Configure driver working hours and days
Set each driver's shift start, shift end, and break times in Upper. The optimizer keeps every route inside the driver's working window for feasible plans.
A driver's shift schedule lives on their user profile in Upper. When you set a shift start time, shift end time, and break, the optimizer uses those hours while it sequences stops — so routes are built to finish inside each driver's working window rather than running past it.
Upper uses driver and delivery labels by default, but a workspace can be set to show Technician and Service instead. If your account uses those labels, you'll see "Users/Technicians" and "Technician App Config" in place of the driver wording below.
Why shift times matter
Optimization without shift limits assumes a driver is available all day. That produces routes that look efficient on the map but spill into overtime in practice. Setting realistic shift and break times produces feasible routes and ETAs you can rely on.
Before you start
- Where it lives — Shift schedules are part of the driver's user profile under Manage → Users.
- What you'll set — A shift start time, a shift end time, and either "No Break Required" or a break start and end time.
- Know the driver's real hours — Bake pre-route activities like vehicle loading or briefings into the shift start time.
Set the schedule when adding a driver
Open the Users page
In the left sidebar, go to Manage → Users.
Start a new user
Click + Add User. A slide-in drawer titled Add User opens.
Set the role and details
Select Driver under User Role, then fill in the name, email, and phone.
Set the shift schedule
In the Shift Schedule section, set:
- Start time — when the driver's shift begins (for example, 08:00).
- End time — when the driver's shift ends (for example, 16:00).
- Break — leave No Break Required checked, or uncheck it and set a break start and break end time.
Save
Click Save to add the driver with their schedule.
Edit the schedule for an existing driver
Open the Users page
Go to Manage → Users.
Open the driver's actions
Click the kebab (…) menu in the Action column for that driver.
Choose Edit User
Select Edit User to open the slide-in drawer.
Update the shift and break fields
Change the Start time, End time, or Break settings as needed.
Save
Click Save.
How schedules affect routing
When you run optimization, Upper uses each driver's shift to build a feasible plan:
- Routes are sequenced to fit inside the driver's shift end time.
- Stops that have their own time windows are placed inside both the stop's window and the driver's shift.
- A configured break is factored into the route's total time.
Set the shift start to the time the driver is actually on the road, not the moment they arrive at the depot. If they leave at 08:00 but walk in at 07:45, set the start to 08:00 so loading time isn't routed as driving time.
Troubleshooting
Related
Compare performance across drivers
Compare driver performance on the Upper Dashboard. Set a date range and read the per-driver panels side by side to find top performers and drivers who need support.
Deactivate or remove a driver
Deactivate a driver's license or delete their profile from the Users page in Upper. Learn which to choose, what each one changes, and how to handle active routes first.