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How Gate Pass Protection Works in the Driver App and Carrier TMS

Sam
Updated

Introduction

To help prevent vehicle theft, fraudulent pickups, and misuse of sensitive documents, shippers can make attachments on a load location-protected. This gives shippers control over when documents such as gate passes, vehicle release forms, or auction paperwork can be opened.

A location-protected attachment stays locked until the driver is near the pickup location. Once the driver is close enough, they can open it in the Driver App.

How Shippers Turn On Location Protection

Shippers turn on location protection in Shipper TMS. In the Attachments section of a load, they switch on the Location Protected toggle next to the file.

Requirements

  • The attachment must be shared with the carrier.
  • The load must have a full pickup address: street, city, state, and ZIP.
  • A carrier must be assigned to the load.

Without a full pickup address, the toggle can't be turned on. Shipper TMS shows the message Full pickup address required to enable "location-protected" attachments.

Shipper TMS Attachments section with a warning that a full pickup address is required to enable location-protected attachments, and the Location Protected toggle turned off
Shipper TMS Attachments section showing a file with the Location Protected toggle, Carrier checkbox checked, and Customer checkbox unchecked
Shipper TMS order page with the pickup address fields and the full pickup address warning shown in the Attachments section

What Happens When an Attachment Is Locked

  • The attachment can't be previewed or downloaded.
  • Carriers and dispatchers can't edit the pickup address.
  • Cancellation options may be limited, depending on the load's status.
Order attachments with a tooltip explaining the file is protected by the shipper and can't be opened until the driver opens it at the pickup location

What Drivers See in the Driver App

Before the Driver Is Near Pickup

  • The attachment shows a lock icon.
  • The file can't be previewed or downloaded.
  • A message says the document will unlock once the driver is near the pickup location.

Unlocking the Attachment at Pickup

Location-protected attachments become available on their own once the driver is near the pickup location:

  • The shipper doesn't need to approve anything.
  • Super Dispatch doesn't need to do anything.
  • Location services must be on for the Driver App.
Important: The lock icon doesn't go away on its own. The driver must tap the attachment to open it. If they're close enough, it unlocks and opens right away.
Three Driver App screens showing a locked attachment on a load, the driver tapping View, and the unlocked gate pass opening

If the Driver Isn't Near the Pickup Location

If the driver tries to open the attachment too far from pickup:

  • The attachment stays locked.
  • The app shows how far the driver is from the pickup location, for example You're 5.8 Miles Away from the Pickup Location.
  • The driver can try again once they're closer.
Driver App screens showing a locked attachment and a map message reading You're 5.8 Miles Away from the Pickup Location

If the App Can't Confirm the Driver's Location

The attachment also stays locked if the app can't confirm where the driver is. The driver may see one of these messages:

  • Allow "Super Dispatch" to use your location? The app is asking for location permission.
  • Location Not Shared: Location access is off. Tap Allow in Settings.
  • Precise Location is Off: Tap Turn On in Settings.
  • Weak GPS Signal: Move to an area with a better signal and tap Try Again.
Four Driver App location messages: the location permission request, Location Not Shared with Allow in Settings, Precise Location is Off with Turn On in Settings, and Weak GPS Signal with Try Again

Checking Access in the Activity Log

Every time a driver opens a location-protected document, Super Dispatch adds an entry to both the carrier activity log and the shipper activity log. This gives you an audit trail showing whether a gate pass or release form was opened before pickup.

How to Check the Shipper Activity Log

  1. Open the order in Shipper TMS.
  2. Go to the Activity section of the order.
  3. Look for a timestamped entry showing the driver opened the protected file.
  4. If there's no entry, the document wasn't opened through Super Dispatch.
Note: The shipper and the carrier can each check access on their own. The carrier's activity log shows the same entry when the driver opens the gate pass.

What Carriers and Dispatchers See in Carrier TMS

While the Attachment Is Locked

  • Protected attachments can't be opened.
  • Pickup address fields are locked.
  • Cancellation options may be limited, depending on the load's status.
Carrier TMS load details page showing the location-protected attachment locked in the Attachments section, with a tooltip explaining it unlocks at pickup

After the Attachment Is Opened

  • The load can't be canceled or archived in Carrier TMS or the Driver App.
  • Anyone who tries to cancel sees a Contact (Shipper Name) message with the shipper's email and phone number.
  • Pickup details stay locked to keep the audit trail intact.
Carrier TMS and Driver App showing the Contact (Shipper Name) message explaining the load can't be deleted or archived because a location-protected file has been opened
Carrier TMS Edit Load page with the pickup information fields locked and a note that they can't be changed because of a location-protected attachment

Location Protection Doesn't Block Pickup Inspections

Location protection only controls access to attachments. It doesn't stop a driver from starting a pickup inspection in Carrier TMS or the Driver App. A driver can inspect and pick up a vehicle without opening the gate pass if the pickup location doesn't require them to show it.

If a vehicle was picked up without the gate pass being opened: The document still shows as locked in Super Dispatch. This is expected. It means the driver didn't open the attachment through Super Dispatch, not that the feature failed. This often happens at auctions that release vehicles without asking for the release form. Contact the pickup location to learn about its release process.

Key Points

  • Attachments unlock once the driver is near the pickup location.
  • Drivers must turn on location services for the Driver App.
  • The driver must tap the protected attachment to open it. The lock icon doesn't go away on its own.
  • If the driver isn't near pickup, the app shows how far away they are.
  • Offline access is supported, with a delayed sync if needed.
  • After a protected attachment is opened, carriers must contact the shipper to cancel the load.
  • The shipper and carrier activity logs both record when the driver opens a protected document.

Next Steps

Gate passes only unlock when the Driver App can confirm the driver's location. Learn how Super Dispatch uses location and how to turn it on.

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