How do we dispatch bookings?
The Ideal Cars dispatch system is a mixture of automatic and manual allocation.
Different dispatch methods are used depending on:
- How busy the fleet is
- The value of the booking
- Driver availability
- Waiting times
- Booking type
Below is an explanation of the different dispatch methods you may see.
Bookings Below £10 – Busy Times
During busy periods, bookings under £10 are usually allocated using the following methods.
Soonest driver / Nearest driver
This method is used when:
- Drivers in the booking zone (or backup zones) have waited less than 5 minutes
- Drivers are within a 500 metre radius of the pickup
The system sends the booking to the closest suitable driver.
This helps:
- Reduce customer waiting times
- Keep jobs moving quickly
- Increase the number of bookings drivers can complete
Longest waiting
This method is used when:
- Any driver in the zone (or backup zones) has been waiting more than 5 minutes
The system prioritises the driver who has waited the longest.
This helps distribute work more fairly during quieter periods.
Follow-on booking
This method is used when:
- All drivers are currently busy
- A driver is expected to become available shortly
The system may allocate the next booking before the driver clears their current job.
This helps:
- Reduce delays
- Keep bookings covered
- Improve efficiency during busy periods
This can be done automatically by the system or manually by the operator.
No fare
If a driver receives a no fare, the system may move them higher in the queue for the next booking in the same zone.
This helps reduce lost waiting time caused by the cancelled booking.
Bid / Bid while busy
This method is used when:
- No drivers are currently available in the booking zone or backup zones
The booking is then offered out for drivers to bid on.
Bookings Below £10 – Quiet Times
During quieter periods, operators may use additional dispatch methods to help keep work distributed fairly
Requested driver
An operator manually selects the driver for the booking.
This may happen when:
- A driver has been waiting the longest nearby
- A driver is the closest available vehicle for an out-of-town booking
- The operator believes a specific driver is best suited for the booking
Requested vehicle
Similar to Requested Driver, but the booking is allocated to a specific vehicle type instead.
Bookings between £10 - £30
These bookings are usually allocated using the SuperJob system.
If no suitable SuperJob driver is available, the system will return to the standard dispatch methods used for bookings under £10 during busy periods.
Bookings over £30
These bookings are normally allocated using the Prebooking Bid system.
For more information on this system, please click below.