Logistics Mobile App Development: Meeting the Needs of Modern Transportation Market

More and more industries go mobile, providing both clients and professionals with easy-accessible and convenient applications. The logistics segment is not an exception. As far as transportation grows its influence on other digitalized fields such as eCommerce and  retail, it also requires a significant innovation boost. 

Going digital, your logistics business has more chances to withstand competition and meet the audience’s needs. 

Transportation app development is quite a complex yet rewarding process. This post will explain everything about logistics and transportation app development like key benefits, types, and features of such applications. We will also reveal the approximate development cost. Finally, you will find useful insights our company gained when dealing with the related projects. 

Now, let’s discuss how to build an efficient mobile app that will take your supply chain business to a new level.

Reasons to Build Own Transportations App

Depending on its type, a logistics application may be highly beneficial for all parties involved in the supply chain and transportation.

Here are a few key reasons why building a transportation mobile app will benefit your business.

Monitoring Performance

Goods transportation involves many participants, including drivers, managers, supply chain operators, etc. A mobile app will enable better-organized maintenance and transparency. 

Tracking vehicles’ roundabouts in real-time will help enhance control over the delivery process, verify the performance, and ensure accuracy. You may also take advantage of GPS technology to visualize the monitoring process.

Decreasing Paperwork

Eliminating the need to keep paper records documentation storage is one of the key benefits of turning to digital solutions. As logistics and transportations involve loads of administrative work, a mobile app will make your employees’ lives easier. It will save them time that could be used for more urgent tasks. 

Besides, a well-organized logistics admin panel will automate many processes and reduce the risk of human error. You will ensure that all documents and important data are processed accurately and stored securely.

Improving Management Efficiency

Take advantage of an admin panel that collects, processes, and delivers the required data. It  will make your fleet management more efficient. A mobile app can supply you with various metrics and KPIs. They may be related to employees’ performance, orders’ statuses, payments, vehicles’ technical conditions, etc. 

With a mobile app, you can access all important information in one place, get reports, and keep track of statistics updated in real-time.

Reducing Delivery Time and Cost

A well-functioning transportation app will reduce the delivery time by automating internal processes and streamlining fleet management. Besides, the drivers will use the optimal routes and deliver goods faster.  

With streamlined and automated processes, you will reduce operational costs and save resources. Thus, you can provide your clients with more affordable services and increase customer flow.

Automating Warehouse

With a mobile app, you can automate warehouse management to optimize the good’s storage and the corresponding distribution.

Dealing with warehouses without digital solutions is time-consuming and involves too many resources. If you develop a logistics management app with appropriate features, it will increase assets control and deprive your employees of unnecessary workload.

Enhancing Customer Service

On-demand logistics apps should be tailored to the users’ needs. In particular, your customers will benefit from the option to track their orders in real-time. Thus, they will monitor the exact product location to estimate the delivery time. 

Besides, a mobile app enables user support, payment systems, and delivery confirmation. You can also implement a convenient online booking feature. With its help, the users can create an account, book cargo or parcels online, and manage delivery on their own.

Making Drivers’ Lives Easier

The drivers will benefit from a transportation mobile app as well. It’s a helpful tool that enables them to manage orders, get notifications, and find the best routes.

 Also, an app will provide vehicle drivers with certain KPIs. A dashboard will give them at-a-glance access to information about their trucks’ condition, active and completed orders, etc.

Types of Logistics & Transportation Apps

Depending on the target users’ needs and the required features, logistics and transportation apps may vary. So before you hire a team for logistic app development, assess your needs and core goals. Ask yourself who will be using the app and why. 

Here are several common types of applications that offer different functions and are operated by different specialists.

Route Optimization

This type of transportation and logistics app provides drivers and managers with comprehensive route plans. It enables changing the route if necessary and offers multiple options. Such apps are usually equipped with GPS, so a driver can get timely assistance if necessary. What is more, TMS (Truck Route Planning) helps reduce the delivery time and optimize the shipping schedule.

