Automated matching of drivers and vehicles to bookings

Purpose

1.1. Optimize allocation of drivers and vehicles to incoming bookings for airport shuttle services.
1.2. Minimize manual dispatch effort, reduce errors, and improve operational speed.
1.3. Automatically consider driver availability, vehicle capacity, real-time location, and legal/operational constraints.
1.4. Ensure instant notification to all relevant parties for assignment confirmation or changes.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. New booking submitted via web form, email, mobile app, CRM, or partnered travel agency API.
2.2. Change in driver status—available, unavailable, or shift started/ended.
2.3. Vehicle status updated (maintenance, available for service, location change).
2.4. Real-time flight schedule updates or passenger changes received.

Platform Variants

3.1. Salesforce
• Feature/Setting: Flow Builder > Scheduler and Record-Triggered Flows.
• Configure to launch automation when a new Booking__c record is created; use Apex Action for driver/vehicle assignment logic.

3.2. Microsoft Power Automate
• Feature/Setting: Automated cloud flow + Dataverse triggers.
• Configure with "When a new row is added" to the Bookings table and chain lookup actions for driver/vehicle entities.

3.3. Zapier
• Feature/Setting: Webhook or Booking Platform Trigger + Multi-step Lookup/Update.
• Use "Webhook Catch Hook" as trigger, filter for new bookings, update CRM, and send notifications.

3.4. Make (Integromat)
• Feature/Setting: Scenario with Booking trigger and data router.
• Start with HTTP Webhook > Lookup Driver/Vehicle modules > assign using conditional logic.

3.5. Twilio
• Feature/Setting: Event-driven SMS or WhatsApp message via Programmable Messaging API.
• Configure to send assignment alerts to driver upon booking, using phone number field in driver profile.

3.6. Google Sheets
• Feature/Setting: Apps Script with onEdit/onFormSubmit triggers.
• Script to search available drivers/vehicles, allocate, and fire assignment emails.

3.7. AWS Lambda
• Feature/Setting: API Gateway trigger + Lambda function with business logic.
• Deploy a function to process booking payload and update DynamoDB/SES/SNS with assignment.

3.8. Azure Logic Apps
• Feature/Setting: Recurrence or HTTP Request trigger, Azure Table Storage lookup.
• Sequence with parallel actions to cross-check criteria, notify stakeholders.

3.9. Google Cloud Functions
• Feature/Setting: Triggered via HTTP POST; interacts with Firestore and Pub/Sub.
• Function assigns based on real-time data and publishes notification to subscribed devices.

3.10. HubSpot
• Feature/Setting: Workflows > Deal or Ticket-based trigger.
• Custom action runs on new shuttle booking; integration with driver/vehicle object for assignment.

3.11. Oracle Integration Cloud
• Feature/Setting: Prebuilt Application Integration Flow, mapping booking data to internal resource modules.
• Use REST Adapter for external booking source, assign via process orchestration.

3.12. SAP Integration Suite
• Feature/Setting: Cloud Integration flow with event triggers.
• Orchestrates assignment process and notifies via built-in communication adapters.

3.13. Slack
• Feature/Setting: Bot User OAuth + Event API.
• Auto-posts private assignment message to driver channels or DMs.

3.14. Freshdesk
• Feature/Setting: Workflow Automator for Service Tickets.
• Uses “on new ticket” for shuttle request, then API call for assignment.

3.15. ServiceNow
• Feature/Setting: Flow Designer > Record Created on booking table.
• Custom Action Maps driver/vehicle and triggers notification workflow.

3.16. Jobber
• Feature/Setting: Automated Workflow on New Job.
• Triggers custom assignment logic or external API webhook.

3.17. QuickBase
• Feature/Setting: Pipelines—Added Record in Bookings table.
• Conditional automation for driver/vehicle match and notification.

3.18. Airtable
• Feature/Setting: Automation—“When record created” in Bookings.
• Script block to assign driver/vehicle and update status field.

3.19. SendGrid
• Feature/Setting: Transactional Email API.
• Configured to auto-send assignment details to drivers.

3.20. monday.com
• Feature/Setting: Automations—“When item created” + Custom Column Logic.
• Board configuration to map available resource, update, and send assignment.

3.21. Zapier Paths
• Feature/Setting: Multiple conditional branches for differing assignment rules.
• Ensures optimized match based on advanced criteria.

3.22. NetSuite
• Feature/Setting: SuiteFlow—Automated Workflow for new booking records.
• Configures assignment via SuiteScript or RESTlet call to internal/external assignment service.

3.23. ClickSend
• Feature/Setting: SMS API for driver mobile notification.
• API configured to send out assignment instantly upon dispatch.

Benefits

4.1. Significantly decreases manual work in dispatching and resource allocation.
4.2. Ensures faster response, reducing passenger wait times.
4.3. Minimizes human errors in double-booking or misallocation.
4.4. Improves service consistency and customer satisfaction.
4.5. Enables real-time tracking and instant communication through automated notifications.
4.6. Supports scalability as booking volume increases without extra admin overhead.