Why is planned ETA incorrect?

Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) is one of the most important delivery metrics in Track-POD. ETA helps dispatchers, drivers, and customers understand when a delivery is expected to arrive.

However, there are situations where planned ETA may appear inaccurate. This article explains the most common reasons behind incorrect ETA calculations and how to improve ETA accuracy in Track-POD.

What Affects ETA in Track-POD?

Track-POD calculates ETA using multiple factors, including:

• Planned route start time

• Service time at stops

• Delivery time windows

• Selected map

• Driver breaks

Common Reasons Why ETA Is Incorrect

1. Incorrect stop service time

Service time defines how long a driver is expected to stay at a stop.

If service times are too short or too long, ETA calculations may become unrealistic.

Example

• Actual unloading time: 20 minutes

• Configured service time: 2 minutes

This causes future ETAs to appear earlier than reality.

How to fix it

Review and update realistic service times for:

• Residential deliveries

• Commercial deliveries

• Heavy unloading operations

• Multi-package deliveries

2. Incorrect route start time

Route start time directly affects the planned ETA values. If it is set incorrectly the calculation of the ETAs per route may be erroneous.

How to fix it

• Check the Routing and Optimization settings where the default start time is set

• In the Add Route dialogue set the correct route start time for a specific route

3. Incorrect address or geocoding issues

ETA accuracy depends on correct delivery coordinates.

If an address is incomplete or incorrectly geocoded, the route duration may be inaccurate.

Examples

• Wrong ZIP/postal code

• Missing building number

• Incorrect map pin placement

• Rural or newly built locations

How to fix it

• Verify customer addresses before dispatch

• Adjust map pins manually if needed

• Use exact coordinates for difficult locations

4. Incorrect map chosen 

In certain regions, such as the UK, Track-POD provides map options for both bicycles and vans/trucks. If an incorrect map is chosen, the estimated arrival times (ETAs) might be inaccurate. How to resolve this

• Review Routing and Optimization settings -> Choose Area

• Inspect Directories -> Depots -> Depot Map

• Ensure that you haven't selected the Bicycle map for your fleet of vans/trucks

5. Driver breaks

Utilizing driver breaks directly affects calculating the planned ETAs. Depending on the settings a short or/and a long break may be inserted in the route and affecting ETAs

How to fix it

• Navigate to Routing and Optimziation settings and adjust driver breaks

Need Additional Help?

If ETA problems continue after following the recommendations above, contact the Track-POD Support Team and include:

• Route ID

• Driver name

• Date of delivery

• Screenshots of the issue

This information helps our team investigate ETA accuracy more efficiently.