Introduction
To reduce vehicle theft, fraudulent pickups, and misuse of sensitive documents, Super Dispatch allows shippers to apply location-protected attachments to loads. This feature gives shippers direct control over when sensitive pickup documents such as gate passes, vehicle release forms, or auction paperwork become accessible.
When location protection is enabled, attachments remain locked until the driver is near the pickup location. Once the driver is close enough, the document can be opened directly from the Driver App.
How Shippers Enable Location Protection
Location protection is managed entirely within Shipper TMS. When uploading or managing attachments on a load, shippers can mark specific documents as Location-Protected.
Requirements
- The attachment must be shared with the carrier.
- A full pickup address (street, city, state, and ZIP) must be entered on the load.
- The carrier must be assigned to the load.
If a full pickup address is not entered, the Location-Protected toggle cannot be enabled. The system will prompt the shipper to complete the address first.
What Happens When an Attachment Is Locked
When an attachment is marked as location-protected, the following restrictions apply:
- The attachment cannot be previewed or downloaded.
- The pickup address cannot be edited by carriers or dispatchers.
- Cancellation options may be restricted depending on load status.
Driver Experience in the Driver App
Before Arriving Near the Pickup Location
- The attachment appears with a lock icon.
- The file cannot be previewed or downloaded.
- A message indicates the document will unlock once the driver is near the pickup location.
Unlocking the Attachment at Pickup
Location-protected attachments automatically become available once the driver is near the pickup location.
- No approval is required from the shipper.
- No action is required from Super Dispatch.
- Location services must be enabled on the driver's device.
If the Driver Is Not Near the Pickup Location
If the driver attempts to open a location-protected attachment while they are not near the pickup location, the Driver App will display a warning message.
- The attachment will remain locked.
- The driver will see their distance from the pickup location.
- The driver can try again once they are near the pickup location.
Verifying Access in the Activity Log
Every time a driver opens a location-protected document, Super Dispatch records an entry in both the carrier activity log and the shipper activity log. This gives you a clear audit trail to confirm whether a gate pass or release form was actually accessed before pickup.
How to Check the Shipper Activity Log
- Open the order in Shipper TMS.
- Navigate to the Activity section on the order detail page.
- Look for a timestamped entry confirming the driver opened the protected file.
- If no entry exists, the document was not opened through Super Dispatch.
Carrier & Dispatcher Experience in Carrier TMS
While the Attachment Is Locked
- Protected attachments cannot be opened.
- Pickup address fields remain locked.
- Cancellation options may be limited depending on load status.
After the Attachment Is Accessed
- The load can no longer be canceled in Carrier TMS.
- Dispatchers attempting to cancel will be prompted to contact the shipper.
- Pickup details remain locked to preserve an audit trail.
Important: Location Protection Does Not Block Pickup Inspection
Location protection controls access to attachments only — it does not prevent a driver from starting a pickup inspection in the Carrier TMS or Driver App. This means a driver can begin inspecting and picking up a vehicle without ever opening the gate pass, if the pickup location does not physically require them to present it.
Important Notes
- Attachments unlock once the driver is near the pickup location.
- Drivers must enable location services in the Driver App.
- The driver must tap the protected attachment to open it — the lock icon does not disappear automatically.
- If the driver is not near the pickup location, the app will display a warning message with their distance.
- Offline access is supported with delayed sync if needed.
- After a protected attachment is opened, carriers must contact the shipper to cancel the load.
- Both the shipper and carrier activity logs record an entry when the driver opens a protected document.
Next Steps
Learn more about how attachments work across Super Dispatch: