Check Calls & ETA Tracking¶

Between stops, you need to know where the driver is and when they will arrive. Check calls record the driver's location at regular intervals. ETAs use that location data to calculate estimated arrival times. Together, they give you a real-time picture of every load in transit.

Overview¶

Check calls are periodic location updates -- either from a phone call with the driver or from a GPS tracking system. Each check call records where the truck was and when. The system uses this information to calculate ETAs and flag overdue updates.

ETAs (Estimated Times of Arrival) are calculated automatically whenever a new check call comes in. They show how far the truck is from the next stop and when it should arrive, based on the distance and a configured average speed.

Both check calls and ETAs are tied to a specific leg. The primary way to interact with them is through the check call widget and ETA widget columns in the Legs list view -- these show the current status at a glance and provide buttons for adding check calls, viewing history, and updating ETAs. The leg form's Tracking tab shows the full list of check call records, notes, and ETA records as inline tables.

Getting There¶

Open Loads from the home screen.
Click Legs in the navigation bar.
The Legs list view shows the Check Call and ETA widget columns with at-a-glance status and action buttons. Most check call and ETA actions (adding, viewing history, updating) happen directly from this list.
To see the full details, open any leg and click the Tracking tab. This shows the complete lists of check call records, notes, and ETA records.
You can also access Check Calls and ETAs as standalone list views from the Loads menu.

How It Works¶

Check Calls¶

A check call answers a simple question: "Where is the truck right now?" Every time a dispatcher contacts the driver or receives an automatic position update, a check call is created.

Adding a Check Call¶

In the Legs list view, find the leg and click the Add Check Call button in the Check Call column. (This button is part of the check call widget that appears directly in the list -- it is not on the leg form.)
The Add Check Call wizard opens.
Select the Location where the truck currently is. Locations are filtered to US and Canada.
Confirm or adjust the Time Updated field. It defaults to the current time and cannot be set to a future time.
Optionally add a Note (up to 100 characters) with any details -- traffic conditions, weather, mechanical issues, etc.
The Next Update time is calculated automatically based on the leg's update interval. You can adjust it if needed (it must be a current or future time).
Click Confirm.

What Happens When You Add a Check Call¶

A check call record is created with a status of Completed.
The system calculates the distance from the truck's current position to the next stop.
An ETA is automatically recalculated for the leg.
The Next Update time is set based on the leg's default update interval, so the system knows when to expect the next check call.

Check Call Statuses¶

Each check call has a status that tells you whether the update schedule is on track:

Status	What It Means
Scheduled	A future check call is expected. The system is waiting for the next update.
Completed	The check call was received and recorded.
Overdue	The scheduled update time has passed and no new check call has come in. The driver needs to be contacted.
Cancelled	The check call was cancelled (no longer needed).

The system runs a background job that automatically marks scheduled check calls as Overdue when their time passes without an update.

Automated Check Call Scheduling¶

Check calls are also created automatically during the stop workflow:

When a driver checks into a stop -- a check call is recorded at the stop's location with a status of Completed.
When a driver checks out of a stop -- another check call is recorded, and the next update time is set based on the leg's interval setting.

The update interval is configured on each leg under the Default Update Interval setting. Options range from every 30 minutes to every 4 hours. A typical setting is every 2 hours. Shorter intervals are useful for time-sensitive loads; longer intervals work for routine cross-country hauls.

Check Call History¶

To see the full history of check calls and notes for a leg:

In the Legs list view, click the Check Call History button in the Check Call column for the leg you want to review.
A popup wizard opens showing a table of all check calls and leg notes, ordered by time.
Each row shows the time, type (Check Call or Note), the location or issue, any notes from the dispatcher, and which user recorded it.

The history wizard also includes resolved notes, so you can see the complete timeline of what happened on a leg. A map view plots stop locations and check call positions on a map, giving you a visual picture of the truck's path along the route. Stop markers show the stop type and current status (e.g., "Stop 1: Checked Out - ABC Warehouse"). Check call markers show the timestamp and location name for each position update. The route path connects the points in sequence so you can trace the truck's journey.

ETA Tracking¶

ETAs give you and your customers a projected arrival time at the next stop. They update automatically as new check calls come in, so the estimate gets more accurate as the driver gets closer.

What ETAs Show¶

Each ETA calculation includes:

Field	Description
ETA Date/Time	The projected arrival time at the next stop, shown in the stop's local timezone.
From Location	Where the truck was when this ETA was calculated (from the latest check call).
To Location	The next stop the truck is heading to.
Distance (Miles)	The straight-line distance between the truck's current position and the next stop.
Speed (MPH)	The average speed used for the calculation. Inherited from the leg's ETA Speed setting.
Method	How the ETA was calculated -- Automatic Update (by the system's background job), Check Call Triggered (from a new check call), or Manual Update (dispatcher clicked recalculate).

