Why are will-calls hard?
The dispatcher cannot place them on a route in advance, so they arrive on top of the day's planned trips. If no vehicle is near, the rider waits, and many brokers measure how long.
How do dispatchers handle them?
Keep one vehicle per area with slack in the afternoon, cluster appointments at the same clinic, ask clinics for an estimated finish time, and promote a will-call to a timed trip as soon as the rider calls.
What should the software do?
Show will-calls as an open queue, let the dispatcher set the time when the call comes in and assign the nearest free vehicle on the live map (live fleet map).
Frequently asked questions
Is a will-call the same as an on-demand trip?
Close: it is a pre-authorised return whose time is decided on the day, not a brand-new booking.
How can I cut will-call waiting?
Get estimated finish times from the clinic and keep flexible capacity at the busiest return hours.
