Drivers
Drivers complete your store's local deliveries from the TrafficDelivery app -- a single mobile app that any delivery-capable staff member signs into. A driver sees the stops assigned to them (or claims unassigned ones), gets an optimized route, navigates with Google Maps, texts customers an "almost there" message, and records cash collected on delivery.
Driver delivery requires Enable Local Delivery (enable_local_delivery) to be enabled in your store settings. Navigate to Settings > Edit Settings > Sales & Integrations tab and toggle on Enable Local Delivery.
This describes the cloud-native delivery system. The driver app now talks directly to Brother POS over the internet -- there is no separate relay server, QR pairing, or device "activation" step. A driver just installs TrafficDelivery and signs in with their normal Brother POS credentials.
Who Can Drive
Delivery work is not limited to the Driver role. The app and the dispatch tools accept any delivery-capable staff role:
- Driver -- dedicated delivery staff (recommended for drivers who do nothing else).
- Manager / Admin / Super Admin -- so an owner or manager can run deliveries themselves, or dispatch and drive at the same time ("Both" mode).
This means a one-person operation can do everything from a single phone, and a manager can jump in to cover a route when a driver is unavailable.
Creating a Driver Account
Drivers are created through the regular Users page by giving a user the Driver role. There is no separate "Add Driver" form.
Step 1: Create the User Account
- Navigate to Users in the admin panel.
- Click Add User.
- Fill in the driver details:
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Yes | The driver's display name; shown to dispatchers when assigning. |
| Yes | Used to sign in to the app. Must be unique. | |
| Phone Number | Recommended | So dispatch can reach the driver directly. |
| Role | Yes | Select Driver (or use a Manager/Admin account). |
| Password | Yes | A temporary password; the driver should change it after first sign-in. |
- Click Create User.
A Driver-role account is restricted to the TrafficDelivery app only -- drivers cannot reach the admin panel or the POS register.
Step 2: Install TrafficDelivery and Sign In
- Have the driver install the TrafficDelivery app on their phone (iOS or Android).
- On first launch they enter your store code, then sign in with their email and password.
- That's it -- no QR code, no pairing, no activation. Their assigned stops appear as soon as a dispatcher assigns them (or they can claim available deliveries themselves).
You can preview the same app in a browser by appending ?display=delivery to your store's POS URL (for example https://yourstore.brotherpos.ca/pos?display=delivery). The native app is recommended for real driving because it supports device location, push alerts, and one-tap navigation.
What the Driver Does in the App
A full walkthrough of the driver workflow -- going on a run, claiming or receiving stops, optimizing the route, navigating, texting customers, and collecting cash -- lives in The Driver App.
In short, a driver can:
- See their current stop with address, ETA, delivery window, and any cash-on-delivery amount owed.
- Optimize their stops into the fastest order (traffic-aware, deadline-first when customers have time windows).
- Navigate to one stop, or open the whole remaining route as a single multi-stop Google Maps trip.
- Tap Notify ~5 min to text the customer (or, in driver mode, hand the text off to dispatch).
- Mark delivered and record cash collected for COD orders.
Reaching and Reassigning Drivers
- Phone -- the driver's phone number from their Users record is shown to dispatchers so they can call directly.
- Reassigning a stop -- a dispatcher can assign any unassigned delivery to a different driver from the Dispatcher Console. A stop already on a driver's route stays with that driver until it's delivered.
Push Notifications
Drivers do not need push notifications to receive work -- their stops load whenever they open the app. Push is used on the dispatcher side (the "customer is ~5 minutes away" buzz). Setting that up requires Firebase credentials; see Delivery Setup.
Best Practices
- Use real names -- enter full names, not nicknames. Dispatchers pick drivers by name when assigning.
- Keep phone numbers current -- dispatch needs to reach drivers when a delivery goes sideways.
- Prefer the native app for driving -- the browser preview works, but the installed app gives proper map navigation and (when configured) push alerts.
- Deactivate promptly -- when a driver leaves, deactivate their user account on the Users page so they can no longer sign in.
- Let managers cover -- if you're short a driver, a manager or admin can sign in and run the route themselves.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Driver can't sign in | Confirm the user account exists, the role is Driver (or a delivery-capable staff role), and they entered the correct store code. |
| Driver sees no deliveries | Either nothing has been assigned to them yet, or the deliveries are scheduled for a future day. Assign a stop from the Dispatcher Console, or have the driver check the Available tab. |
| "Driver access required" error | The account's role is not delivery-capable. Set it to Driver, Manager, Admin, or Super Admin on the Users page. |
| Stops have no map pin / no ETA | The delivery address didn't geocode, or the Google Maps key isn't configured. See Routes and Delivery Setup. |
What's Next?
- The Driver App -- The complete driver workflow.
- Dispatcher Console -- Assign drivers, notify customers, and watch the live map.
- Routes -- How stops, ETAs, and route optimization work.
- Delivery Setup -- Google Maps and push notification setup.