Contact dispatch from the app
Message dispatch from the Upper driver app to share route updates, ask for help, or flag a problem — and know when a quick phone call is the better choice.
When something comes up on your route, the Upper driver app gives you a built-in way to reach dispatch without leaving the app. Open chat, type your message, and send it — the same person who planned and sent your route can read it and reply.
Your workspace may label the people who run routes as drivers or technicians. The steps below are the same either way; only the wording on screen changes.
Message dispatch from the app
Open the Upper driver app
Make sure you are signed in with your own driver account so dispatch knows the message is from you.
Open chat
Tap into the chat area of the app.
Type your message
Enter what you need to tell dispatch in the message field.
Send
Dispatch reads your message and replies in the same conversation.
When to message dispatch
Reach out whenever you need dispatch to know something or to make a decision you can't make on your own. Common reasons:
- A stop can't be reached — a road is closed, an address won't load, or you can't access the location
- A customer problem — the recipient is refusing the delivery or the address looks wrong
- You can't complete a delivery and want guidance on what to do
- You need stops added or removed from your route
- You're running significantly late
- A vehicle issue or a safety concern
When your message is about one specific stop, include the stop number or the customer name. Dispatch may be tracking several drivers at once, so that small detail saves them a lookup and gets you a faster answer.
Message or call?
Both have their place. Use this as a rough guide:
| Use a message when… | Use a phone call when… |
|---|---|
| The situation isn't urgent and a written record is useful | It's a time-critical safety issue |
| Dispatch can reply when they get a free moment | Waiting on a typed reply would cause a problem |
| You want a record of what was asked and answered | You need to talk it through in real time |
For anything involving your safety or an emergency, don't wait on a message — call. Use messaging for the day-to-day coordination that doesn't need an immediate voice answer.
Troubleshooting
Related
Connect Upper to CarPlay
Set your preferred navigation app in Upper, connect your iPhone to CarPlay, then tap Navigate on a stop to see turn-by-turn directions on the car display.
Contact the customer
When a stop has a customer phone number from planning, the Upper driver app shows it so you can reach the customer about access, timing, or directions.