Mobile Fleet Management App Development
A mechanic records an oil change in the field — no internet, on a tablet in a truck cab. Data goes to the server 40 minutes later when the vehicle drives onto the base. At that moment it turns out the dispatcher already assigned the same car to a trip in an hour. There would be no conflict if scheduled maintenance showed in the schedule before assigning the vehicle to a route. These exact touch points — between mechanic, dispatcher, and driver — are what Fleet Management app automates.
Three roles, three interfaces
Fleet Management — rare case where one mobile app doesn't cover all scenarios. Usually:
Driver app — trip sheet, daily route, checkpoints, fuel consumption from receipts, incident reporting. Works mostly offline, syncs at stops.
Mechanic/technician app — maintenance log, pre-trip inspection checklists, parts requests, damage photos linked to vehicle. Also offline-first.
Dispatcher/manager app — real-time fleet map, route assignment, driver status, fleet KPIs, alerts. Online-oriented, real-time matters.
Technically all three are built as one Flutter or React Native project with different entry points and role logic, or three separate app flavors/targets with shared business logic in a package.
Telematics and onboard system integration
Modern commercial vehicles have OBD-II/J1939 port. Through it you can get: engine RPM, speed, fuel consumption, DTC codes (diagnostic errors), mileage. Telematics unit (Teltonika, Wialon, Omnicomm) reads the bus and sends data to server.
Mobile driver app can read OBD directly via Bluetooth: android.bluetooth.BluetoothSocket with ELM327 protocol or via ready SDKs (OBDLink SX). On iOS — via ELM327 WiFi adapter and URLSession to local IP. Works for diagnostics, but production systems use dedicated onboard unit, not driver's phone.
Pre-trip inspection
Driver before departure completes digital checklist: brakes, tire pressure, lighting, first aid kit, fire extinguisher. Each item — confirmation or damage note with photo. Trip can't start without completed inspection — blocked at app level.
Checklist customizable per vehicle type (passenger, cargo, special) via admin panel. In app — dynamic forms, JSON Schema with field set rendering as native widgets. JSONSchema → custom FormBuilder in Flutter/React Native.
Damage photos upload via WorkManager with NetworkConstraint — driver doesn't wait, heads to route, data syncs in background.
Trip sheets and document flow
E-trip sheet — requirement of Russian law since 2023 (Federal Law 259, Transport Ministry order). Integration with GIS "Trip Sheets" via Transport Ministry API. Signing via UECP (qualified electronic signature) or simplified via ruToken SDK / CryptoPro CSP Mobile.
For international projects — Driver Hours of Service (HOS) compliance: ELD-mandate (USA, FMCSA), AETR (Europe). Separate module with driving/rest time control.
Map and dispatch
Dispatcher sees entire fleet on map in real time — discussed in vehicle monitoring section. Fleet management specifics: each vehicle marker carries context — is driver assigned, is trip active, open defects, next maintenance date.
Route assignment: dispatcher drags task to vehicle on map or picks from list. Route built via Google Maps Directions API or HERE Routing (corporate rate unlimited requests), with road weight restrictions (truck routing profile in HERE/OpenRouteService).
Analytics and maintenance
Maintenance planning — not just "every 10,000 km". Depends on mileage (odometer or CAN data), engine hours, operating type. Stored as maintenance_schedule with trigger rules. Mobile client displays upcoming maintenance and notifications — push via FCM/APNs to mechanic and fleet manager.
KPI dashboard: mileage per period, fuel consumption per 100 km (standard vs actual), utilization ratio (days in trip / available days), accident count. Data from PostgreSQL, aggregated server-side, displayed in native Chart components (fl_chart for Flutter, MPAndroidChart for Android native, Charts for iOS).
Stages and timeline
| Stage | Description | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Audit | Fleet inventory, telematics, current systems | 1–2 weeks |
| Design | Roles, workflows, API contracts | 2–3 weeks |
| MVP Development | Driver + dispatcher, basic tracking, trip sheets | 10–14 weeks |
| Mechanic + Maintenance | Checklists, defects, maintenance planning | +4–6 weeks |
| Integrations | OBD, GIS Trip Sheets, ERP/1C | +2–4 weeks |
| Pilot | 2–3 vehicles in real conditions | 2–3 weeks |
Cost depends on module set and integration depth. Calculated individually after fleet infrastructure audit.