Sign in Talk to us Start a trial
Start a trial

Design and software studio
Color

Navigation buttons, screen wake lock and the tracking-paused warning

Open the pickup or drop-off in Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps with one tap, keep the screen on during a job and see a warning when position sharing pauses.

For
DriverDispatcherOwner
Hosting
Any hosting
Devices
Web browser
Business
TowingTaxi and livery

Checked against Pop Dispatch 0.1.0

The driver app opens your favorite navigation app with the destination already filled in, keeps your screen on while a job is open and tells you when your position stops reaching the customer. You will be able to use all three during a tow call or a taxi trip.

Before you start #

  • You need the driver role and a phone with a browser. Allow location for the driver app.
  • The navigation apps are free. The buttons are plain links, so nothing is charged and no key is needed.

Steps #

  1. Open My jobs (tow) or the Taxi tab and open a job.
  2. Find the pickup or drop-off line. Next to the address you see three buttons: Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps.
  3. Tap the one you use. The app opens with the address or map point as the destination. A call that has only an address sends the address text. A call with a map point sends the point.
  4. While a job is open, a line under the status bar says whether your screen stays on. When it does, the phone keeps the screen awake until the job ends.
  5. If the position stops reaching the customer for about a minute and a half, or the phone refuses location, a yellow note appears: Position sharing has paused. Customers see your last known spot.
  6. Check that location is allowed for the driver app and that the app is open in front. The note leaves by itself when the next position arrives.

What the customer sees #

The customer's live map follows the positions your phone sends. The map moves when your phone sends a new fix, so keeping the app open and the screen on gives a smooth trail.

Technical details
  • The links are https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=..., https://waze.com/ul?ll=...&navigate=yes and https://maps.apple.com/?daddr=...&dirflg=d.
  • The screen is held with the browser's Screen Wake Lock. It is requested when a job opens, released when the job ends, and asked for again when the app returns to the front. Browsers without the feature show the line that asks you to keep the app open.
  • The warning shows after 90 seconds without a position while a job is open.

If something goes wrong #

  • The screen still goes dark: the browser or the phone's battery saver refused the wake lock. Keep the app open and change the screen timeout in the phone's settings.
  • The warning stays: open the phone's settings for the browser and allow location while using the app.