Fleet Management

Fleet management panels help managers and operators of a logistics company organize and control the supply processes. With a centralized system, they can get all required information about vehicles’ conditions, drivers, fuel costs, and more. Fleet management apps can provide constant real-time reports and process various data.

On-demand App

These logistics apps serve the customers’ needs. Their main goal is to provide your clients with all required functions, such as cargo delivery tracking, order statuses, notifications, online booking, etc. An on-demand logistics application should be convenient and user-friendly. So when building a logistics mobile app, ensure you know what exactly your audience needs.

Warehouse Management

Warehouse management is an integral part of transportation, logistics, and supply chain business. With its help, you can store data about the goods and their movement. A comprehensive inventory management software enables getting, processing, and verifying any information about your warehouses with no extra resources. Also, it allows you to dispatch goods and improve vehicle management.

Driver App

Drivers should also have an efficient tool to cover their needs. A driver app normally contains profile information, tracking tool, and GPS. It helps couriers find the best routes and provides constant order status reports.

Key Features of the Transportation Apps

If you build a logistics app, choose functions to implement according to the product’s goals. Pay attention to the users’ essential needs. So there will be a significant difference between the required functions for each mobile app type.

User App

Here is a basic set of features required for an efficient on-demand logistics app.

Signup and Login

Provide users with a fast and easy signup process. Your customers just start their journey, and they should have a good first impression. Give them an option to sign up with social media or a Google account to streamline the registration process. 

Later on, the users will need to log in to their accounts. They will manage orders and view history from their profiles.

Booking Drivers or Couriers

This feature will allow users to choose the courier or type of vehicle they need. Also, it will be possible to schedule the ordered service, choosing the convenient date, time, and place. Enable clients to call or message the chosen driver for more details. 

Also, give users an option to contact support and get a timely response.

Delivery Details

Your mobile transportation app should contain a feature that enables users to view delivery details. With its help, they will see the information about the cargo, driver, vehicle, delivery date and time, etc.

GPS Navigation

Real-time tracking of the parcel’s whereabouts is one of the key on-demand app features. Tracing and monitoring orders in real-time with GPS navigation clarifies the delivery time. This feature will increase customers’ trust and sense of confidence.

In-app Payment

This feature is optional as its importance depends on your business nature. However, if your service includes online payments, provide your customers with multiple options like a credit card, online wallets, etc.

Many logistics platforms use payment systems integrations like PayPal or Braintree.

Orders History

The users can view their orders history if they need to verify some details about their previous orders, check the delivery date, etc.

Reviews

Leaving reviews or comments to evaluate the drivers and your company’s service is a must-have feature. Customers that rate your service quality provide you with valuable information that will help you improve it.

Driver App

The following features are commonly implemented when building a logistics driver app.

Signup and Login

A driver should register and create a profile to enter their data into the system. Later, the centralized admin panel will distribute personal tasks and required information to each courier.

Shipment Details

Provide drivers with shipment details. It’s essential for efficient order management. On this screen, they can find detailed information about the cargo’s pick-up and delivery locations, order statuses, assigned tasks, etc.

Navigation & Route Planning

This core function allows drivers to plan their routes with a map and use real-time navigation. Thus, they can find the best way to deliver the parcel and reduce the shipping time. 

Navigation features can also be empowered with information about current traffic, specific legal restrictions, location of truck stops, etc.

Proof of Delivery (PoD)

PoD captures a photo, signature, or barcode to validate successful delivery. This way, clients confirm they’ve received the ordered goods from the courier. 

PoD guarantees that your customers will have no claims against your company in connection with damaged or lost goods. With instant confirmation, you will decrease the number of required paper records and additional safeguards.

Chat

This feature allows drivers not to leave the app to conduct any business communication.  Your employees can send instant messages, photos, or documents with in-app chats and calls.

