Notification guide

Choose the right type of notification

Use job-state, ETA, and geofence rules for different moments, then decide who should receive each message by push, email, or SMS.

Updated September 3, 2026

Make sure there is somewhere to send the message. The recipient needs an email address, phone number, or registered device, and the delivery service must be connected. Check these before relying on a rule for customer messages.

Compare the configurable notification types

Type	When it fires	Good for	Configure under
Job state	A job enters a selected workflow state	Assignment, cancellation, progress, and completion updates	Settings → Job Notifications
ETA	A driver comes within a time or distance threshold of a remaining stop	“Arriving in 15 minutes” and “driver is nearby” messages	Settings → ETA Notifications
Geofence	A tracked user enters, exits, or dwells inside a zone or geofence	Arrival at a depot, departure from a service area, or prolonged presence	Settings → Zones → Notifications

You can create multiple rules for the same event. For example, send a push notification to the driver and an SMS to the customer when a job is assigned.

Before you start

Open Settings → Site Settings and enable every delivery channel you intend to use.
Confirm each recipient has the required destination: an email address, phone number, or registered push device.
Confirm the channel has an available provider. Your environment may use RouteIQ's platform provider or a site integration such as Mailgun, Twilio, Telnyx, or Firebase Cloud Messaging.
Check user notification preferences. A user can opt out of an otherwise enabled channel.

Everything needed to send the message must be ready.

The channel must be on, the person must allow that type of message, their contact information or device must be available, and the delivery service must be connected.

1. Job-state notifications

Use these when the message should follow the job workflow rather than the driver's physical location. Each rule combines one workflow state, one recipient type, and one delivery method.

Open Settings → Job Notifications.
Select Add Notification.
Choose the workflow state that should trigger the message.
Choose Customer, Driver, or Admin.
Choose Push, Email, or SMS.
Review the default wording, customize it if needed, leave the rule enabled, and save.

Supported combinations have useful defaults. Site-specific rules override them; removing an override returns that combination to its default behavior. Review email and SMS rules explicitly rather than assuming they are enabled by default.

RouteIQ Job Notifications settings showing workflow states, recipients, delivery methods, and enabled rules — **Rules remain easy to scan.** Each row shows the workflow state, recipient, delivery method, and whether that notification is active.

2. ETA notifications

Use these when timing or distance matters more than job status. Each rule is checked for every remaining stop whenever the route's ETA changes.

Open Settings → ETA Notifications and select Add Notification.
Choose Time Before Arrival or Distance Away.
Enter the threshold in minutes or in your site's configured distance unit.
Choose the customer, driver, or admin and the delivery channel.
Review the message template, enable the rule, and save.

A rule normally sends once for each job and stop. If you change the stops or their order, the updated plan may allow the notification to send again.

3. Geofence notifications

Use these when a tracked person enters, leaves, or stays inside an area.

Open Settings → Zones, then the Notifications tab.
Target one zone or choose All zones and geofences.
Choose Enter, Exit, or Dwell. Dwell fires once after a tracked user remains inside for about five minutes.
Choose Admin, Dispatcher, or Tracked User.
Choose the delivery channel, set the minimum time between alerts if needed, review the template, and save.

Geofence rules require current location updates and a valid boundary. They respond to a boundary transition, not every GPS ping.

Channels and recipients

Channel	Recipient needs	Provider	Best use
Push	A registered device and permission to receive notifications	Firebase Cloud Messaging or the available platform push provider	Fast operational alerts for signed-in users
Email	A valid email address	Mailgun or the available platform email provider	Detailed updates that should be easy to retain
SMS	A valid phone number with country code	Twilio, Telnyx, or the available platform SMS provider	Short, urgent updates when the app may not be open

Customer means the customer on the job, Driver means the job's lead driver, and Admin means the site's administrators. Location rules can instead notify all dispatchers or the tracked person who crossed the boundary.

Message templates

Email and push messages require a title and body. SMS uses only the body. Use the variables shown in the editor instead of typing live names or numbers into every rule.

Job state: {{job_id}}, {{job_number}}, {{state_name}}, {{customer_name}}, {{driver_name}}
ETA: {{driver_name}}, {{eta_minutes}}, {{job_number}}
Geofence: {{user_name}}, {{geofence_name}}, {{event_type}}

Write for the channel.

Keep SMS concise, give email and push a useful title, and never place secrets or internal-only notes in a customer template.

Automatic and in-app notifications

The notification bell stores alerts for the signed-in user, where they can be opened and marked as read. Some product alerts, such as chat, call, password-reset, invitation, and account messages, are generated by their own features and are not controlled by the three rule screens above.

Verify and troubleshoot

Create a test rule aimed at a recipient and destination you control.
Trigger the real event: move a test job into the selected state, approach a stop, or cross a test zone boundary.
Check the RouteIQ notification bell and the relevant provider's delivery logs.
Confirm the names, job number, timing, and links look right before enabling the rule for everyone.

The rule is enabled but nothing arrives

Check the site channel switch, user preference, recipient contact information or device token, and provider integration.

An ETA rule does not fire

Confirm the route has a driver with recent location data, the stop has a calculated ETA or distance, and the same rule has not already fired for that stop.

A geofence rule does not fire

Confirm the tracked user is sending live locations and actually crosses the boundary. For dwell, remain inside for at least five minutes.

Recipients get too many messages

Look for overlapping rules that target the same event and recipient. Keep only the combinations that communicate something distinct.