How ETAs Are Calculated¶

The system calculates an ETA using a straightforward formula:

Get the truck's current position from the most recent check call that has GPS coordinates.
Get the next stop's position from the stop's location record.
Calculate the distance between the two points.
Divide by the configured speed (set on the leg, defaulting to 55 MPH) to get travel time.
Add the travel time to the current time to get the projected arrival.

The ETA speed is configured on each leg. Options range from 25 MPH to 60 MPH (in 5 MPH increments). For highway driving, 55 MPH is typical. For urban routes or heavy traffic areas, a lower speed gives a more realistic estimate.

When ETAs Update¶

ETAs recalculate automatically in these situations:

A new check call is added -- either manually by a dispatcher or automatically during stop check-in/check-out.
A dispatcher clicks Update ETA in the Legs list view or Recalculate ETA on an ETA record.
The system's scheduled background job runs and recalculates ETAs for all in-transit legs.

Each time a new ETA is calculated, it replaces the previous one as the "current" ETA. Older ETAs are kept in the history for reference.

The Legs list view shows the current ETA in a compact widget column that includes:

The projected arrival time in the destination's local timezone.
How many miles the truck is from the next stop.
When the ETA was last updated.
Whether the truck is running late (the ETA is past the stop's scheduled time).

If no check calls with GPS coordinates exist, the ETA widget will prompt you to add a check call first.

ETA History¶

To see how the ETA has changed over time for a leg:

In the Legs list view, click the ETA History button in the ETA column for the leg you want to review.
A popup wizard opens showing all ETA calculations for this leg, newest first.
Each row shows when the ETA was calculated, the projected arrival time, the from/to locations, the distance, the speed used, the calculation method, and whether it is the current ETA.

This is useful for seeing how the estimate has changed over the course of a trip -- for example, if traffic caused the ETA to slip later, or if the driver made up time.

Manual ETA Recalculation¶

If you need to refresh the ETA outside the normal automatic cycle:

In the Legs list view, click the Update ETA button in the ETA column for the leg.
The system recalculates using the latest check call position and the current speed setting.
A notification appears confirming the new ETA or explaining why the update failed (for example, no check calls with GPS data).

You can also recalculate from an individual ETA record's form view using the Recalculate ETA button.

Manual recalculation requires that the leg is In Transit and that there is at least one check call with location data. The leg remains in In Transit status while the driver is checked into a stop, so ETA recalculation is available throughout the trip.

Check Calls List View¶

The standalone Check Calls list is accessible from the Loads menu. It shows all check call records across all legs in one table, which is useful for monitoring update compliance across the fleet.

Filters: Scheduled, Completed, Overdue, Cancelled.

Group By: Status, Leg, Truck, Driver.

Each row shows the leg, call time, location, status (as a colored badge), truck, driver, next update time, and notes. Overdue check calls are highlighted in red so they stand out.

Managing Individual Check Calls¶

You can open any check call record to see its full details. The check call form view includes:

Mark Completed -- Available for check calls in Scheduled status. Marks the check call as completed and records the current time. Use this when you receive a driver update for a previously scheduled check call. Only scheduled check calls can be marked as completed -- if the check call is overdue or cancelled, this action is not available.
Cancel -- Available for check calls in Scheduled or Overdue status. Cancels the check call if it is no longer needed (for example, the leg has been rerouted or completed). Completed or already-cancelled check calls cannot be cancelled.

ETA List View¶

The standalone ETAs list is accessible from the Loads menu. By default, it shows only current ETAs (the most recent calculation for each leg), so you see one row per in-transit leg.

Filters: Current, Valid, Invalid, Manual, Automatic, Check Call.

Group By: Leg, Method, Valid.

Each row shows the leg, ETA date/time (in the destination's local timezone), from/to locations, distance, speed, calculation method, and whether it is the current ETA.

You can open any ETA record to see its full details, including GPS coordinates, validity status, and error messages. If an ETA shows an error, the form view displays a red banner with the error details. The Recalculate ETA button on the form triggers a fresh calculation.

Tips & Common Questions¶

How often should I add check calls? Follow your leg's Default Update Interval setting. For most loads, every 2 hours works well. For hot loads or time-sensitive freight, consider checking in every 30 minutes to 1 hour. The system will mark check calls as overdue if the interval passes without an update, which helps you stay on top of communication.

Why does the ETA show "Calculation Error"? This usually means the system could not get GPS coordinates for either the truck's current position or the next stop's location. Make sure the check call has a valid location selected and that the stop's location has coordinates in the system.

Can I change the ETA speed after the leg has started? Yes. You can change the ETA Speed setting on the leg at any time. The next ETA calculation will use the new speed. This is useful if you learn the route has heavy traffic and want a more conservative estimate.

What is the difference between "Automatic Update" and "Check Call Triggered" ETAs? Both are calculated by the system without manual action. "Check Call Triggered" means the ETA was recalculated because a new check call came in (someone added a location update or the driver checked into/out of a stop). "Automatic Update" means it was calculated by the system's background job that periodically refreshes ETAs for all in-transit legs.

Stops -- How stops work, including the check-in and check-out workflows that generate automatic check calls