Push Notification

Push notifications deliver the drivers any urgent information related to new orders, on-the-go changes, messages from clients or managers, etc. 

This feature can be automated, which significantly saves employees time.

Admin Panel

Here are the features almost any logistics admin panel contains.

Signup and Login

A logistics admin panel should have signup and login features. Admins may have different roles and access levels, so registration should be streamlined and secure.

User’s Role Management

To create a logistics management app, think of the number of employees and their roles in your system. Role management guarantees the robust security of your admin panel. Depending on their positions and responsibilities, admins may have different access levels. 

Each admins group will receive and operate different data. A super admin should distribute roles when registering new panel members.

Order Management

This feature enables admins to access all the active and completed orders, change their statuses, and distribute them among drivers. 

Besides, admins can view order history and provide corresponding analytics. Thus, you will get useful insights and improve your business strategy.

You may also take advantage of AI technologies to automate a major part of order management and reduce manual work.

Driver or Freight Tracking

Driver and freight tracking allows admins to monitor the current cargo location and trace the couriers’ movement in real-time. It increases managers’ control and improves the delivery schedule.

The freights’ current whereabouts can be displayed on a map or a list. It’s important to provide information about the estimated delivery time, the percentage of the completed passed distance, pick-up location, etc.

Driver Management

This feature enables convenient driving staff management. The admins will have instant access to the couriers’ list and detailed information, including name, contact information, vehicle description, current tasks, etc. 

Driver management feature will allow admins to verify and change information about couriers and instantly contact them via an in-app chat.

Dashboards

A well-functioning dashboard will reduce your employers’ time collecting and processing data. It will provide managers with at-a-glance access to all essential information. Dashboards may visualize data in various forms and grant a comprehensive yet concise overview of the required KPIs. 

The elements displayed on your transportation app dashboard depend on your admin panel’s goals. Customized logistics app development is aimed to tailor this feature to your requirements. A dashboard may process and display information regarding shipment and fleet statuses, revenues over time, average data for analytics, orders history, etc.

Feedbacks

Customer feedback will enrich you with information about your transportation services quality. Getting it directly to the admin panel, managers can see opportunities to improve performance and optimize your business efficiency.

Support

You can provide your customers with 24/7 help with a FAQ page, chats, and calls. Clients’ issues should be taken into account. You may also use this information to conduct analytics and eliminate the detected problems.

Technologies Used for Building Logistics App

We at AmconSoft use various logistics app development technologies to provide our clients with robust solutions. 

The chosen tech stack has a huge impact on the platform’s efficiency. That’s why you should select the technology carefully, considering the following factors:

Here are the technologies that we normally use when developing transportation software.

Front-end	•‎ HTML •‎ CSS •‎ JavaScript •‎ Swift •‎ Kotlin •‎ Bootstrap •‎ Angular
Backend	•‎ Python •‎ Node.js •‎ Java •‎ Ruby •‎ Laravel •‎ Redis
Mobile app development	•‎ APNS •‎ React Native •‎ Ionic • Flutter
Cloud Solutions	• Google Cloud • Microsoft Azure • AWS
Databases	• SQL • Mongo DB • Cassandra • Hbase • Firebase • Postgress
Payment systems	• Stripe • Paypal • Braintree
User authentification	• OneLogin • Auth0 • Nexmo
Push notifications	• Twilio • Push.io • Firebase • APNS
Real-time analytics	• IBM • BigData • Apache • Spark • Loggly • Hadoop
Communication and support	• Twilio • Bandwidth

Transportation Use Cases

Our Amconsoft team has a proven track record in logistics tracking app development. We have dealt with numerous projects related to transportation and supply chain fields. 

These few case studies may enhance your understanding of building such software.

Logistics platform with ERP, TMS, and CRM modules

The goal of Inn.Logist project was to build an advanced cloud platform for operational processes management. The client needed an optimized and automated platform for providing multifunctional logistics services. Our main challenge was implementing the client’s idea of a powerful trucking logistics software. We helped build the business logic and came out with the product’s architecture. 

