing limits, and who requires a reset.
  • Daily, weekly, and cycle summaries surface drivers trending toward non-compliance before issues occur.
  • Auto-generated violation alerts reduce safety incidents and remove the need for manual monitoring.
  • Built-in Load Planning visibility matches drivers to freight based on legal hours instead of assumptions.
  • Break and sleeper-berth reminders keep drivers compliant and reduce preventable service failures.
  • Fleet-wide HOS visibility gives Operations a real-time picture of true capacity and utilization.
HOS evaluation time reduced by 60%
Real-time drive-time accuracy increased to 90%

UI/UX Journey Map — Dispatch & Drivers

The journey map highlights the end-to-end experience for dispatchers and drivers, the emotions they feel at each stage, and the UX support needed to keep freight moving.

Plan 🙂 Curious
Assign 😅 Anxious
In Transit 😬 Stressed
Deliver 😌 Relieved
Reflect 🙂 Confident

Emotions peak in the Assign and In Transit stages, so UI focuses on visibility, exception handling, and clear communication.

Step Stage Dispatcher Experience Driver Experience Emotion Key UX Support
1 Plan Reviews demand and capacity via dashboards and live map filters. Checks assigned loads and ETAs for upcoming shifts. 🙂 Curious Capacity widgets and map filters highlight under-utilized equipment and drivers.
2 Assign Matches loads to drivers, considering route, hours, and equipment. Receives new assignment with route, stops, and special instructions. 😅 Anxious Conflicts and priority flags appear inline before dispatch finalizes assignments.
3 In Transit Monitors loads on the live map and watches exception flags and timelines. Follows routing, updates status, and messages dispatch as issues arise. 😬 Stressed Color-coded states, exception banners, and inline messaging reduce guesswork.
4 Deliver Verifies delivery, updates order status, and closes documentation. Captures PODs and receipts via mobile upload and confirms delivery. 😌 Relieved One-tap document capture and clear completion states speed up paperwork.
5 Reflect Reviews lane performance, exceptions, and on-time metrics. Sees completed loads and settlements for better transparency. 🙂 Confident Reporting views help managers self-serve insights and refine future planning.

Journey & Outcomes

The UX process and product decisions are tightly mapped to outcomes for dispatchers, drivers, and the business.

End-to-End UX / UI Process

  • Discover: Contextual interviews, dispatch ride-alongs, and system audits to understand real workflows and constraints.
  • Define: Journey maps and task flows for assigning loads, monitoring freight, handling exceptions, and closing out trips.
  • Design: Role-based dashboards, live map layouts, driver profiles, and modular patterns for cards, tables, and timelines.
  • Validate: Interactive prototypes tested with dispatchers and Driver Managers to refine density, labels, and interaction patterns.
  • Deliver: Detailed design specs, UI kit, and ongoing design QA during development.

UX Improvements & Business Outcomes

Area UX Improvement Impact Status
Load Assignment Unified view for loads, drivers, and availability. +18% faster assignment; fewer missed opportunities. In Production
Live Visibility Live map overlays and exception flags. Earlier detection of at-risk loads and service failures. In Production
Driver Support Streamlined document capture & messaging. Reduced phone calls and faster post-trip processing. Iterating
Reporting Foundational dashboards for on-time performance. Better decisions on lanes, freight mix, and staffing. Planned

Results & Impact

Centering the product on real dispatcher behaviors and live operational data delivered meaningful gains in efficiency, visibility, and driver support.

Operational Efficiency

  • Unified toolset reduced the number of systems dispatchers needed to monitor.
  • Filters and live map overlays accelerated how quickly teams could find answers.
  • +18% improvement in load assignment speed after rollout.

Driver & Customer Experience

  • Better communication loops reduced back-and-forth phone calls.
  • Mobile document capture decreased post-trip paperwork delays.
  • More predictable, transparent experience for both drivers and customers.

Scalability & Future Work

  • Architecture supports new departments and features over time.
  • Usage analytics inform future iterations on reporting and forecasting.
  • Foundation set for deeper optimization on lane performance and planning.
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