How to send customers a tracking link with an ETA
By Eli Foltyn · Updated November 5, 2026
Short answer
Send the link when the driver starts heading to the customer, from your own number, with one line: who you are and when you will get there. The page should show the driver on a map, one ETA number, the company name, and a clear "arrived" or "delivered" at the end. The customer should never need an app or an account.
The idea came from being the customer. I stood at an airport calling a car service driver over and over to ask where he was. Later a tow company texted me a link that said my ETA was 3 to 90 minutes. Then I called them over and over to ask if my car had made it to the dealership.
What a good tracking link shows
Your company name and logo
- Why
- So it does not look like spam
The driver on a map
- Why
- This alone stops most calls
One ETA number
- Why
- "About 25 min" beats "3 to 90 min"
"Updated 1 min ago"
- Why
- So a lost signal does not look like a stopped truck
A clear end: arrived or delivered
- Why
- "Your car is at the dealer" was half my calls
A call button
- Why
- For when they really need you
| Show | Why |
|---|---|
| Your company name and logo | So it does not look like spam |
| The driver on a map | This alone stops most calls |
| One ETA number | "About 25 min" beats "3 to 90 min" |
| "Updated 1 min ago" | So a lost signal does not look like a stopped truck |
| A clear end: arrived or delivered | "Your car is at the dealer" was half my calls |
| A call button | For when they really need you |
When to send it
- Tow and roadside: when the truck is rolling to the customer.
- Courier and cargo: when the driver heads to that stop, not at the start of the day.
- Car service and airport pickups: when the driver leaves, plus the exact pickup spot.
- Car delivery and rentals: when the car leaves the lot.
What to write
Keep the text short and from a number the customer knows. For example:
Hi, it's Mike from Smith Towing. I'm on the way, about 25 min. Track me here: [link]Mistakes that still make customers call
- A range instead of a number.
- A link that needs an app download or an account.
- A map that freezes when the driver locks the phone.
- No ending, so the customer cannot tell if the job is done.
- Sending it too early, so they watch a truck that is still on another job.
I ended up building this as Take Fleet: the driver taps a button and texts the link from their own phone, and the customer sees the map and ETA in any browser. It is free for companies. If you build your own, use the checklist above.
Try Take Fleet free →Questions people ask
How do I let customers track my driver?+
Text them a tracking link when the driver heads their way. The page should show the driver on a map, an ETA and your company name, and open in any browser without an app.
Does the customer need to download an app?+
They should not have to. A good tracking link opens in any phone browser.
When should I send a tracking link?+
When the driver starts heading to that customer. Sending it earlier means they watch the driver finish someone else's job.