Our developers needed to create a web page and a mobile app. 

We managed to build a well-functioning admin panel that included a user profile feature and all required information delivery. The KPI indicators that the client needed were related to drivers’ data, fuel expenses, additional costs, etc. 

Also, we created a logistic management app for mobile devices. It included various features, such as vehicle and driver profiles, order history and management, real-time status updates, GPS navigation, online document flow, file upload, and reporting. 

We also built a tablet version of real-time order management.

As a result, we created a robust platform empowered with payment gateways integrations. The product can reduce logistics companies’ expenses and increase revenue by up to 25%.

Crew Management System

Working with Navis project, we had a goal to build a logistics mobile application that would display the seaports workload in real-time. The main challenges were developing a port loading system, improving data validity, and updating with a weak Internet connection. 

Our solution was to create a cross-platform mobile platform empowered with numerous features, including local data storage, application module, and web platform interaction. 

We developed a mobile app that enabled receiving real-time data regarding port availability and check rates. An adaptive data table was built to cope with large amounts of data without system failures. 

As a result, we made the port loading system more stable and enhanced data validity. The platform also helps accelerate crew allocation and improve decision-making.

Logistics Mobile App Development Cost

It’s quite challenging to estimate the exact price of transport and logistics mobile app development. Since there is no one-size-fits-all method for building such a platform, the cost will significantly vary due to the following factors:

The development solutions will considerably differ if you need a logistics admin panel, an on-demand delivery platform, or a driver app. Thereby, it will affect your project’s price and timeline. 

However, you may take advantage of the following tips that will help you keep your project’s budget within reasonable limits.

Outsource Logistics App Development

Your developers’ team location matters. In-house solutions are twice or even three times more expensive than outsourcing ones. Besides, you will have to waste time looking for appropriate talents, training them, and dealing with micromanagement. 

In contrast, dedicated outsourcing teams know their business well while their services are much more affordable. 

Here are the most popular outsourcing destinations for transportation app development with the professionals’ average hourly rates.

Build an MVP

If you want to create a transportation app from scratch, start with building an MVP. Besides saving your budget and time, you will benefit from valuable information about your product’s viability. Useful feedback from your first users can help you optimize the development strategy. Later, you may expand the number of features and improve the app’s functionality.

The approximate cost to build a logistics app MVP is  $15,000 – $35,000. Its development will take from 10 to 20 weeks. A ready-to-market app’s price may be $70,000 – $150,000 or beyond. The development may take up to a year.

Final Calculations

Here is the approximate cost and timeline of a common logistics MVP app development.

MVP Feature	Time to develop (in hours)
Signup	75
Profile management	50
Shipment details	115
Real-time tracking	100
POD	90
Communication and support	55
Push notifications	25
Dashboard	90
Order management	160
Driver and freight management	80
Fleet management	50
Total time: 890 hours
Approximate cost: $15,000 – $35,000

Increase Your Logistics Efficiency with Mobile Solution

Transportation and logistics industry is growing, and digital solutions will bring your business the benefit of an innovative approach. Building a robust mobile platform for your managers, drivers, or clients can optimize internal processes, make employees’ lives easier, and improve customer service. 

Such a platform’s development is a complex and multilevel process. You will need to define your project’s goals, select the necessary features, choose a future-proof tech stack, and not allow your budget to inflate. Hopefully, our logistics app development guide helped you understand the core principles of these processes. 

As you see, it requires certain expertise to build a logistics management app that will efficiently serve your business requirements. If you’re looking for a reliable tech partner to help you find the best solutions for your project, we at Amconsoft are ready to help. 

Our logistics app developers at Amconsoft have well-established experience building powerful transport and fleet-management systems, robust delivery services, and more.

Drop us a line to get an efficient consultation on your supply chain or logistics project. Together, we can find a perfect mobile solution for your business!