AI & Software Development for Logistics
Driver apps, dispatch platforms and route optimization that cut idle time and phone calls.
What slows you downEvery truck. Every stop. Live.
For Logistics teams.
We build software for carriers, brokers, 3PLs and last-mile operators: the driver app in the cab, the dispatch console in the office and the integrations that keep both in sync with your TMS, telematics and accounting.
Offline-first driver apps (iOS & Android)
Load details, navigation hand-off, status updates, inspection checklists and messaging that keep working in dead zones and sync when coverage returns.
Real-time dispatch & tracking consoles
A live map of trucks, loads and ETAs fed by telematics or the driver app, with exceptions surfaced instead of found by phone.
AI route and load optimization
Routing and load building that respect time windows, hours of service and equipment, with dispatchers able to override and see why.
Proof-of-delivery and document capture
Photo proof of delivery, signatures and BOL scanning with OCR, attached to the load and pushed to billing automatically.
In detailHow an offline-first driver app syncs
A driver app has to assume the signal will drop mid-task. Every action, from arriving at a stop to capturing a signature, is written to the phone first with an ID generated on the device, so a retry after a dead zone can’t post the same event twice.
The server owns load assignments and rates; the phone owns timestamps, photos and signatures, which upload in the background and resume where they stopped. Conflicts are settled field by field with rules agreed in discovery, for example a dispatcher’s reassignment always beats a stale copy on the phone. Whether to write the app native or cross-platform turns mostly on how much it has to do in the background.
EDI 204, 214 and 210 in a dispatch build
When shippers or brokers exchange loads with you by X12 EDI, three transaction sets cover most of a carrier’s day. We map each one to your TMS records and test it against each trading partner’s spec before cutover.
- 204 load tenderThe Motor Carrier Load Tender arrives in dispatch with stops, time windows and rate, ready to accept or reject without re-keying.
- 214 shipment statusPickup, delay and delivery events from the driver app go out as Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Messages, in place of check calls.
- 210 freight invoiceOnce proof of delivery is attached, the Motor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice is built from the load record and sent to the customer’s system.
A first AI project: check calls and paperwork
A sensible first AI project in logistics is the work dispatchers do between loads. An agent reads rate confirmations and bills of lading, fills in the load in the TMS, answers “where is my truck” from live status and drafts the customer update. A dispatcher approves anything outside the rules, such as a rate that doesn’t match the confirmation.
We scope this kind of AI agent for check calls and paperwork as one workflow, with approval limits from our checklist of guardrails for production AI agents set before it touches a live load.
What we have and haven’t shipped
We have no published logistics case study yet, and we won’t borrow one. What carries over from our shipped work is narrower and real: apps live on iOS, Android and web for Switch and DubCam, and an app that controls hardware in real time for OHM Fitness.
That is why a logistics project starts with the paid Discovery Sprint. You get a working prototype of your driver or dispatch flow and a fixed quote, and judge us on that before committing to a build.
Compliance & riskBuilt around the rules your drivers run on.
Logistics software touches hours-of-service data, customer documents and driver privacy. We integrate with registered, certified systems instead of reinventing them.
ELD and hours of service
Most carriers must have drivers record duty status on an ELD, with narrow exceptions such as pre-2000 vehicles. We bring your ELD or telematics provider’s data into dispatch and routing; we don’t build ELD devices.
Source: 49 CFR 395.8: ELD and duty-status recordsTMS, ERP and EDI
Loads, rates and invoices sync with your TMS and accounting through APIs or EDI (204 tenders, 214 status, 210 invoices), so nobody re-keys data.
Driver privacy
Location is tracked only while on duty, consent is clear in the app, and driver and customer data sits behind role-based access.
Typical timeline & budgetPublished prices. Fixed after discovery.
Logistics projects follow the same model as every Apptycoons engagement: a 2-week Discovery Sprint, then a 6–16 week fixed-price build, billed in milestones. The first release is usually the driver app and dispatch view for one fleet or lane, wired to your TMS; optimization is layered on once the data is clean.
Scope, architecture and a fixed quote for the build. The fee is credited to your build.
Your first release, delivered in demoed milestones, with 30 days of support after launch.
A dedicated squad for ongoing roadmap work once the first release is live.
What moves the price for Logistics projects
- IntegrationsEach TMS, ELD or telematics provider and EDI partner adds mapping and testing.
- Offline syncConflict handling for apps used without signal is the hardest part of a driver app to get right.
- Optimization depthRules-based dispatch assistance costs less than a full route and load optimizer.
When you don’t need a custom build
If your TMS vendor’s driver app covers your lanes and your customers’ portals, configure it and skip the build. Custom pays off when drivers work across several systems, spend long stretches without signal, or when the app is part of what you sell to shippers.
FAQCommon questions.
Do the apps work offline?
Yes. Driver apps queue every action locally and sync automatically when coverage returns.
Can you integrate with our TMS?
Yes. We connect to TMS, ERP and telematics systems through their APIs, and to shippers and brokers through X12 EDI, usually 204 load tenders, 214 status messages and 210 invoices.
Do you build ELD software?
No. ELD providers register their devices with FMCSA. We bring hours-of-service and location data from your ELD or telematics provider into dispatch, routing and driver apps through their APIs.
Can AI agents handle check calls and paperwork?
Yes, and it is a common first project. An agent reads rate confirmations and BOLs, updates the TMS and sends status updates to customers, with a dispatcher approving anything unusual.
How much does logistics software development cost?
Builds are quoted at a fixed price within our $25k–$120k range after a $5,000 Discovery Sprint. For logistics projects, the number of TMS, ELD and EDI integrations, offline sync and optimization depth decide where yours lands.
Do you have logistics case studies?
Not yet a published one. That is why logistics projects start with a paid discovery sprint and a working prototype, so you can judge the work before committing to a build.
Can the driver app capture proof of delivery offline?
Yes. Photos, signatures and BOL scans are saved on the phone, attached to the stop and uploaded with automatic retry once coverage returns, then passed to billing with the load.
Does routing respect hours of service?
Yes. Routing and load suggestions use hours-of-service data pulled from your ELD or telematics provider, and a dispatcher can override any suggestion and see the reason it was made.
