Applies to: Dispatch Science Driver Mobile App (Android & iPhone)
Audience: Support, Customer Success

Overview

The Driver app can launch an external navigation application to provide turn-by-turn directions to a stop.

Drivers can configure two independent navigation settings:

Navigation App – Selects which mapping application opens for navigation.
Open based on – Determines whether the destination is sent using GPS coordinates or the street address.

This article explains where these settings are located, what each option does, and how to troubleshoot common navigation issues.

Accessing Navigation Settings

To configure navigation:

Open the Driver app.
Navigate to Settings.
Tap Navigation App.

From this screen, drivers can:

Select their preferred navigation application.
Choose how destinations are sent using the Open based on the setting.

A short description beneath the setting updates automatically based on the selected mode.

Navigation App Options

Drivers can choose which application opens when starting navigation to a stop.

Option	Description
Native / Default	Uses the phone's default mapping application (Google Maps on Android, Apple Maps on iPhone).
Google Maps	Available on iPhone when Google Maps is installed. (On Android, the Native option already uses Google Maps.)
Waze	Available only if Waze is installed.
TruckMap	Available only if TruckMap is installed.
HammerApp	Available only if HammerApp is installed.

Note: Only navigation apps installed on the device are displayed. If a selected app is no longer installed, the Driver app displays a notification and automatically falls back to the device's default mapping application.

Open Based On

This setting controls the information sent to the navigation app when a driver begins navigation.

Position (Default)

The Driver app sends the stop's GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude).

Recommended for most situations because:

Routes to the exact pinned location.
Works well even when an address is incomplete or ambiguous.
Provides the most accurate navigation.

Address

The Driver app sends the stops:

Street address
Postal code
City

The navigation app performs its own address lookup before calculating the route.

This option can be helpful if the GPS pin is inaccurate and the navigation application's address search provides better results for that location.

What Information Is Sent to Each Navigation App?

Navigation App	Position Mode	Address Mode
Google Maps / Native (Android)	GPS coordinates	Address
Apple Maps	GPS coordinates	Address
Waze	Address and GPS coordinates	Address
TruckMap	GPS coordinates	Address
HammerApp	GPS coordinates	Address

Note: Waze is the only supported application that receives both the address and GPS coordinates when Position mode is selected. All other navigation apps receive GPS coordinates only.

Important Notes

App-wide setting

The Open-based setting applies to the entire Driver app.

It cannot be configured separately for individual orders or stops.

Default configuration

By default, the Driver app uses:

Native navigation
Position mode

Address information sent

When using Address mode, the Driver app sends:

Address line
Postal code
City

It does not send:

State/Province
Country

Changes apply immediately

Drivers can change either navigation setting at any time.

The next navigation request will use the updated configuration.

Stored per device

Navigation preferences are saved locally on the driver's device.

If a driver signs in on another phone, these settings must be configured again.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Likely Cause	Resolution
Navigation opens to the wrong location	The GPS pin or address lookup is inaccurate.	Switch Open based on the position and the address, then test again.
Preferred navigation app is missing	The application is not installed, or the settings page has not refreshed.	Verify the app is installed and reopen Settings → Navigation App.
Selected navigation app does not open	The selected application is not installed.	The Driver app automatically falls back to the device's default maps. Install the desired application if required.
The wrong navigation app keeps opening	A different navigation app is selected in settings.	Review Settings → Navigation App and select the preferred application.
Address navigation is inaccurate	Address mode sends only the address line, postal code, and city.	For more precise routing, switch to Position mode.

Support Recommendations

When investigating navigation-related issues:

Confirm which navigation app the driver is using.
Verify whether Position or Address mode is selected.
Determine whether the issue affects a single location or multiple stops.
If the destination appears incorrect, have the driver test the alternate Open based on the option.
Verify the preferred navigation application is installed and updated.

Driver App — Navigation App Settings